technical terms in FEA
technical terms in FEA
(OP)
Hello,
I am translating into English the technical documentation concerning Finite Element Analysis. I have come up against several problems. Although I have monolingual dictionaries of civil engineering and computing, it is very difficult to find the exact technical terms in English. Could you, please, help me and answer two questions.
Question 1.
How to call in English ‘a one dimensional two node finite element that has six degrees of freedom at each node and is directed in an arbitrary way’?
(I am not sure whether it is bar, rod, beam, beam element, member, or something else)
Question 2.
In the computer program we have three main stages:
1. Pre-Processor – allows to prepare finite element input data, that is to develop the geometry of a finite element model, enter physical and material properties, apply boundary conditions and loads
2. Processor (or Solver Engine) – numerical procedures for Finite Element Analysis (composing and solving the sets of equations)
3. Post-Processor – the process of evaluating the results of a finite element analysis through numerical and/or graphical manipulations.
How to call the second stage of the program: ‘Processor’, ‘Solver engine’ or something else?
Because Oxford Dictionary of Computing registers the word ‘processor’ as the synonym for ‘CPU’ (central processing unit) and it is hardware. Is it possible to use it as a part of software?
Thank you in advance for your help.
I am translating into English the technical documentation concerning Finite Element Analysis. I have come up against several problems. Although I have monolingual dictionaries of civil engineering and computing, it is very difficult to find the exact technical terms in English. Could you, please, help me and answer two questions.
Question 1.
How to call in English ‘a one dimensional two node finite element that has six degrees of freedom at each node and is directed in an arbitrary way’?
(I am not sure whether it is bar, rod, beam, beam element, member, or something else)
Question 2.
In the computer program we have three main stages:
1. Pre-Processor – allows to prepare finite element input data, that is to develop the geometry of a finite element model, enter physical and material properties, apply boundary conditions and loads
2. Processor (or Solver Engine) – numerical procedures for Finite Element Analysis (composing and solving the sets of equations)
3. Post-Processor – the process of evaluating the results of a finite element analysis through numerical and/or graphical manipulations.
How to call the second stage of the program: ‘Processor’, ‘Solver engine’ or something else?
Because Oxford Dictionary of Computing registers the word ‘processor’ as the synonym for ‘CPU’ (central processing unit) and it is hardware. Is it possible to use it as a part of software?
Thank you in advance for your help.





RE: technical terms in FEA
1) I don't think you mean "one-dimensional", but rather "line element". By virtue of having 6 dof at each node, this is by definition a "three-dimensional" element; it is just visualized as a line. This is generally referred to as a "beam" element, but I have also seen it referred to as a "bar". Use "beam", and it will be understood. I would avoid "rod", as that is sometimes construed as something similar to a truss, which is fundamentally different.
2) "Processor" and "Solver" are both commonly used. I prefer "solver" as it is more precise definition, leaving less confusion and clearly distinguishing it from the hardware terminology.
Brad
RE: technical terms in FEA
1) as a "space frame element" or "line element in space"
2)u are not just solving in processor..it alos the analysis that is important-something like "analyzer" also sounds good right.
Raj
Structural Engr.