How well does FEMAP work with Solid Edge?

[Theseus]

How easy is it to intergrate visualistic structural models from Solid Edge into FEMAP for Finite Element Analysis?

I have been learning some of Solid Edge and I was thinking of purchasing FEMAP to perfom FEA on structural models. I have not gotten around to building any structural models myself in Solid Edge, however I have seen some files from the client, where a structural platform was modeled with equipment shown on top of it. I neither know who built the model nor what parameters they have included in it, but the model looked like a "cartoon" to me (some structural members were not even touching at connections.) The client is under the impression that any and all information (e.g., loads from equipment on the platform, beam section properties, connection releases etc.) can be obtained from that model.

My question is as follows: if I was trying to perfom a structural analysis using FEMAP, how much information can be transferred from Solid Edge (geometry, material properties??), and how much of it would I have to add myself (I have hard time beleiving that Solid Edge model is "life-accurate" like the client claims it to be). Will FEMAP actually save me time if I already have Solid Edge model, or am I better off just building a model of my own from scratch in STAAD or RISA for structural analysis of the platform?

Thanks in advance,

 

[BlasMolero]

Dear Theseus,
FEMAP runs OK with SolidEdge, the FEMAP FE model is associated with the SolidEdge geometry, FEMAP imported native parts & assemblies from SE, also any material property defined in SolidEdge is transferred and associated with the geometry & FE model in FEMAP. Please note that SolidEdge is a CAD program where the strong feature is to create 3D solid geometry, and FEMAP is a FEA program that can take advance of the SE geometry to create the FE mesh. The FEMAP user will have to decide the mesh approach to follow: if a 3D solid beam member will be meshed with CTETRA solid elements, or is better to mesh with CBAR/CBEAM elements, in the second case FEMAP is capable to calculate the cross section properties based in the 3D geometry of the SE 3D solid part, this is the important!!.

Here you are the mesh approach you can follow in FEMAP when using a 3D CAD SOLID geometry imported from any CAD system to create SHELL & BEAM models based in the 3D CAD assembly (Spanish!!):

http://www.iberisa.com/soporte/femap/beam3d.htm

Best regards,
Blas.

 

[Theseus]

Blas,

Thank you for the reply. If I undertand correctly, it all depends on how I transfer the model from SE to FEMAP. The link was a little hard to follow without the program, but I will see if there is a trial version available that I can use to understand it better.

Thank you,