1. Comprehensive. The book covers extensive aspects of finite element simulations: geometry modeling and meshing; 2D and 3D; solid models, surface models, and line models; static and dynamic; implicit and explicit; linear and nonlinear; contact and material nonlinearities; design optimization, etc.
2. User-Friendly. It uses step-by-step instructions to guide readers learning finite element simulations. It has been tried out on the authors classroom and proved to be user-friendly.
3. Real-World Cases. Totally 27 cases are used in 45 hands-on exercises, each constitutes a section of a chapter; many of the cases are industrial or research projects. They are not too complicated so students can build from scratch and perform the simulations in an academic teaching version of ANSYS Workbench 15.
4. Background Knowledge. Background knowledge is provided whenever necessary. To be efficient, the teaching methods are conceptual rather than mathematical, short, yet comprehensive. The last four chapters cover more advanced topics: structural dynamics, nonlinear simulations, nonlinear materials, and explicit dynamics; each chapter begins a section that gives the basics of that topic in a unique and efficient teaching approach to facilitate the subsequent learning.
5. Learn by Hands-on. A learning approach emphasizing hands-on experience spreads through the entire book. A typical chapter consists of 6 sections. The first two sections provide two step-by-step examples. The third section tries to complement the exercises by providing a more systematic view of the chapter subject. The following two sections provide more exercises. The final section provides review problems.
6. Demo Videos. Each step-by-step exercise is demonstrated with high-definition videos.
7. Companion Webpage. The author maintains a webpage containing resources such as demo videos and finished project files:myweb.ncku.edu.tw/~hhlee/Myweb_at_NCKU/ANSYS15.html
8. Companion DVD. To save downloading time, each hardcopy of the book comes with a companion DVD containing all the resources in the companion webpage.
This book is a comprehensive and easy to understand workbook. It utilizes step-by-step instructions to help guide readers to learn finite element simulations. Twenty seven case studies are used throughout the book. Many of these cases are industrial or research projects the reader builds from scratch. An accompanying DVD contains all the files readers may need if they have trouble. Relevant background knowledge is reviewed whenever necessary. To be efficient, the review is conceptual rather than mathematical, short, yet comprehensive. Key concepts are inserted whenever appropriate and summarized at the end of each chapter. Additional exercises or extension research problems are provided as homework at the end of each chapter.
