A sharable format for multidisciplinary finite element analysis data

Abstract

The sharing of finite element analysis (FEA) data during the design process is a key requirement for success in collaborative design environments. However, compared to other fields like computer-aided design (CAD), sharing FEA data using a standardized neutral format remains relatively inefficient because the format must accommodate a wide range of data types produced from multidisciplinary analysis applications. In this paper, we propose a new format improving the exchangeability of FEA data in a collaborative design environment. Our approach is designed to address a wide variety of industry concerns as it achieves substantial data compression by storing only essential FE information and is efficient for visualizing heterogeneous analytic results by using a modified scene graph data structure. To maximize the efficiency of managing multidisciplinary data, our format also allows the use of hierarchical management within a single structure. We implemented a system based on our format, which is able to efficiently use the proposed sharable data translated from various systems. Several examples from commercial FEA systems are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the format.