StressCheck sets a new standard for computer aided engineering by providing the most advanced FEA technology, with industry leading accuracy and reliability.  Furthermore, StressCheck's unique infrastructure supports corporate requirements for standardization, provides a repository to capture design knowledge, and can be packaged and deployed in an easy to use, fail-safe environment for designers and non-FEA experts.

StressCheck is a complete finite element analysis tool with a pre- and post-processor (Basic StressCheck), a suite of analysis modules supporting advanced solutions in elasticity and heat transfer, and utility modules that offer functionality to import CAD models and perform 2D and 3D automatic meshing.  

Listed below are brief descriptions of each module offered.  Please contact a sales representative if you have questions.

Basic StressCheck is the graphic user interface (GUI) and features a complete pre- and post-processor built around a parametric handbook framework that supports standardization of design and analysis processes.  Any attribute of the model (geometry, material properties, loads, constraints) can be defined parametrically.  Includes an isoparametric automesher for 2D planar and 3D solid modeling.  Also includes COM and Java API’s for development of custom applications or communication with other analysis tools (e.g. Excel, MatLab, Mathcad, etc.).  The GUI includes a context sensitive Help system linked to keywords in the electronic documentation (Master Guide) and an AOM Help system that provides a quick primer for entering data into the user interface controls.

A linear solver for problems in elasticity.  Supports planar (plane stress, plane strain), extrude, axisymmetric and 3D elasticity.  Solutions can be obtained by p-extension, adaptive-p or uniform-h methods.  Method of analysis can be direct (default) or iterative.

The Linear Elasticity Analysis module is a prerequisite to run most advanced analysis types (e.g. nonlinear, fracture mechanics, and modal/buckling).  Linear analysis is the first step of the seemless heirarchic modeling framework that constitutes the foundation of StressCheck.

A nonlinear solver for problems in elasticity.  The results of a linear analysis form the basis, or starting point for the nonlinear solution.  This seemless integration is part of a hierarchic simulation structure upon which StressCheck is formulated.  This module provides nonlinear solvers for a wide range of problem classes:

Geometric Nonlinear - Problems for which the structure undergoes large displacements (strain).  The user can switch from the default solver to the Newton-Raphson method for cases in which there is a strong coupling between membrane and bending forces.

Material Nonlinear - Deformation theory of plasticity (for single overload events) and incremental theory of plasticity (ITP) for simulating multiple load-unload events.  Can perform a load step analysis to determine limit load (load at which there is unrestricted plastic flow).

General Nonlinear - Problems undergoing both large strain and local plasticity. 

Material Nonlinear with Multi-body Contact - StressCheck supports the solution of an assembly for which one or more parts undergo localized plasticity (e.g. fastened joints, lugs, etc..)

View Nonlinear Analysis product brief

Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM) - Extraction of mode 1 and mode 2 stress intensity factors (K1 & K2) and the T-stress for 2D and 3D problems in linear elasticity. 

This module includes an automated Crack Path Analysis tool for 2D planar problems.  This algorithm, based on Erdogen and Sih, provides a robust method to obtain SIF's along a predicted crack path.  The table of SIF data can be quickly cut and pasted into an Excel spreadsheet, normalized into a beta solution for crack growth analysis.

Elastic Plastic Fracture Mechanics (EPFM) - The J-integral can be computed for linear and elastic-plastic solutions of isotropic materials and linear solutions of orthotropic/laminate materials.  Applicable to 2D planar models (plane stress, plane strain and axisymmetric). 

View Fracture Mechanics product brief

Linear, steady-state heat conduction with prescribed temperature, flux and convective boundary conditions.  Also supports radiation and temperature dependent materials.  Temperature dependent material properties can be specified as a formula or as tabular data.  The computed temperature distribution can be used in a very convenient way for computing the load vector for thermo-elastic problems.  Simply solve the heat transfer problem, switch reference/theory selector from Heat Transfer to Elasticity, apply constraints to the model and solve.  

StressCheck's unique heirarchic modeling framework makes it easy to pass from a linear HT analysis (convection) to a nonlinear HT analysis (radiation).

Applicable to planar, axisymmetric and three-dimensional problems.

This analysis module provides a solver and post-processing functionalities for modal analysis and bifurcation (eigenvalue) buckling.  Modal and buckling analyses are applicable to 2D planar problems (plates and beam elements) and 3D problems (shell, extrude and solid elements).

Modal Analysis - Can specify a pre-stress for 3D problems.  The output from a modal analysis solution are the natural frequencies of vibration and the corresponding mode shapes.

Buckling Analysis - Returns the load factors and their associated buckling mode shapes.  When performing a buckling analysis a linear solution is obtained which is used for the eigenvalue computation.  Therefore, two solutions are available for post-processing; the linear solution which establishes the pre-buckling state-of-stress, and the eigenvalue solution which computes load factors and thier associated buckling mode shapes.

View Buckling Analysis product brief

An automated analysis tool that simulates the cold working process and provides the analyst with the residual state of stress resulting from pulling an oversize mandrel through a fastener hole. 

Provides solutions for:
1) mandrel insertion (local plasticity around the hole)
2) mandrel removal (CW residual stress)
3) final state of stress (CW residual + applied load).