CAFE professional version is featured with FEM pre-processing tools. It is capable of fully automatic meshing the modelled entities using arbitrary sized elements. Figure below shows the FE mesh of the structure where on the left side is the original model, while right side represents the meshed model.
Example of FEM mesh
Number of elements used in the software is not limited. The refinement of the existing FE mesh for detailed stress analysis purposes is possible as well as seen in Figure below.
Example of FEM fine mesh
CAFE can apply any structural loading including wave loads utilized by Smith correction. Wave loading is displayed in Figure below where only hull form is modelled.
Example of wave loads
Boundary conditions for FE purposes can be easily prescribed. Additionally,CAFE software is capable of balancing the loads and reaction forces on boundary conditions in case when full ship FE model is being analyzed. FE model, including balanced loads and boundary conditions, can be exported to several FE solvers for assessment such as NASTRAN, FINNSAP, ANSYS and LS-DYNA. It is also possible to import the results of the strength assessment done in NASTRAN and make them visible from within the software.
FEM Features:
- An unlimited number of different models and sub models
- Interactive modelling using self - adaptive elements, works smoothly with more than 1 million elements
- Enables the use of different structural mesh levels simultaneously:
- one panel modelled as one element on global level
- one or more elements between stiffeners, stiffeners as beams
- one or more elements for stiffener web, stiffener flange as rods
- detailed fatigue mesh using a very small elements
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Automatic mesh generator and remeshing
- Fully automatic conversion from higher to any lower level element mesh
- Lower level elements generated in form of automatic mesh generation are mapped to their parent elements so that all the element properties, loads and rule descriptions are transferred automatically to the lower level elements
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Mesh around openings
- Using existing FEM models defined by other FE modellers (import from FINNSAP)
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Full ship FE modelling