NEi Works 2.1 Debuts at SolidWorks World

By DE Editors

NEi Works 2.1 can create bolts and cap screw joints automatically.

NEi Software (Westminster, CA) was released version 2.1 of its SolidWorks-embedded FEA finite element analysis) tool NEi Works Monday at SolidWorks World 2010 in Anaheim, CA. Version 2.1 is reported to offer SolidWorks users requiring Nastran several new usability enhancements,  post-processing, and optimization features as well as a number of new types of analysis, elements, and loads.

NEi Works, a SolidWorks Gold Product that leverages the NEi Nastran solver, gives you the ability to communicate FEA data to most standard pre- and post-processors through its support of the Nastran file format. The software uses the SolidWorks look and feel for all menus and functions, which provides a familiar user operating environment, while providing seamless integration between design and analysis. According to the company, this tight associativity between and geometry means that loads, boundary conditions, and meshes update interactively as you change your SolidWorks model.

In addition to support for SolidWorks 2010 usability enhancements in NEi Works 2.1 include 3D cross-section view of shell elements,  3D cross-section view of beam and bar elements using cross-section definition,  1D element direction visualization, automatic bolt creation, combined shell and beam/bar meshing, and access to all advanced nonlinear analysis settings and parameters. Further, you can now remove items from the analysis tree that you do not want.

NEi Works 2.1 offers new features for failure analyses.

NEi Works now offers the ability to create factor of safety contour plots based upon Von Mises and Maximum Principal shear stress theories. It also offers such new analysis types for nonlinear transient response, including damping, material, displacement, velocity, and acceleration. Among the new PBARL element types are user dimensioned cross-section save and load, defined profile selection, and section offset. PBEAML element types enhancements include defined profile selection, section offset, and tapered beam.

Performance enhancements in the post-processing capabilities of NEi Works 2.1 are said to result in shorter result load times as well as shorter wait times between result selections. XY plotting has been extended with logarithmic axis and the ability to hover over data points.

For complete details on NEi Works, go to the NEI Software website.

Download a list of the new features NEi Works 2.1.

Download a PDF of the new features NEi Works 2.1 that includes screen images.

Watch a 3-minute video on NEi Works (registration free).

Sign up for on-demand videos and webinars on NEi Software products.

See why DE’s Editors selected NEi Works 2.1 as their Pick of the Week.