Improving productivity in finite element analysis through interactive processing

‘User friendly’ interactive pre- and post-processing programs allow major increases in productivity in finite element analysis. These programs are designed to reduce the amount of effort required to develop input and summarize output for large finite element programs. The gains in productivity, however, are not without cost. The use of this technology requires additional computer resources and user training. Although the increases in productivity are obvious to those who use this technology, management decisions are based on economic considerations. Therefore, engineering management must understand the benefits and the value of the increases in productivity to effectively evaluate the use of these tools. This paper discusses the concepts which form the basis for improving productivity through the use of interactive pre- and post-processing. Examples, taken from the authors' experience, are presented which illustrate the improvements in productivity which can be obtained using this technology.