Basic User Interface

VisualFEA is a cross-platform software, which supports both Mac OS and Windows system. VisualFEA is based on the standard user interface of each operating system, and thus has native look-and-feel for each of them. Menus and tool buttons are used to issue commands for various functions, but they have separate and independent roles in VisualFEA, while menu and tool commands are usually overlapped in most of other software. For ease and simplification of usage, all the functions are integrated in one executable module, and all the data for modeling and visualization are contained

in one data file. Thus, the entire procedure of finite element analysis can be carried out using only one program and one data file. VisualFEA provides 3-dimensional graphical user interfaces for inputting geometric data, viewing, and handling objects. Grid planes are used for convenience of inputting coordinates. There are 3 orthogonal grid planes, XY, YZ and ZX planes. The grid planes can be moved, resized, or subdivided as desired for data input. In addition to this, a user can define grid planes in arbitrary direction and at arbitrary position. Three-dimensional cursor is also available as another aid for inputting 3-dimensional coordinate data. An arbitrary point in 3-dimensional

space can be set easily using the cursor. View of the model on the screen can be controlled and adjusted interactively either using the mouse or keyboard input. There are various tools for view transformation including view rotating, zooming and panning. In addition, the direction of view or the part of zooming can be specified directly. Usage of these tools is simple, intuitive, and easy. For example, the view can be rotated by virtual trackball, as if an actual ball were rolled by a finger. The aerial view gives the overall view and facilitates handling of a large and complex model, only part of which fills the whole screen. A desired view can be obtained by combined use of the view transformation tools. A certain view can be marked, saved, or imported.

The model can be rendered in various forms: wireframe, hidden-line removed wireframe, outline, and shading with or without transparency.

A finite element model in VisualFEA consists of various objects: curve, primitive surface, node, element, and mesh. There is a selection tool for each type of object.

Objects can be selected in 3-dimensional space using the relevant selection tools. Depth of the model or front-and-back relationship is recognized in object selection. There are many other CAD-like features of VisualFEA, which makes the software all the more convenient and easy to use. They are explained in detail in this chapter.