Structural modeling software: supply analysis

We have sought to illustrate the methodology for choosing software for finite element modeling of mechanical structures, by presenting two essential points of view in separate articles:

• expression of need ;

• offer quality and analysis.

The aim is to present the various stages in the process, emphasizing several aspects that are neglected by a purely commercial approach, but in no way to provide infallible recipes. It should be noted that the certifiers of the corporate quality approach have identified numerous shortcomings in the practice of software selection.

This second article deals with the quality approach to the "structure calculation" process and the analysis of the commercial offer, to answer two questions:

• what are the quality requirements and work organization that the user needs to put in place to use the software?

• how do you assess the commercial offers available?

In addition to the needs analysis mentioned in the first article, the specification must be completed by an analysis of the quality requirements defined by the user. To this end, we will specify the properties of the software to be evaluated, defining a set of quality characteristics and some means of quantification or comparison. Specifically, we will detail :

• What should the software publisher do and say?

  In an evaluation procedure, it is important for the purchaser to be able to question the software publisher on a set of provisions contributing to the initial quality of its product and after-sales services.

• What does the user need to do to make the software his own?

  Vendor declarations alone do not guarantee quality use. Users have an essential responsibility in putting software into industrial use and guaranteeing the quality of the results they produce. Skills management and training in the proper use of software are crucial.

  To assess commercial opportunities, we'll point out that access to numerical simulation software is available under various forms of license: freeware/purchase/rental. We will try to specify the main benchmarks needed to plan immediate and deferred financial and human resources in each case.

  To conclude this second article, we'd like to point out that the acquisition of software can have a long-term impact on the functioning and quality of the user organization's design process.