In mechanical design and engineering simulation, maintaining associativity between 3D computer-aided design (CAD) models and finite element analysis (FEA) solvers has historically been a major hurdle. Whenever a design engineer modified a fillet, thickness, address or hole diameter in SolidWorks, analysts often had to rebuild their simulation models from scratch. NEiWorks was developed to eliminate this barrier, serving as a dedicated, embedded FEA solution powered by the industrial-strength NEi Nastran solver directly inside the SolidWorks environment.
Exploring NEiWorks requires examining its direct integration architecture, Nastran solver heritage, automated modeling workflows, and its impact on concurrent engineering.
1. Seamless Integration and Embedded Architecture
NEiWorks was engineered specifically for design engineers who need high-fidelity simulation capabilities without leaving their familiar CAD workspace:
- Direct Associativity: Because NEiWorks operates inside SolidWorks, any geometric change made to the CAD assembly automatically updates the finite element mesh, boundary conditions, and loads. This eliminates manual data translation errors and accelerates design iteration cycles.
- Familiar Interface: Utilizing SolidWorks menus, toolbars, and feature trees, NEiWorks allows mechanical engineers to apply forces, fixtures, and material properties using the exact same paradigm they use for modeling.
2. Powered by NEi Nastran Solver Technology
Beneath its user-friendly CAD facade, NEiWorks harnesses the heavy computational muscle of NEi Nastran, a legendary solver relied upon across aerospace, defense, and automotive industries:
- Advanced Non-Linear and Dynamic Analysis: Supports large displacements, hyperelastic materials, contact mechanics, modal analysis, transient response, and heat transfer.
- High-Performance Meshing: Offers robust shell, solid, and beam meshing tools equipped with automatic error checks and mesh refinement to guarantee numerical convergence and solution accuracy.
Conclusion
NEiWorks revolutionized concurrent engineering by putting world-class simulation capabilities directly into the hands of SolidWorks designers. By combining intuitive CAD embedding with rigorous Nastran solving power, it enabled engineering teams to validate designs faster and build safer, helpful resources optimized mechanical systems.