GRAPE: Finite Element Analysis and Shareware
E. R. Luczak, Q. Letan · 1991
Abstract Use of Finite Element Methods are becoming more prevalent as we move into the 1990’s. More engineers and engineering technologists than ever before are graduating from universities and colleges with knowledge and expertise in the method. A wide assortment of programs are now available that run on micro’s, mini’s, mainframes, and super computers with a broad spectrum of capabilities and costs. Enter the Shareware concept. Shareware does not mean free software. It does mean that software may be freely distributed to promote it’s use and therefore is available to the user at very low cost. This paper discusses a highly interactive Finite Element Analysis system specifically suited for engineers and technologists. GRAPE (Graphic Real-Time Analysis Programs for Engineering) is a series of Shareware programs created to provide the tools necessary to obtain an applied understanding of the technique. GRAPE allows an easy transition to the usage of more complex and powerful codes. A number of sample models are created and analyzed using one of the GRAPE programs, called GCST, to illustrate the ease with which real world applications can be modeled and studied. It is GRAPE’s responsive interactive approach that allows the user to quickly modify the condition of a model and thus note the effects that makes the study of the method appealing and unique. Most experienced users will agree that knowledge of a software package is necessary but the important aspect of being proficient in the method is the synthesis of how to properly model a problem. GRAPE allows the engineer to solve problems easily and quickly to obtain this desired level of competence.