structuralfea_skill

Overview

This skill provides open-source finite element structural analysis focused on damper components and small mechanical parts. It generates CalculiX .inp files, guides meshing and solver setup, supplies a materials database, and interprets stresses, buckling, modal, and fatigue results. The workflow integrates FreeCAD, Gmsh, CalculiX, and ParaView for an end-to-end FEA pipeline.

How this skill works

You describe the component, loads, and boundary conditions or ask for an automated quick check. The skill selects an appropriate workflow (quick stress, component FEA, buckling, modal, or fatigue), produces CalculiX input templates, and gives meshing scripts or FreeCAD steps. After a run, it helps interpret von Mises, displacements, eigenvalues, and fatigue life against recommended allowables and safety factors.

When to use it

• You need a quick hand calculation or sanity check before detailed FEA.
• Preparing a CalculiX input for a piston rod, tube, clevis, or similar damper part.
• Assessing buckling risk or extracting natural frequencies for components.
• Setting up mesh refinement zones (threads, fillets, holes) or choosing element sizes.
• Validating results and checking design allowables and safety factors.

Best practices

• Run a quick analytical check first (axial stress, hoop stress, Euler buckling) to catch obvious issues.
• Perform mesh convergence (refine 2×) until stress changes <5% in critical zones.
• Refine mesh at threads, fillets, and hole edges; use tetrahedral C3D10/C3D20R where appropriate.
• Use realistic boundary conditions and check reaction force balance to confirm setup.
• Compare maximum von Mises to material σ_allow and review fatigue limits for cyclic loads.

Example use cases

• Quick rod check: compute axial/buckling margin for a given diameter and load and return SFs.
• ComponentFEA: generate CalculiX .inp, suggest mesh sizes and refinement, and outline solver steps for a piston rod with combined axial and bending loads.
• BucklingAnalysis: set up linear buckling eigenvalue extraction and report critical load factors for long slender members.
• ModalAnalysis: create a modal .inp to extract first N natural frequencies and flag proximity to excitation ranges.
• FatigueCheck: run stress-life assessment using FEA peak stresses and material S-N recommendations.