1.8 A further few words of caution!

A successful FEA project requires properly executing at least three complex processes according to NAFEMS (2001):

1. The user must be capable and qualified to pose a ‘question’ correctly to the software.
2. The software must be mathematically robust and accurate enough to provide a good solution.
3. The user must again be qualified to understand the results and assess the performance of the system based on these results.

While software vendors have gone to great lengths to make their codes accurate and easy to use, most users aren’t holding up their end by learning the techniques, engineering and discipline required to successfully use these products.