Courses:  Outline

Course Outline

Strand7 develops and presents courses in finite element analysis and Strand7. The current suite of courses have been presented and refined over a period of fifteen years and have been attended by hundreds of engineers and designers, both in Australia and overseas.

We present two types of courses:

  1. Regular courses ranging from general introductory, to advanced, to specialised courses.
  2. Customised courses, usually presented at the customer's site, with emphasis on specific topics of interest.
View Upcoming Courses in 2012.

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We present the following suite of courses:
     Introducing Strand7
     Nonlinear Analysis
     Dynamic Analysis
     Structural Analysis
     Heat Transfer Analysis
     Automeshing
     Melbourne
     Brisbane
     Perth
     UK Training
     USA Training
     Advanced User Workshop


Introducing Strand7 - 4 days
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This introductory four day course is intended for engineers with little or no previous experience in Strand7 or FEA. It is designed to give an overall understanding of the use of Strand7 in solving real engineering problems. It teaches how to create and verify finite element models, how to set up the solvers and interpret the results using the post-processing tools. The examples presented cover the use of beam, plate and brick elements and the most common solvers. On the final day, with assistance from the presenters, attendees are asked to build and analyse a model from their own sphere of interest, and then interpret the results.

Some of the topics covered include:

  • Overview of Strand7 including pre and post processing.
  • Setting up the display, dynamic rotations and general configuration of Strand7.
  • Selecting entities.
  • Units.
  • Creating meshes and using grouping functions.
  • Creating load and freedom cases.
  • Using the property libraries and customising the content.
  • Model summary, including user defined information about model details, properties, bill of materials.
  • Solvers - linear static, natural frequency, spectral response, heat transfer.
  • Post-processing of results, including contouring, graphing, stress averaging and units.
  • Reporting of results, including printing, graphing, tabular listings and animations.
  • Advanced element attributes.
  • Link elements.
  • Cut and paste features.
  • User-defined beam sections and calculation of properties.
  • Introduction to CAD geometry and automeshing.

Nonlinear Analysis - 1 day
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This course addresses the growing need to undertake nonlinear analysis in structural and mechanical design.

Some of the topics covered include:

  • Overview of geometric, material and boundary nonlinearity.
  • Large displacement analysis of frame and shell structures.
  • Elasto-plastic analysis of continuum models, including unloading and residual stress.
  • Nonlinear buckling and post-buckling using automatic load stepping.
  • Solver parameters and convergence.
  • Specialised nonlinear elements such as cable and membrane elements.
  • Using point contact elements.
  • Analysis of beam elements developing plastic hinges.
  • Introduction to construction sequence simulation.
This course assumes a good working knowledge of Strand7 and FEA and is usually attended by engineers who have completed the Introducing Strand7 course or have had at least six months Strand7 experience.


Dynamic Analysis - 1 day
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This course addresses the growing need to undertake dynamic analysis in structural and mechanical design. Examples are taken from mechanical engineering problems such as vibrating machinery, and structural engineering problems such as earthquake response of buildings.

Some of the topics covered include:

  • Introduction to the different categories of dynamic analysis.
  • Overview of natural frequency analysis, time history analysis, harmonic response and spectral response.
  • The mode superposition method.
  • Mass matrices for dynamic analysis.
  • Damping.
  • Stress stiffening effects.
  • Random vibration and shock loading.
  • Conversion of input time history to response spectrum for spectral response analysis.
  • Earthquake analysis in accordance with AS1170.4.
  • Post-processing of results including using FFT.
This course assumes a good working knowledge of Strand7 and FEA and is usually attended by engineers who have completed the Introducing Strand7 course or have had at least six months Strand7 experience.


Structural Analysis - 2 days
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This course covers the use of Strand7 in structural engineering applications for both sub and super-structures. The nonlinear static solver is used for analysing geometric and material non-linearity such as for buckling/collapse analysis. Dynamic solvers are used to analyse structures under the influence of earthquake excitation. The course also discusses methods for modelling:

  • Customised beam sections
  • Surface contact
  • Concrete reinforcement
  • Fabric structures
  • Dams
  • Tunnels and construction sequence
  • Buildings
  • Foundations
  • Cable stayed structures
  • Pipework
Element types considered include beam, plate, membrane (fabric) and 3D bricks. The application of dead and live loads, together with the combination and enveloping of results are also covered.

This course assumes a good working knowledge of Strand7 and FEA and is usually attended by engineers who have completed the Introducing Strand7 course or have had at least six months of Strand7 experience.


Heat Transfer Analysis - 1 day
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This course covers the use of Strand7 in the analysis of steady state and transient heat transfer problems.

Some of the topics covered include:

  • Overview of heat transfer theory for linear and nonlinear, steady-state and transient heat transfer.
  • The three basic modes of heat transfer, conduction, convection and radiation.
  • Heat loss/gain through a body.
  • Various forms of thermal loading and relevant element attributes.
  • Thermal boundary conditions and symmetry.
  • The use of tables for nonlinear heat transfer.
  • Using heat transfer results to determine thermal stress.
  • Other applications of the heat solver for the solution of general field problems (eg. seepage flow) may be discussed, time permitting.

Automeshing - 1 day
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This course introduces the automeshing tools in Strand7.

Some of the topics covered include:

  • Overview of geometry representation in Strand7.
  • Importing and exporting geometry to and from CAD packages.
  • Supported CAD file formats (IGES, ACIS and STEP).
  • Supported CAD entities.
  • Inspecting and evaluating geometry.
  • Preparing geometry for meshing.
  • Geometry cleaning and repair tools.
  • Evaluating meshes.
  • Meshing single and multiple parts (assemblies).
  • Combining automatic and semi-automatic meshing using Strand7 tools.
  • Application of attributes to geometry.
  • Creating CAD geometry directly within Strand7.
  • CAD models from mechanical and structural fields will be used.
Melbourne - 5 days
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Strand7 users are invited to register their interest in attending a Strand7 course in Melbourne. We intend to offer a "modularised" course over the 5 days consisting of 2-3 days on Strand7 essentials (introductory topics) with the remaining time focused on more advanced topics. Participants will then have the option of attending one or more modules, depending on their requirements.

The course will be held in the vicinity of the Melbourne CBD and will run subject to sufficient interest and registrations.

Brisbane - 5 days
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Strand7 users are invited to register their interest in attending a Strand7 course in Brisbane. We intend to offer a "modularised" course over the 5 days consisting of 2-3 days on Strand7 essentials (introductory topics) with the remaining time focused on more advanced topics. Participants will then have the option of attending one or more modules, depending on their requirements.

The course will be held in the vicinity of the Brisbane CBD and will run subject to sufficient interest and registrations.

Perth - 5 days
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Strand7 users are invited to register their interest in attending a Strand7 course in Perth. We intend to offer a "modularised" course over the 5 days consisting of 2-3 days on Strand7 essentials (introductory topics) with the remaining time focused on more advanced topics. Participants will then have the option of attending one or more modules, depending on their requirements.

The course will be held in the vicinity of the Perth CBD and will run subject to sufficient interest and registrations.

UK Training - 5 days
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Strand7 Training is available to UK users. The UK course will run for 5 days and will be offered as a 'modularised' course similar to the Australian interstate courses. The course will run subject to sufficient interest and registrations.

Three modules are on offer:
  • 3 days on Strand7 Essentials,
  • 1 day on Nonlinear Analysis,
  • 1 day on Dynamic Analysis.
You can choose to attend only specific modules or all five days depending on your requirements.


USA Training - 5 days
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In association with Beaufort Analysis Inc., Strand7 users are invited to register their interest in attending a Strand7 course in the USA.

The course will run subject to sufficient interest and registrations.
To register your interest, contact Anne Delvaux
Advanced User Workshop - 2 days
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Aerospace and Marine Applications - UK
The workshop will be geared towards aerospace and marine engineers and would be appropriate for experienced Strand7 users. The topics covered will include advanced geometry handling and automeshing, advanced manual meshing, nonlinear convergence troubleshooting, staged analysis and advanced load applications. The content is subject to change depending on feedback from registered participants.

The workshop aims to give participants an overview of the new advanced features in Strand7, to provide some specific examples relevent to aerospace and marine applications, and to provide an opportunity to meet with other Strand7 users in the UK.