This paper on "Whither F E? - An Industry Perspective" was presented at the NAFEMS World Congress on The Evolution of Product Simulation From Established Methods to Virtual Testing & Prototyping - 24-28 April 2001, The Grand Hotel, Lake Como, Italy.

Summary

FE analysis and more generally computer simulation, has been one of the industrial success stories of the last twenty years. Many now consider the technology as fairly mature and certainly there can be few sectors of industry which do not use it routinely for design and development. Nevertheless there remain a number of issues that constrain its wider use. The paper explores these issues and discusses the background to the NAFEMS-led FENET Thematic Network and other pan-European initiatives, which aim to serve the future interests of the F E community.