Unique in approach and content, this book presents the theory of finite element analysis, explores its application as a design/modeling tool, and explains in detail how to use ANSYS intelligently and effectively.FEATURES * Provides comprehensive -- but not overwhelming -- coverage of finite element theory. * Helps readers learn how to use ANSYS quickly and effectively. * Shows how to use ANSYS step by step to model a physical problem. * Integrates ANSYS throughout. Each chapter: * First discusses the relevant basic theory and then demonstrates it using simple problems with hand-calculations. * Follows with examples that are solved using ANSYS. * Presents all exercises in the same manner. Some exercises require manual calculations, while others, more complex in nature, require the use of ANSYS. * Discusses various sources of error that can contribute to wrong results. * Emphasizes how to manually verify Finite Element Analysis (FEA) findings. * Devotes a section of approaches for verifying ANSYS results at the end of selected chapters. * Features a number of open-ended design problems at the end of Chapters. 7, 8, and 10. * Devotes the concluding chapter to design optimization and parametric programming with ANSYS. * Offers a brief review of fundamental principles in solid mechanics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics. * Appendices give mechanical and thermophysical properties of some common materials used in engineering. * Provides a list of objectives and a summary for each chapter.