FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS: Introduction
by Steve Roensch, President, Roensch & Associates

First in a four-part series

Finite element analysis (FEA) is a fairly recent discipline crossing the boundaries of mathematics, physics, engineering and computer science. The method has wide application and enjoys extensive utilization in the structural, thermal and fluid analysis areas. The finite element method is comprised of three major phases: (1) pre-processing, in which the analyst develops a finite element mesh to divide the subject geometry into subdomains for mathematical analysis, and applies material properties and boundary conditions, (2) solution, during which the program derives the governing matrix equations from the model and solves for the primary quantities, and (3) post-processing, in which the analyst checks the validity of the solution, examines the values of primary quantities (such as displacements and stresses), and derives and examines additional quantities (such as specialized stresses and error indicators).

The advantages of FEA are numerous and important. A new design concept may be modeled to determine its real world behavior under various load environments, and may therefore be refined prior to the creation of drawings, when few dollars have been committed and changes are inexpensive. Once a detailed CAD model has been developed, FEA can analyze the design in detail, saving time and money by reducing the number of prototypes required. An existing product which is experiencing a field problem, or is simply being improved, can be analyzed to speed an engineering change and reduce its cost. In addition, FEA can be performed on increasingly affordable computer workstations and personal computers, and professional assistance is available.

It is also important to recognize the limitations of FEA. Commercial software packages and the required hardware, which have seen substantial price reductions, still require a significant investment. The method can reduce product testing, but cannot totally replace it. Probably most important, an inexperienced user can deliver incorrect answers, upon which expensive decisions will be based. FEA is a demanding tool, in that the analyst must be proficient not only in elasticity or fluids, but also in mathematics, computer science, and especially the finite element method itself.

Which FEA package to use is a subject that cannot possibly be covered in this short discussion, and the choice involves personal preferences as well as package functionality. Where to run the package depends on the type of analyses being performed. A typical finite element solution requires a fast, modern disk subsystem for acceptable performance. Memory requirements are of course dependent on the code, but in the interest of performance, the more the better, with 512 Mbytes to 8 Gbytes per user a representative range. Processing power is the final link in the performance chain, with clock speed, cache, pipelining and multi-processing all contributing to the bottom line. These analyses can run for hours on the fastest systems, so computing power is of the essence.

One aspect often overlooked when entering the finite element area is education. Without adequate training on the finite element method and the specific FEA package, a new user will not be productive in a reasonable amount of time, and may in fact fail miserably. Expect to dedicate one to two weeks up front, and another one to two weeks over the first year, to either classroom or self-help education. It is also important that the user have a basic understanding of the computer’s operating system.

Next month’s article will go into detail on the pre-processing phase of the finite element method.

copyright 2005 Roensch & Associates. All rights reserved.

Finite Element Analysis: Introduction is a post from: Tashi Lhunpo Education News

Choosing the right audio engineering courses is a post from: Tashi Lhunpo Education News

“(A) life-long pattern of traits and behaviors which signify infatuation and obsession with one’s self to the exclusion of all others and the egotistic and ruthless pursuit of one’s gratification, dominance and ambition.”

Luckily for us, we are all narcissists to some degree. But healthy narcissism is adaptive, flexible, empathic, causes elation and joy (happiness), and help us to function. Pathological narcissism is maladaptive, rigid, persisting, and causes significant distress, and functional impairment.

Prevalence and Age and Gender Features

According to the DSM IV-TR, Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is diagnosed in between 2% and 16% of the population in clinical settings (between 0.5-1% of the general population). The DSM-IV-TR proceeds to tell us that most narcissists (50-75% of all patients) are men.

We must carefully distinguish between the narcissistic traits of adolescents – narcissism is an integral part of their healthy personal development – and the full-fledge disorder. Adolescence is about self-definition, differentiation, separation from one’s parents, and individuation. These inevitably involve narcissistic assertiveness which is not to be conflated or confused with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD).

“The lifetime prevalence rate of NPD is approximately 0.5-1 percent; however, the estimated prevalence in clinical settings is approximately 2-16 percent. Almost 75 percent of individuals diagnosed with NPD are male (APA, DSM IV-TR 2000).”

From the Abstract of Psychotherapeutic Assessment and Treatment of Narcissistic Personality Disorder By Robert C. Schwartz,Ph.D., DAPA and Shannon D. Smith, Ph.D., DAPA (American Psychotherapy Association, Article #3004 Annals July/August 2002)

However, as the narcissist grows old and suffers the inevitable attendant physical, mental, and occupational restrictions, Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is exacerbated.

Studies have not demonstrated any ethnic, social, cultural, economic, genetic, or professional predilection or susceptibility to the Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD).

Still, Robert Milman suggested a condition that he labeled “Acquired Situational Narcissism”. He observed a transient and reactive form of the Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) in certain situations, such as under constant public scrutiny and exposure.

Comorbidity and Differential Diagnoses

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is often diagnosed with other mental health disorders (“co-morbidity”), such as mood disorders, eating disorders, and substance-related disorders. Patients with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) are frequently abusive and prone to impulsive and reckless behaviours (“dual diagnosis”).

The comorbidity of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) with other personality disorders, such as the Histrionic, Borderline, Paranoid, and Antisocial Personality Disorders, is high.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is often misdiagnosed as Bipolar Disorder (the manic phase), Asperger’s Disorder, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder – and vice versa.

Though the personal styles of patients with Cluster B personality disorders resemble each other, they also substantially differ. The narcissist is grandiose, the histrionic coquettish, the antisocial (psychopath) callous, and the borderline needy.

From my book, “Malignant Self Love – Narcissism Revisited”:

“As opposed to patients with the Borderline Personality Disorder, the self-image of the narcissist is stable, he or she are less impulsive and less self-defeating or self-destructive and less concerned with abandonment issues (not as clinging).

Contrary to the histrionic patient, the narcissist is achievements-orientated and proud of his or her possessions and accomplishments. Narcissists also rarely display their emotions as histrionics do and they hold the sensitivities and needs of others in contempt.

According to the DSM-IV-TR, both narcissists and psychopaths are “tough-minded, glib, superficial, exploitative, and unempathic”. But narcissists are less impulsive, less aggressive, and less deceitful. Psychopaths rarely seek narcissistic supply. As opposed to psychopaths, few narcissists are criminals.

Patients suffering from the range of obsessive-compulsive disorders are committed to perfection and believe that only they are capable of attaining it. But, as opposed to narcissists, they are self-critical and far more aware of their own deficiencies, flaws, and shortcomings.”

Bibliography

Goldman, Howard H., Review of General Psychiatry, fourth edition, 1995. Prentice-Hall International, London.

Gelder, Michael, Gath, Dennis, Mayou, Richard, Cowen, Philip (eds.), Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry, third edition, 1996, reprinted 2000. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Vaknin, Sam, Malignant Self Love – Narcissism Revisited, seventh revised impression, 1999-2006. Narcissus Publications, Prague and Skopje.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder – Prevalence and Comorbidity is a post from: Tashi Lhunpo Education News

Child Support Laws and Enforcement
Some parents who are ordered to pay child support often avoid their obligations. These parents are what we call dead beat parents. Most dead beat parents do not pay child support for reason just to spite the custodial parent. Some may be too lazy to get a job, others may be too selfish to dish out the money to pay for their responsibilities. Who know why some parent will not take the responsibilities of paying their child support dues? Fortunately, there are laws which prosecutes parents who avoid paying child support. In most states in America you can find a child support enforcement office which will provide assistances in enforcing non-custodial parents to pay past due child support. Some methods of enforcing child support laws are garnishment of the wages, interception of tax refund checks, suspensions of drivers license, and jail time.

Establishing paternity
When a mother has a child and she is married, then the father is legally obligated to pay child support if they divorce. When a mother has a child outside of marriage in order for her to file for child support she must first establish paternity. Establishing paternity makes the non-custodial father legally obligated to the responsibilities of child support. If at anytime the alleged father doubts that the child is his, a genetic test would be performed to discover once and for all who the father is. Locating a missing parent can be difficult, especially if they live in another state. Sometimes tracking the social security number of the missing parent will help to pin point their location. Usually when the missing parent applies for a new job, their social security can be trace back to their location. In order to establish paternity, the custodial parent must first locate the father.

For more information on child support laws in your area, please click the link below.

Child Support Laws Opinions is a post from: Tashi Lhunpo Education News

For anyone who hasn’t realised, Italy is a country rich in history, beauty, romance and style. It’s also a country where good taste in fashion and food abound. Italians take an immense, and justifiable, pride in their national assets, and often refer to their country as the ‘bel paese’ or ‘beautiful country’. Italy is among the oldest and most fascinating European countries, with art and architecture are second to none. Whether you choose to explore Italy by foot, by gondola, or by Vespa, the journey is breathtaking! To appreciate ‘la dolce vita’ fully, knowledge of the Italian language is essential, and there is no better place to learn than right in the midst of Italian life.

Italian language schools are located throughout Italy, from world-famous Venice and Milan in northern Italy to historic Taormina and Otranto in the south. Choice of location is one of the most important factors in deciding which language school to attend. Without a doubt, time spent outside the language classroom is at least as important as time spent in class. In larger cities, language programs typically emphasise amenities and activities but, depending on the size of the program, can neglect individual student attention. While there may be no shortage of cultural activities and museum visits, intimate cultural experiences are more likely to occur in smaller towns and villages. It is also much easier to fall back on speaking English in large cities, which of course defeats your original purpose entirely!

Throughout Italy, English is less spoken in smaller towns and villages than in cities. In such locations, it is almost impossible not to speak the language youre there to study. Generally, people in the more rural areas of Italy will be quite honored that youve chosen to learn Italian in their home town and will be more welcoming, making it easier to establish lasting friendships and feel right at home.

The type of Italian language program you choose will of course be determined partly by your specific needs. There are many different types of program offered by language schools in Italy, including general Italian, Italian for business, Italian for academic studies, and Italian for art courses, music, design and culinary arts.

Whichever program you choose, there are several features to look for which are shared by all good programs: flexible, communicative instruction methodologies, a friendly atmosphere, personal attention, enthusiastic and qualified teachers, small groups. Depending on your requirements, the program should also provide a language qualification recognised by national and international colleges and universities.

In summary, to get the most out of an Italian language program in Italy, look for schools with small groups, qualified native-speaking teachers and programs providing plenty of individual attention. Cultural programs including excursions and activities are important, but they should not substitute for real language learning which occurs best in smaller groups and more intimate contexts. Whatever happens during your time in Italy, the most important thing is that you thoroughly enjoy the language learning experience! You will learn much better if you are happy with your program and enjoying yourself!

Learn Italian In Italy is a post from: Tashi Lhunpo Education News

What is a learners permit?

A learners permit is a special permit issued by a State Department of Motor Vehicles (often referred to as DMV, but some states have varying titles) office for teenagers to begin “behind the wheel” drivers education training. For many states, the average age you can apply for a learners permit is 15. However, there are a few states where you can apply as early as 14 and as late as 16 years of age. Different states have different requirements. For example, there are a few states that have no formal requirements, where as most require initial written testing of driving basics. Six to eight hours of classroom (or approved home training course) is typically required.

Drivers Education Training

Once you’ve achieved your initial learners permit, you can expect to continue your classroom study, but can typically begin your “behind the wheel” training with an adult; usually a drivers education instructor or parent. During this time, most states require a certain number of hours of “behind the wheel” experience. You’ll learn many of the basics, such as: stopping, watching for traffic around you, turning, identifying various traffic signs, how to parallel park and more. Don’t take these for granted! Your initial drivers education training can set an important track for your driving record.

The trip to your local DMV

Once you’ve completed an approved drivers education course, you’ll be issued a license. This varies from state to state. Some allow you to complete a drivers education course while 15, but must wait until you are 16 years of age to obtain a license. Still others impose conditions for a new driver, such as limited hours of driving, driving with an adult of a certain age, etc. Your local DMV office will let you know any special provisions.

Before you get your license, there are some things you should know about that will be necessary to receive your drivers license. DMV offices are very strict about documentation you must present to get your license. You should always check with them first and even get a checklist. Typical items you will need to bring to your local DMV office to obtain your drivers license:

Your original birth certificate, or a certified copy of your birth certificate with a state seal. Be prepared! Simply taking a photocopied certificate will not work for most states. You should be prepared for this very early on in your drivers education training. If need by, contact the state where you were born to obtain a certified copy if you do not have one, or your original certificate.

Social Security Card. Make sure you have your social security card. Most metropolitans have a local Social Security Office where you can quickly go and obtain an SSN card if you’ve lost your original. Again, make sure you have this early on.

Glasses or contacts. You will be required to take an eye exam when applying for your drivers license. Be sure to bring your glasses or wear your contacts to the DMV office.

Proof of completion of a state approved drivers education course. If you are taking a local classroom drivers education course, they should provide you with a certificate. You should always be sure they are certified by the state, if your state requires such certification. If you have taken a state approved home study course, such as a parent taught course issued by some states, or a third party software training course, they will provide you with a certificate of completion.

Proof of insurance. Check with your local DMV. Some states require this, some states may not. You should have the minimum insurance required for your state, usually liability insurance. Be prepared to present proof of insurance to the DMV clerk.

Proof of enrollment in High School. Many states require that you be enrolled in school and have proof of enrollment to obtain a drivers license under the age of 18. Your school will have the necessary form and can provide it for you to take to the DMV office. In cases where you may no longer be in school, and have opted for a GED, make sure you bring your GED certificate with you.

These are the typical things you will need to take to your local DMV office when applying for your drivers license. Of course, each state can vary and you can visit your State’s DMV website for more specific information.

Driver Education Software

More and more states are offering modern alternatives to the typical classroom drivers education courses. Some states offer a parent taught drivers education where students can study and test at home, as well as “behind the wheel” with a parent or legal guardian. Many states are now allowing students to take an approved CD ROM based or online course.

Driver Education Information for Teens is a post from: Tashi Lhunpo Education News

But if your son or daughter has benefited greatly from the home school experience thus far, why put a stop to it? Especially with all the online resources available today, its definitely possible to give your teenager everything he/she needs to be successful at this stage of the game.

With an older child you dont have to be a constant guide every step of the way. Of course, a teenager still requires help and guidance, but for the most part a large percentage of the workload can be carried out independently. If you have high-quality learning materials and books at your disposal, your child can work through the subjects alone – if a question ever arises, the Internet, with tons of helpful online information for the curious and home schoolers alike, is just a few mouse clicks away.

Also, you can sign your teenager up for online high school courses, if you prefer that he/she learn directly from a teacher or tutor. There is a wide range of high school courses available online that make it easy to earn a degree, right from the comfort of your own home.

For certain subjects that your child might struggle with, consider hiring a tutor to come to your home a few days a week for lessons. Math and science tutors are the most popular choices, as one-on-one help with these subjects is something most students benefit the most from.

Another option: community college courses. You can actually give your teen an edge if they attend classes at the local community college. For certain subjects, being taught by a college teacher, and interacting with other students who are also interested in what is being taught, this is an excellent way to obtain particular credits and socialize with people who are on the same wavelength academically. You may have to jump through some hoops to enroll your child, but it can be worthwhile in the end.

If youre worried about neglecting your teens social development, there are many ways to make up for any experiences normally enjoyed during high school. Home schooled high school students usually participate in a wide range of social activities, by volunteering, working part-time, and partaking in a sport or musical group. Many home schoolers even plan a prom!

If you believe home schooling is right for your child, theres no reason to give up when the high school years roll around. There are many ways to make your older childs home schooling experience one to be cherished.

Home Schooling Through High School is a post from: Tashi Lhunpo Education News

Future Energy Concepts The Fuel Cell

A fuel cell is a fairly vague phrase thrown around by those in the know and those that know relatively little. Regardless of the particular design, a fuel cell is essentially a cell similar to a battery in which a chemical process occurs to produce electricity. In this case, however, the fuel is hydrogen. The basic idea is to combine hydrogen with oxygen in a process that produces electricity. This electricity is then used as we would normally use it in our lives.

If you read the paper or watch the news, one would think the concept of hydrogen fuels in a new one. In fact, it is not. The first one was created in 1839. The problem, of course, was it was inefficient and there wasnt much interest since fossil fuels were plentiful and our energy needs were tiny compared to today. It wasnt until the 1960s that much interest was shown in the energy platform. As with many advances, NASA decided to use fuel cells to power the Gemini and Apollo spacecrafts. Unfortunately, the trick has been translating this limited use to wide spread applications in daily life.

A common misconception is a fuel cell represents renewable energy. Very clearly, it does not. It is a device, not an energy platform. It is like saying a hydroelectric dam is a renewable energy. The dam is a machine to harness a renewable energy resource, but not an energy source in and of itself. The fuel cell works much the same way. It is a methodology for harnessing energy from hydrogen. The particular method can be clean or dirty, to wit, one can use water or coal for the base material. Obviously, coal is not much help.

Fuel cells can be run, in theory, on any material containing hydrogen. This means renewable energy sources such as hydrogen, biogas, and so on. The primary goal is to focus on water and other renewable sources because of their inherent clean advantages. When hydrogen is used, for instance, it produces no tangible pollution or greenhouse gases. The byproduct, instead, is simply water.

There are a few hurdles that must be overcome before hydrogen fuel cells really become a viable energy platform. First, the technology is such that the fuel cells are far too large and heavy to be used for practical purposes. The infamous hydrogen car is not currently viable because of this, although test cars from primarily German manufacturers are being evaluated. The second problem is efficiency, which is to say fuel cells are not. Currently, fuel cells produce energy at a cost of about 10 times that of fossil fuels, and that is a positive estimate. Again, not a viable option.

While these may seem like significant hurdles, they actually point to the viability of hydrogen fuel cells as a power source. These problems are focused on technical aspects of delivery, not on whether the process works. If there is anything we are good at as a species, it is making technological breakthroughs. If we can build a hydrogen nuclear weapon, surely we can build a hydrogen fuel cell.

Future Energy Concepts The Fuel Cell is a post from: Tashi Lhunpo Education News

The college interview was not thought of as a mean to intimidate potential students, to keep them away, to embarrass and humiliate the next graduates of this college, it is meant for one simple, and very important, reason to meet and evaluate the motivation and potential of the young person applying to the college. And thats all it is. There is nothing personal or evil in it, other from the fact these people want to know what you are made of and how serious you are. You need to think of it as a part of your campus tour.

So a college interview is basically like a thoughtful conversation with someone you never met before and that wants to know who you really are, what you went through in your life and where you are heading. But when talking to a stranger about this you can allow yourself to be casual and say some things that you can not say in a college interview, you have to think of how you want to present yourself, and how not to get dragged to the pleasing tell me what I want to hear mode.

Preparation will get you a long way, it is the absolute key in getting through the college interview successfully. There is no such thing as over preparing for this, and in fact, if you do this the proper way, you will need to tell yourself at a certain moment that its time to stop preparing.
Lets go over some of the points in the preparation procedure, things you will want to look into while getting ready for your college interview.

Try and know who your contact is a simple thing, try and get the name (or names of the persons) that will be conducting the interview, when you will start the interview you will have a nicer way to present yourself and greet the interviewers than most applicants do. It will also show that you prepared in advance and that you are serious about getting this position, this will set you off in the right tracks. When you do your initial national college search, you can also look for the contacts interviewing applicants. No potential harm here. Only good can come out of this one.

Research – can I stress this enough? College interview success research, research and more research. Lets ask ourselves one basic questions, if someone wants to get into his favorite spot team (any position) will he (or she) not know the names of past heros? The teams greatest moments? Its accomplishments? Or course the candidate will know. And you need to show that you are the same, your motivation and enthusiasm to get in to this program will shine when you provide enough evidence to prove you know everything there is to know about the place itself. Ways to get information, research the college web site, search engines for other information, people name search will give you some knowledge about the teachers and their accomplishments, any publications of the college itself are also good. If you are reading this while doing your national college search, you can enjoy the opportunity to add something to your list. Even the ordinary campus tour can give you a chance of finding a little more about the place.

In researching the college you can study materials of the college. Colleges course book online, find interesting questions regarding the courses. Some students seem to think that asking questions at the interview might seem presumptuous, but in fact it makes you seem interested and sophisticated. Here are some questions you might consider asking The programs you might be interested in majoring in, construction on the campus and new facilities, financial aid, How the school treats AP tests, how they compare this college with national colleges, the campus tour, school advising, ask interviewers about their opinion of the school, what they like best, and why the courses are better than in other places (no example or names, just say other places).

Your answers take a look at our college interview questions section to familiarize yourself with the potential questions you may face, and practice with family member or friend, keep answers short and sweet, know what you are saying and do not get too personal. Talk slowly, and think about each question before you answer, even if you have been practicing for this particular question for the past two months. Never cut someone when they are talking, not even if you are extremely excited about your answer.

Promoting yourself think about a few strong points you got, and that you want the interviewer to remember about you, no need to mention these in every answer, but three or four times (with reference as I already told you, I think I am very good at managing people thats why I took the school paper publishing project). If you have a problem identifying traits you want to promote read your resume or application form again carefully and mark the points you think are worth focusing on. You can also try and add some humor to the interview, say something about the campus tour, and your impression of the college.

College Interview General Preparation is a post from: Tashi Lhunpo Education News

Shoes were not always simply for the purpose off beauty nor were they always simply functional. In 1154 King Henry II of England began to wear a shoe with narrow and pointed toes. This started a trend among the courtiers even though it was rumored that Henry wore these shoes in order to hide a deformation of his toes. In the 12th century CE, knights began to wear shoes with downward curving toes in order to keep their feet in the stirrups of their horses. Shoe toes were a big point of contention. It came to a point in the early thirteenth century where the length and pointed extremes of ones shoes were directly indicative of rank and prowess within a community. Kings and princes would wear shoes with toes up to 30 inches long!

The womens obsession with shoes doesnt begin in any modern form until the mid 18th century with Madame de Pompadour and Marie Antoinette who start trends in their courts regarding footwear. Madame de Pompadour made popular shoes that were named after her Pompadour. Unfortunately these shoes were very high and very narrow and too many ladies fainted at court because they tried to reduce the apparent size of their feet. Marie Antoinette went to her death in two inch heels less than 50 years later.

A History Of Heels is a post from: Tashi Lhunpo Education News