These software packages are fully integrated. One can import results from one software package to be analyzed into another software package. The solvers are very fast. This designer driven analysis minimizes user time to prepare input data for analysis; it minimizes training time to learn to use the software and it minimizes the expertise the user requires in finite element analysis and mechanics. The `look and feel' of all of these software packages is very similar. A designer who has learned to use one, could easily learn to use all of the packages. In short, this suite of software packages is intended to be used by designers who are expert in design. They do not require a specialist in analysis.

Each software package has a `Guide' to guide the user through each analysis. In the context of any GUI window, pressing the F1 key brings up a window with help for that context. High definition videos (HDTV 1008i) are available that show every step of setting up a typical analysis.

If a user has a problem, his project can be written to a tar file, the tar file can be sent to us over the internet by ftp. Then we can run the users project to help the user solve their problem. We can ftp back a tar file with what ever changes we recommended.

Excellent post processing and visualization capability is provided for visualizing all data fields. This includes a capability to make line plots for a point as a function of time or time steps, to plot data along a line defined by two end points and many other options.

The user can write restart files that enable the user to restart any analysis from a restart file. For the restart analysis, parameters can be changed. The user can compare results from two projects that share some geometry of parts. For example, one can run analyses with two different weld procedures or welding sequence and compute the change in any field such as displacement or stress. This enables the designer to determine the parameters that have the greatest effect on performance and cost and to optimize a design.

For any small region of special interest, the user can run a sub-model with higher resolution in space or time. The sub-model can use boundary conditions from the global model.

Stress analysis in problems with phase transformations can be run with the properties and constitutive equations of each phase. This avoids the need to try to find a constitutive equation for a material with changing phases.