IA-FEMesh: an open-source, interactive, multiblock approach to anatomic finite element model development

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Computational Mechanics
• Musculoskeletal Research

Background:

• Finite element (FE) analysis is crucial for musculoskeletal research.
• Developing accurate anatomical FE models is challenging and time-consuming.
• Existing methods for mesh generation can be complex and require significant expertise.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce IA-FEMesh, an open-source software toolkit designed to simplify anatomical FE model development.
• To provide an efficient, reliable, and user-friendly environment for creating and evaluating FE meshes.
• To facilitate the application of FE analysis in musculoskeletal research and beyond.

Main Methods:

• Development of an open-source software toolkit named IA-FEMesh.
• Implementation of a multiblock meshing scheme focused on hexahedral mesh generation.
• Emphasis on creating an interactive and user-friendly interface for model development and visualization.

Main Results:

• IA-FEMesh provides an efficient method for anatomical FE model development.
• The software facilitates interactive mesh generation and quality evaluation.
• The toolkit is initially developed for skeletal structures but has broader applicability.

Conclusions:

• IA-FEMesh significantly reduces the complexity of anatomical FE model development.
• The open-source nature of IA-FEMesh promotes accessibility and collaboration in research.
• This toolkit offers a valuable solution for researchers requiring efficient FE mesh generation and analysis.