SLIC: an interactive mesh generator for finite element and finite difference application programs. [For CDC STAR 100 and CRAY 1]

Computers with extended memory, such as the CDC STAR 100 and the CRAY 1 with mega-word capacities, are greatly enlarging the size of finite-element problems which can be solved. But the cost of developing and testing large meshes can be prohibitive unless one uses a computer program for mesh generation and plotting. SLIC is an interactive mesh program which builds 2- and 3-D continuum meshes from interactive terminal or disc input. The user inputs coordinates for certain key points and enters commands which complete the description of the geometry. Entire surfaces and volumes are then generated from the geometric skeleton. SLIC allows the user to correct input errors and saves the corrected command list for later reuse. The mesh can be plotted on a video display at any stage of development to evaluate the work in progress. Output is in the form of an input file to a user-selected computer code. Among the available output types are ADINA, SAP4, and NIKE2D. 12 figures.