Finite element analysis in RunMat
FEA: Run Math on Geometry.
Bring CAD or mesh geometry into RunMat, define physics in .fea files or MATLAB-syntax code, validate the study before solving, inspect the result, and use an agent that can see the project, runtime, plots, and artifacts.
The FEA workflow in one project
RunMat keeps geometry, code, study definitions, diagnostics, artifacts, post-processing, and agent changes in the same engineering loop.
Bring in geometry
Open CAD or mesh geometry and keep the source asset, units, revision, and import metadata attached to the study.
Inspect regions
Review bodies, faces, named regions, bounds, statistics, and visual evidence before assigning physics.
Define physics
Use a .fea study file or MATLAB-syntax code to assign domains, materials, loads, constraints, and analysis steps.
Check the model
Run static validation before a solve so missing selectors, invalid properties, and unsupported combinations are caught early.
Solve and sweep
Run one study, a named project entrypoint, or a parameter sweep from Desktop, CLI, CI, or the runtime API.
Trust the result
Inspect fields, convergence, diagnostics, quality gates, backend metadata, provenance, and artifacts from the same project.
Whole product loop
Runtime, Desktop, agent, and FEA work together.
FEA becomes easier when the solver is not isolated from the editor, geometry viewer, project files, plots, notebooks, CLI, and automation layer.
Runtime
MATLAB-syntax code, project config, filesystem paths, plotting, variables, and GPU acceleration where the workload can use it.
FEA
Geometry assets, selectors, study files, physics families, validation, solves, artifacts, and result operations.
Desktop
A local engineering workspace for files, geometry inspection, plots, variables, notebooks, run history, and artifacts.
Agent
A runtime-aware agent that can inspect project files, errors, variables, figures, study outputs, and reviewable diffs.
CLI and CI
Use runmat check and runmat run for scripts, .fea studies, named entrypoints, batch jobs, and automated gates.
Evidence
Validation records, diagnostics, provenance, quality signals, and reproducible artifacts for production review.
Define studies as files or as code.
Use a .fea YAML study when you want a portable, reviewable definition. Use MATLAB-syntax code when model construction belongs inside a larger computation, sweep, notebook, or post-processing workflow.
Desktop screenshot placeholder showing a geometry viewer, study editor, diagnostics, and result fields
Replace this panel with final product imagery or generated artwork.
bracket.fea
name: bracket_static_load
geometry:
source: ./geometry/bracket.step
units: mm
materials:
aluminum_6061:
youngs_modulus: 68.9e9
poissons_ratio: 0.33
density: 2700
model:
physics: structural.static
domains:
- region: solid_body
material: aluminum_6061
boundary_conditions:
- region: mounting_faces
fixed: true
loads:
- region: load_pad
force: [0, -1250, 0]
solve:
mesh: standard
outputs:
- displacement
- von_mises_stressrun_bracket.m
geometry = geometry.load("./geometry/bracket.step", "units", "mm");
regions = geometry.regions(geometry);
study = fea.study("bracket_static_load", ...
"geometry", geometry, ...
"physics", "structural.static");
study = fea.material(study, "aluminum_6061", ...
"youngs_modulus", 68.9e9, ...
"poissons_ratio", 0.33, ...
"density", 2700);
study = fea.domain(study, "solid_body", "aluminum_6061");
study = fea.fixed(study, "mounting_faces");
study = fea.force(study, "load_pad", [0 -1250 0]);
result = fea.run(study);
fea.plot(result, "von_mises_stress");Designed around the hard parts of FEA
Most failures happen before or after the solver: geometry ambiguity, invalid assignments, missing evidence, and slow iteration.
I have CAD, but I do not know what is usable for a study.
Load the geometry into a structured asset, inspect regions and metadata, and keep visual evidence beside the source file.
Boundary conditions are fragile because region names and selectors are hidden.
Make selectors explicit in the study, validate them before solving, and surface missing or ambiguous regions as diagnostics.
Setup errors burn solver time.
Use runmat check to validate geometry, materials, loads, constraints, solver settings, artifact paths, and entrypoints first.
The solve result is hard to trust.
Attach convergence, diagnostics, backend metadata, quality gates, provenance, and validation evidence to the result.
Iteration is slow once the first solve works.
Run sweeps, compare variants, post-process fields, and ask the agent to modify studies while keeping changes reviewable.
Result fields and derived quantities
Solver diagnostics and convergence
Mesh and geometry quality signals
Backend, precision, and runtime metadata
Study inputs and artifact manifest
Validation status and known limits
Trust and post-processing
Results are available for engineering work, not just viewing.
Study outputs are available as fields, diagnostics, figures, tables, and artifacts that can be inspected in Desktop, consumed from MATLAB-syntax code, replayed from run history, or referenced from a notebook.
Start with the workflow.
Learn the study format, check command, geometry selectors, supported physics families, validation evidence, and runtime operation contracts.