Autodesk 466B1-05A761-1304 - AutoCAD Inventor Simulation Suite 2010 Getting Started Manual page 14

The stress analysis provided by Autodesk Inventor Simulation is appropriate
only for linear material properties where the stress is directly proportional to
the strain in the material (meaning no permanent yielding of the material).
Linear behavior results when the slope of the material stress-strain curve in
the elastic region (measured as the Modulus of Elasticity) is constant.
The total deformation is assumed to be small in comparison to the part
thickness. For example, if studying the deflection of a beam, the calculated
displacement must be less than the minimum cross-section of the beam.
The results are temperature-independent. The temperature is assumed not to
affect the material properties.
The following is a block (model) with well-defined mechanical and modal
behaviors.
In this example of a simple part, the structural behavior would be difficult to
predict solving equations by hand.
Here, the same part is broken into small elements, each with well-defined
behaviors capable of being summed (solved) and easily interpreted
(post-processed).
8 | Chapter 1 Get Started With Stress Analysis