Once the loads and constraints are set, all that needs to be done is to tell the program to run.  This process lasts from a few minutes to many hours.  Make sure that you have the time allocated to run the simulation on your computer.  Some programs will allow you to alter the solution settings, such as which solver to use and whether do solve iteratively, so make sure these are correct.  Then sit back and relax while your computer does the heavy lifting.

The only common errors to occur at this point are not allowing enough time for your simulation to run.  Remember that FEA software works by solving a huge number of equations simultaneously.  These complex procedures can take a very long time to run.  Using a sufficiently powerful computer (sometimes colloquially referred to as a “CAD box”) will aid greatly with this step.