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The objective of this paper is to illustrate an interactive computer graphics program developed to simplify the creation of finite element data which will be used for computerized structural analysis. Three-dimensional, part definition data in the form of basic design lines is input to the program and displayed on a cathode ray tube, and then a structural engineer creates the finite element definition using various computer graphics techniques. The procedures involved are discussed in detail, as well as the advantages over the traditional manual approach to element generation. Actual experience has demonstrated that this interactive computer graphic approach, in addition to being both accurate and reliable, is approximately fifteen times faster than the tedious manual method.