ABSEA is a continually evolving modular suite of finite element programs that can, under the user control, be linked together by a simple command statement to produce a package tailored to the needs of the user. The system provides comprehensive solution facilities and a wide range of element types. It covers the static and dynamic analysis of structures with elastic, elastoplastic and viscoplastic materials. The system has a powerful interactive mesh generator. Modular, user-friendly data are employed and the results can be tabular or graphical. The ABSEA system which was designed and tested at Cranfield, has proved to be more efficient than some of the available well-known commercial packages.