The Tools, They are a Changing’

(regarding the title, just think Bob Dylan’s “The Times They are a Changin”)

Just as Computer Aided Design, CAD, has revolutionized the design process, it is growing in capability and impacting many other arenas of engineering. The first major extensions to CAD were integration of Finite Element Analysis, the ability to analyze loads on the parts being created.  And certainly, if the design software can model the complex aspects of loading, then animation of part motion can’t be a far reach.  And that’s the case today. Read more

Does More Simulation Mean Companies Profit More From Its Use?

BOSTON, MA — Increasing product complexity combined with the ever pressing market pressures to develop these products faster and cheaper requires new ways of exploring product performance. A recent report by Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE: HHS), “Engineering Evolved: Getting Mechatronics Performance Right the First Time,” finds that an increasing number of companies are responding with an “early and often” approach to the use of simulation tools. According to Aberdeen’s research, it’s a response that’s getting results, including an average savings of $332,673 and 118 days for complex products. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=5359.
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Tradeoffs and Triangles

The activity of optimization involves trade off analysis.  The goal is to improve performance or cost effectiveness, or both if possible.  Nowadays, we have some really sophisticated software tools that allow us to simulate the behavior of complex systems. Computational fluid dynamics, magnetic field simulations, thermal imaging, finite element analysis are a few of the amazing technologies that can now be engaged on desktop computers to conduct sophisticated analysis of performance at the click of a mouse button.

Simulation work that used to require mainframe computing power is now generally available as an add on module to 3D engineering graphics products.  Most of the major 3D engineering design products include animation features that allow the user to build and move the parts in space exactly as they will do when built.  Read more

Mechatronic Tidal Simulation Assists Scientists

Scientists from London’s Imperial College are using the new RT3 version of the Reliance Cool Muscle NEMA 23 integrated servo system to reproduce the sub-surface pressure changes created by lunar tides in laboratory research experiments directed at improving oil recovery.

The unique abilities of the RT3 version along with the support provided by Reliance allow the scientists to concentrate on the research without having to spend time controlling and verifying the test system. Read more