Finite Element Analysis, Failure Analysis
I regularly turn to Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to supplement manual mathematics in complex design scenarios. When dealing with safety-critical structures or optimizing physical designs to meet demanding performance criteria, FEA helps ensure the design is both robust and efficient. Leveraging this tool, I can achieve the lowest reasonable weight that still meets the necessary safety and performance standards while utilizing cost effective materials and production methods.
In some cases, I use FEA for a quick gut check early in the design process. This allows me to identify potential failure modes, buckling risks, or general weak points before committing to a full-fledged design. It’s an effective way to quickly get a feel for areas of concern, allowing me to make informed adjustments as needed. Other times, FEA is crucial for validating manual calculations, providing another layer of confidence that the design is sound.
Beyond strength analysis, I also apply FEA in thermal contexts. While I’m not a specialist in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and don’t yet offer it as a service, I will perform thermal analyses through conduction modelling combined with manual convection calcs. This is particularly useful for determining insulation requirements, heat flux paths and thermal efficiencies. I’ve used it to help determine ideal thermoelectric generator (TEG) placements and estimating peak contact temperatures on exposed hot surfaces.
FEA is another powerful tool in my engineering toolbox, turning an hour of math into a few minutes of computation, allowing me to ensure both safety and optimization in the designs I deliver to my clients.
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