Have you ever thought why a number of things get grouped together in pairs, such as pen and paper, cats and dogs, or song and dance, for example? In the world of engineering, things aren't really so different. You may be relieved to hear that I don’t have any songs for you but instead want to talk about another partnership that is considered to be an important part of the manufacturing cycle.
Computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) software tools both provide mechanical engineering benefits; the first facilitates accurate 3D modelling of products and components, and the latter involves the analysis and simulation of the former system’s designs. Mechanical design engineers are trained to be problem solvers. Thus, CAE enables us to carry out detailed analysis of CAD designs, including testing and simulation, in order to see how the design will work in the real world. This is crucial, especially when working in the field of medical device technology and development.
Finite element analysis (FEA) is just one discipline of CAE, which allows us engineers to virtually test a product or component to see how it would behave under certain physical conditions. FEA simulations are undertaken to test for stresses and tolerances, and any adjustments, if required (and they often are), are carried out and the process repeated.
In a world where keeping costs low and making as little impact on the planet are at the forefront of all our minds, CAE enables products to be brought to market by making fewer prototypes and therefore generally keeping development costs down. I, for one, am glad that our former mechanical design engineers decided to throw away pen and paper in favour of producing more accurate 3D CAD models. Now for a song and dance, anyone?
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