Software
For mechanical design, Finite Element Analysis, or FEA, is often the first simulation tool used. FEA allows the designer to determine the mechanical stresses in an object due to a variety of forces.
It is important to understand your sustainability goals before using FEA. There are many aspects of sustainability that can be investigated, but the overarching aim for all of them is to reduce the impact of your product.
Make sure that you have the time allocated to run the simulation on your computer. Some programs will allow you to alter the solution settings, such as which solver to use and whether do solve iteratively, so make sure these are correct.
Loads and constraints must be applied after the analysis type is selected, the basic parameters like materials have been set, and the part is meshed.
The next step in running effective FEA is defining the details of the simulation and appropriate meshing. The first part of this is the establishing of what kind of simulation you are looking to run.
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Project Gallery Examples
How USS used FEA to lightweight their solar tracking drive.