BENCHmark October 2004

Virtual Product development

In this Issue:

• Knowledge Base 005 - Assessing Errors in Analysis Models
• New Advances in Composite Laminate Lay-up Optimisation Techniques
• Mechano-Biological Coupled Field Analysis
• Earthquake Rocking Behaviour in Finite Element Models
• Simulation in Today’s Automotive Industry
• Understand Buckling from the FEA Point of View
• Coupled CFD-Finite Element Analysis for the Exhaust Manifold of a Diesel Engine
• Hemodynamics Research at North Carolina State University
• Fatigue & Durability in a VPD Environment

We all know that Finite Element Analysis and Computational Fluid Dynamics are specialist disciplines. Much of the essence of NAFEMS comes from the sharing of information and experiences gained by experts in these specialist areas. Everyone associated with NAFEMS stands to benefit if this can be done more effectively in the widest possible international framework. Over the past few months, there has been a considerable amount of NAFEMS activity in a number of different geographical regions, aimed at providing better opportunities for meeting and networking.

A series of meetings was held across the USA in May and July. These meetings were attended by a good mix of industrial practitioners, researchers and vendors. There was a lot of constructive discussion about the role of NAFEMS in the evolving use of simulation and how NAFEMS can be of maximum benefit to engineers in North America. This has allowed us to formulate an Action Plan for our activities in this region in the coming months.

NAFEMS is working in collaboration with the simulation committee of MICADO in France to arrange a series of joint events. MICADO are keen to work with NAFEMS to develop links at an international level, and made an announcement about our joint activities during their biennial simulation seminar in June.

Equally, the relationship that MICADO already has with French industry will enable NAFEMS to establish links with many more analysis specialists in France.

In the UK, an active programme of seminars, training courses and other events continues to be organised. This is about to be supplemented with the first NAFEMS Student Awards, details of which are given inside.

In Italy, the new steering group is officially forming a NAFEMS Italia association. Whilst being controlled by NAFEMS and sharing all of its aims and objectives, the rebirth of NAFEMS Italia in this new guise will facilitate the participation of even more Italian companies in the activities of NAFEMS.

The German Steering Group continues to be a leading light, supplementing its successful biannual seminars with training courses and a CFD seminar for the first time this year. Both these new ventures have enjoyed extremely strong support from the users of engineering simulation in Germany. Spain and Portugal is a further area of growth for NAFEMS. The new group in this region will hold its third meeting in October, and will continue to plan a number of initiatives. This includes a seminar aimed at users of simulation in the Spanish automotive industry which will be held next February.

As the activities in different geographical regions continue to increase, NAFEMS will continue to work on ways of improving the interaction between these groups and all the different technical activities of NAFEMS.