BENCHMARK October 2024

In this Issue (click on the titles to download the individual articles)

• The Growing Use of Design Simulation in the Manufacture of Professional Wood Baseball Bats,
• Simply Complex - The Business of Simulation,
• In Praise of the Point Solution,
• Speaking of Simulation Part 2 - Probabilistic Analysis,
• Finite Element Head Models for Older People,
• Predicting Buckling due to Thermal Distortion,
• Understanding the Different Forms of Democratization of Engineering Simulation.

BENCHED

View From Your Editorial Team

As soon as the idea of an article on baseball bats was pitched to me out of left field, I knew it would be a home run in terms of puns. And as if getting three of them into one sentence wasn’t enough of a result, this issue of benchmark steps up to home plate and hits it out of the park with a world series of articles for your reading pleasure.

Our cover feature on how simulation is increasingly involved in the design of Louisville Slugger baseball bats is another fascinating insight into how modelling & simulation is making its way into every aspect of life, including sports. Following on from the July 2024 issue, which had a look at the football used in UEFA Euro 2024, we’ve spun right back stateside to look at a sport in which the US is firmly a world leader. The article is based on Matt Bynum's presentation from the NAFEMS Americas Regional Conference in Louisville this summer and leads this issue in fine style.

As well as sport, we’ve got an excellent piece on how FEA is vital in modelling the older person’s brain. There was much back and forth in the Benchmark team about how to talk about people's ages in a sensitive fashion, and it made us realise exactly how much words can matter when discussing subjects such as age. The article itself gives great insight into how older brains need to be looked at in a different way when examining the effects of brain injuries, and we’re sure you’ll enjoy it.

Our “Speaking of Simulation” series, continues with a discussion on probabilistic analysis, and we’ve also got a brand-new columnist on board this issue; Laurence Marks gives his take on whether the industry is promoting integration of software tools over what he terms ‘heavyweight simulation prowess’. Monica Schnitger is back with her regular column on the business of simulation, urging us all to broaden our thinking and use technologies that allow us to explore new ideas while still meeting requirements. We also have contributions from the ASSESS initiative and the NAFEMS Metallic Additive Manufacturing Focus Team.

As if that wasn’t enough, this is the last benchmark opportunity I get to remind you to get your abstract in for the NAFEMS World Congress 2025. The deadline is November 22nd, and we’d love to see you in Salzburg. So, get submitting at nafems.org/congress. 

Enjoy this issue of benchmark.

David Quinn - Editor

If you have feedback or would like to see your article featured in benchmark contact benchmark@nafems.org