Finite Element Analysis has emerged has a tool that can play a vital part in the drive towards the ultimate goal of any manufacturing process; to produce the most effective products in the most efficient manner. This simple statement embraces all of the ‘right first time’, ‘minimum design to test cycles’ and other practices that have evolved.

The introduction of a formal structural optimization strategy into this process has met with great success in many industries. It makes the creation of the most effective product that much more attainable.

Traditionally one might think of the Aerospace Industry as the classic example with the goal of keeping weight to a minimum. Indeed the structural efficiencies of modern aircraft owe a lot to optimization methods. However, it would be wrong to think of this as always a strength and stiffness against weight minimization task. The interaction of Aerodynamics, Aeroelasticity, Structures, Performance, Operating Cost and many other disciplines all have to play a role in the overall vehicle design.

This gives the clue as to the broader nature of structural optimization across all industries. The objective does not need to be weight minimization. It could be, for example driving down the overall vibration amplitude of a hairdryer, whilst keeping away from unpleasant harmonic frequencies. Weight has still to be monitored, and we can place an upper limit on this – but the other factors are more important and will feature directly in the optimization analysis.

Similarly other disciplines can play a role in structural optimization. In the case of pump housing, we want this to be stiff and strong enough to do the job, with minimum weight. However the cost of manufacture is important so a parametric penalty function can be introduced which ‘steers’ the weight reduction to a compromise solution which is cheaper to machine.

How do we define the penalty function in the above case? Well, that’s where the ingenuity of the analyst comes in! Knowing how to set up the optimization task and how to obtain innovative solutions with the tools provided is a key to success in Finite Element Analysis Structural Optimization.

The objective of this course is to show you a broad overview of the range of Finite Element Analysis-based tools available and what the methods and specializations of each encompass. Plentiful hints and tips will demonstrate powerful ways to use these methods. The goal is to achieve meaningful structural optimization in support of the most effective products.