Introduction to Engineering Simulation for Non-Specialists

Duration:	1 day
Delivery:	E-learning Onsite Classroom
Language:	English
Level:	Introductory
Availability:	Worldwide
Tutor(s):	Jeff Strain
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This is the intro before the intro!

This is the course that design, project, and test engineers, and even managers should take as a first step toward engineering simulation democratisation. This course will empower the non-specialist to understand the value and purpose of up-front engineering simulation and optimise its implementation in analysis-driven design.

More and more, engineering simulation is being geared toward design engineers for initial sizing, configuration, and other decisions at the concept stage. The idea is to minimise the cost of design and development by avoiding costly corrections later in the development process as well as time-consuming back and forth between the design engineer and engineering analyst.

However, engineering simulation is only as good as the user’s understanding of it. In this course, the non-specialist will learn the fundamentals necessary for understanding simulation's role in the design process.

Vital information includes:

Overview of engineering simulation, including its value, types of simulation, and its challenges
Qualitative overview of simulation technology and basic modelling workflow
Detailed breakdown of each of the steps in simulation modelling workflow along with recommendations and tips
Results interpretation and sources of error
Verification and validation

Throughout the course, the students will be engaged and challenged through a number of in-session exercises. This interaction between the students and instructor will solidify the students’ understanding of the material and accelerate their adoption of an engineering analysis mindset.

Course Program

Part 1: Overview of Simulation

Introduction
Overview of Simulation
History of Simulation
Types of Simulation
Exercise: Simulation Applications
Challenges of Simulation
Types of Structural Simulation
Q & A

Part 2: Fundamentals of Simulation

What Parameters are Used for Simulation?
Application of Simulation Parameters
Sources of Material Properties
Exercise: Stress Analysis Problems
How Simulation Works
Learning Simulation: Crawl, Walk, Run
Q & A

Part 3: General Simulation Procedure and Preprocessing

General Simulation Procedure
Overview of Model Preparation and Setup
Exercise: Geometry
Exercise: Meshing

Part 4: Solving, Postprocessing, and Verifying the Model

Solution Processing Overview
Boundary Conditions
Settings
Solver
Exercise: Solution
Postprocessing Overview
Results Quantities
Results Formats
Exercise: Postprocessing
Methods of Verification and Validation
Sources of Error
Exercise: Verification and Validation
Final Q&A and conclusion

Who Should Attend?

Design engineers, project engineers, project managers and any other non-specialists.

Interested?

Get in touch to discuss your next steps with our experienced training team. We can work closely with you to understand your specific requirements, cater for your specific industry sector or analysis type, and produce a truly personalised training solution for your organisation.

All NAFEMS training courses are entirely code independent, meaning they are suitable for users of any software package.

Courses are available to both members and non-members of NAFEMS, although member organisations will enjoy a significant discount on all fees.

NAFEMS course tutors enjoy a world-class reputation in the engineering analysis community, and with decades of experience between them, will deliver tangible benefits to you, your analysis team, and your wider organisation.

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PSE Competencies addressed by this training course

ID	Competence Statement
FEAkn1	List the various steps in the analysis/simulation process.
FEAkn2	Define the meaning of degree of freedom.
FEAkn3	List the nodal degrees of freedom and the associated force actions for common beam, 2D solid, 2D axisymmetric, 3D solid and shell elements, for the Displacement FEM.
FEAkn4	Define the meaning of adaptive mesh refinement
FEAkn8	List the requirements for an axisymmetric analysis to be valid.
FEAkn9	List the degrees of freedom to be constrained on a symmetric boundary.
FEAkn12	List the advantages of using symmetry.
FEAkn16	List the various forms of element distortion.
FEAkn17	List the various element types commonly used in the analysis of components within your organisation.
FEAco1	Describe the sources of error inherent in finite element analysis, in general terms.
FEAco2	Discuss checks that may be used post-solution to check for the presence of inaccuracy.
FEAco5	Discuss the difficulties that can arise in using a CAD model as the basis for carrying out analysis and simulation.
FEAco6	Discuss the need for a consistent set of units in any analysis and illustrate possible pitfalls.
FEAco7	Explain why strains and stresses are generally less accurate than displacements for any given mesh of elements, using the Displacement FEM.
FEAco11	Discuss the finite element / spring analogy.
FEAco14	Discuss the nature of the structural stiffness matrix.
FEAco15	Discuss the integral equation for element stiffness, highlighting the variables which it is dependent upon.
FEAco24	Discuss the relationship between shape function and strain/stress prediction for simple 2D linear and parabolic elements.
FEAco26	Discuss the significance of computer memory to solution elapse time for large models.
FEAco29	Discuss the term Flying Structure or Insufficiently Constrained Structure.
FEAco31	Explain why most finite elements do not represent a circular boundary exactly and highlight how this approximation manifests itself.
FEAco35	Discuss the terms Validation and Verification and highlight their importance.
FEAco40	Explain the rationale behind the use of 1-D, 2-D and 3-D elements used in the analysis of components within your organisation.
FEAap2	Demonstrate effective use of available results presentation facilities.
FEAap3	Illustrate the approximate nature of finite element analysis, through examples chosen from your industry sector.
FEAap5	Illustrate possible applications of 0D, 1D, 2D and 3D elements in your industry sector.
FEAap6	Illustrate how you might apply a moment to a model consisting of 2D or 3D solids.
FEAap7	Employ symmetric boundary conditions effectively.
FEAap10	Illustrate various physical situations which will result in a Stress Singularity and explain why it is not appropriate to use finite element results at such locations directly.
FEAap12	Employ a range of post-solution checks to determine the integrity of FEA results.
FEAap13	Conduct validation studies in support of FEA.
FEAan1	Analyse the results from small displacement, linear static analyses and determine whether they satisfy inherent assumption
FEAan2	Compare the results from small displacement, linear elastic analyses with allowable values and comment on findings.