In mechanical engineering, around 60% of the changes that cause full or partial failure are linked to fatigue. This can range from materials used in the construction, to individual elements. Fatigue analysis forms an important part of any mechanical design project.
It is essential that any tools used for fatigue analysis are reliable and the results reproducible. Today there are a number of CAD design tools utilising Finite Element Analysis, or FEA. Also called FEM (Finite Element Method), they integrate seamlessly with other areas of CAD design, such as computational fluid dynamics and thermal analysis. Popular systems include ABAQUS, ANSYS and MSC.NASTRAN. There are also a number of tools designed to help in fatigue analysis calculations, such as FEMFAT, LMS VIRTUAL and MSC.FATIGUE.
Fatigue analysis is used in all areas of mechanical engineering, including automotive, aeronautical and even biomechanical design. When outsourcing your projects it is essential you look for companies who offer fatigue analysis alongside their other CAD CAM CAE services, and that their software is powerful, professional and up-to-date.
Modern FEM software packages offer numerous benefits. In addition to fatigue/thermal analysis and CFD they offer a virtual working environment with complex structural simulation. Bridge builders, for example, can utilise specialised system software which calculates wind shear resistance and other potential mechanical stresses while the product is still at the CAD design stage, allowing the design engineer to select the relevant materials and set safety parameters before construction is ever started. Material fatigue analysis gives digital indications of strength, flexibility, weight and durability, aiding engineering BOM management and minimizing costs.
We at Enventure Technologies offer a wide range of mechanical design services, including fatigue analysis, using cutting edge tools.
