Rethinking simulation — should you?

Not long ago, I was at a user conference and started chatting with the person sitting next to me. Interesting guy, works for a company that makes plastic doohickeys. We’re talking about his design challenges, and how he wants to use CAD/CAM technology to make better products, offer more services to his customers and be more profitable. All excellent goals, and he was really excited about what he was learning at the event. Do you notice what’s missing in the paragraph above? CAE, aka simulation, aka finite element analysis. I asked him why he wasn’t attending CAE sessions and he said that his team over-engineers everything so that they don’t have to simulate. Hmm. Over-engineering means higher material costs and may also increase production costs. Not simulating means relying on gut feel and prototype testing to make sure the doohickey meets its objectives. For me, that would be an unacceptable level of uncertainty. It’s time to stop being afraid of simulation, and see what it can do for you! Simulation software has improved so much in recent years. It’s easier to use and better connected to CAD than you might realize. Yes, garbage in still leads to garbage out but a little training will give you the expertise and confidence you need to do a good job simulating the products you make — after all, who knows them better than you do? Head on over to the PTC Creo blog to read my full post. Image courtesy of PTC.