Should Tetrahedral Elements Be Avoided In Explicit Dynamics Analysis?
Explicit dynamics analysis is the best tool for simulating high energy dynamic events that involve impact or shock loads. It can also be used to solve highly nonlinear static analyses that…
Control Valves -1
In a hydraulic system, the hydraulic energy available from a pump is converted into motion and force by means of an actuator. The control of these mechanical outputs (motion and…
The Benefits of Parametric Modeling & The Sensitivity Study
Anyone who uses a finite element analysis tool will tell you that there is nothing more exciting than starting a brand new model. It’s the thrill of the unknown. The solution is out…
What is Fluid Mechanics?
Fluid mechanics, the branch of science that deals with the study of fluids (liquids and gases) in a state of rest or motion is an important subject of Civil, Mechanical…
How Do I Know If My Mesh is Good Enough?
Here at CAE Associates, we get a lot of different questions from our clients during training classes and technical support. One of the more common questions is about finite element mesh…
Hydraulic Systems
The controlled movement of parts or a controlled application of force is a common requirement in the industries. These operations are performed mainly by using electrical machines or diesel, petrol…
How Should I Model My Bolted Connection?
Bolted connections are common to many industries where standards (ASME, AISC, Sandia National Labs, ASTM, etc.) exist for bolt design procedures. These regulations and recommended practices provide tools to size bolts and determine…
How to Model Concrete using Finite Elements
The very first Finite Element Method application was performed by my former professor, Raymond Clough at UC Berkeley in 1960. The application was a 2d analysis of a concrete (don't you dare…
Is Engineering Simulation Software Training Worth the Investment?
The quick answer: YES! In nearly all cases after attending the class, the students fully appreciate the value of the three or four days spent learning the pros and cons…
Meshing Fabricated Structures in ANSYS Mechanical using Mesh Edit
The introduction of parallel part-by-part meshing to ANSYS Mechanical 15 back in 2013 was revolutionary. Structures which took hours to mesh now wrapped up in minutes, unfortunately removing one of…
