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This course develops engineering design skills with a particular focus on the proficient use of modern CAD-integrated finite element analysis (FEA) tools for optimising product attributes. Modern CAD software is used to produce detailed part and assembly models, which students then analyse. Major topics include: fundamental principles of FEA, design of organic shapes by free-style CAD, CAD-integrated analysis (e.g. stress/strain, thermal loading, dynamics), non-linear analysis (with experimental validation), optimisation, user needs, and the recursive nature of the product design process.
Motivation for the course:1. Real-life engineering products and components can be highly complicated in geometry and materials and may be subjected to complex loading. In many instances, it is near impossible to analyse these products/components using straight forward hand calculations.2. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a standard analysis tool for real-life engineering products and components and employers will expect an engineering graduate to be competent in solving real-life problems using FEA.
At the end of the course, the student should be capable of exhibiting the following knowledge and skills:1. Understand the role of analysis within a design process. 2. Convert user needs into product features. Scope includes an appreciation of Human centered design and Quality Function Deployment. 3. Understand the fundamental concepts used in FEA, specifically the mathematical principles underpinning 2-dimensional stress analysis, and apply these to simple representative problems. Scope of understanding is how the method operates at a high level of abstraction, and excludes a detailed mathematical treatment of the FEA algorithms from first principles for complex element types.4. Understand the process of analysis. This includes element and mesh fundamentals (shape functions, stiffness matrices), variety of element types (linear / higher order, 2D/3D, continuum / beam / shell), non-linear materials (plasticity), non-linear geometry (large deflection, contact).5. Evaluate real-life engineering product/components and convert them into FEA models that sufficiently accurately represent the boundary conditions and load regimes. Appreciate the physics of the problems and the theory behind the analysis. 6. Be competent in using commercial FEA software to analyse linear stress/strain in engineering products with complex and free-form geometry. 7. Apply and critically evaluate the success of pre-processing and model building: be able to define the domain of interest, select appropriate finite elements, define the material properties, apply appropriate boundary and initial conditions.8. Obtain solutions for linear elastic problems. Understand sources of non-linearity (e.g. geometry, materials, and contacts) and the challenges of non-linear analysis, for example, convergence. 9. Post-processing: interpret the results of FEA solutions in order to answer the questions that led to the FEA analysis.10. Understand the organisational work streams whereby FEA processes are integrated into the product development process, and how FEA adds value to product innovation. Scope: structural analysis of mechanical parts; mold-flow analysis.Conduct of the course:There will be a combination of lectures and computer based laboratory exercises.
ENME302
Digby Symons
Assessment is by homework assignments, short written tests and an individual design/analysis project.
Domestic fee $1,080.00
International fee $5,250.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Mechanical Engineering .