Hagerman Connection Blog

Autodesk® Simulation Software—Which is Right for You?

Written by Mark Lautenbach | Apr 13, 2016 1:47:00 PM

Do you manufacture equipment or design structures? Do you have field failures on any of your designs? Are you thinking that you might be able to make your designs lighter and still maintain high quality? If so, we can help.

Autodesk has a suite of products that will work with your existing CAD software to analyze your models and help make your designs better.  Whether you are concerned with the integrity of components, the flow of fluids, or how your plastic parts are made, there is a product that can help.

If you are concerned with the integrity of your components, we have options.  Autodesk® Simulation Mechanical is a software program that can be used in conjunction with your CAD package to analyze your models for a number of different problems.  Within that application you can run a FEA analysis to determine if your part is going to be strong enough for the mechanism.  You can also run a fatigue study to determine how many operating cycles will pass before that same part fails.  Perhaps a concern of yours is whether or not the part will break when it falls.  Inside Simulation Mechanical we can also run drop tests.

If your designs involve fluid flow of either gases or liquids, Autodesk® Simulation CFD can assist you. CFD will help in determining whether or not your HVAC systems will be adequate in keeping individuals comfortable while in their offices.  If you want to determine if your electronics are being cooled efficiently, it can help as well.  You could be designing valves and want to ensure that hot and cold fluids are mixing properly by the time they pass through.  If you are designing buildings or vehicles, you may want to determine how air will flow past.  You can do that with either Autodesk CFD or Autodesk Flow Design.

Plastic molded components have their own set of challenges.  If you are getting air bubbles in a completed part, for example, Autodesk® Simulation Moldflow® can help.  You could have parts that are missing some material from a rapid cycle time, or your surface quality on the completed parts may not be as nice as you expected.  Perhaps your parts are shrinking or warping more than you calculated.  Autodesk Moldflow is available to help you overcome all of these issues.

These are just a few of the different applications Autodesk has for running analyses on your designs.  Depending on what your design is and what you are looking to find out there will be a tool suitable for you.  When you place these tools into your design process early you can avoid additional failures out in the field.  For a closer look into what application would best suit your needs, contact your local Hagerman & Company representative.