Finger Tips: Of engineers and design technology

FROM SLICK gadgets and stylish gizmos to heavy-duty machines and plush limousines, the field of engineering has contributed to many modern marvels. Consumers have not lost their appetite for newer and better products. As a result the demand for improved models has led engineers to seek refuge in latest technologies to meet design requirements.

With the use of CAD (Computer Aided Design) and CAE (Computer Aided Engineering), engineers can design and develop products that need to be delivered in record time.

* What is CAD/CAE?

CAD is a software that is used in designing which allows a high degree of precision. It allows drawing on an electronic pad; helps produce as many copies needed, and facilitates saving it for future retrieval. CAD replaces the conventional drawing board and the shortcomings it imposed.

CAE provides the reliability of studying the impact of design options, thus facilitating problem detection at the design stage itself. It therefore gives an in-depth understanding of product behavior and allows scope for improvement before the production process commences.

The software can gauge the physical properties of components like the weight, dimensions, and center of gravity. This data is then used to consider performance and the ergonomic quality. It also helps engineers to detect any major problems and errors that might occur. Engineers then decide on corrections and enhancements that can be administered to the models.

* Application areas

CAD/CAE are used in the design and manufacture of dies, moulds, tools and instruments, medical devices and equipment, jigs and fixtures, automobile components, engines in automotive, aerospace and machinery. Design of buildings, bridges and spacecraft, planning land use and drawing maps, predicting the behavior of new materials, design and test of integrated circuits and scientific research are the other areas. Integrated CAD and CAE suites that allow designers to construct a prototype as well as test it for design flaws and explore improved design options.

* Popular software packages

AutoCAD is the world's most popular engineering design. CAD software has plug-ins that can be used to manage drawings on the web that allow viewing CAD files in a browser. The benefit of this is that an engineer can transfer his ideas through the web and network with other engineers and experts. People from different locations can view the same drawings and clients can also view product design in 3D and communicate their views immediately. TurboCAD and DellaCAD, UNIGRAPHICS-II, PRO-Engineer, VERICUT are other examples of CAD packages. CAE packages include UNIGRAPHICS (GFEM), CSA/NASTRAN and NISA.

* Advantages

* CAD facilitates the fast creation of sophisticated designs at a reduced cost.

* It allows engineers to edit designs that are used by the military may have to weather hard conditions like excessive heat, shock, humidity. With design software engineers can see which material is best suited for such conditions.

* The software points out probable areas where connection problems can arise. This can help designers plug loopholes and helps safeguard against lapses.

* New capabilities like simulation modeling are being included. A number of what-if questions can be asked and the software gives answers. An automatic simulation is then built based on the design inputs.

Three-fourths of the manufacturing cost depends on effective product design, and projects benefit greatly when flaws are detected at an early stage. Hence CAD/CAE technologies are being utilised in effective product design.

ARCHANA JAYAKAR

archana.hyd@careercommunity.co.in