Working with a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) engineer for mining and manufacturing products is best when it’s collaborative. FEA uses virtual models to reflect the real world, testing how to best engineer a product for durability and cost effectiveness. To do this, the engineer needs to understand the client’s needs.
Strong communication means providing detailed operating data, validating models against physical reality, and interpreting results to make actionable design or maintenance decisions for mining machinery efficiency maximisation. A finite element analyst needs data from the client so the simulation accurately replicates the product’s conditions.
The accuracy of the final results depends on the quality of the input data. Without this, the simulation may produce misleading results, leading to failed designs or high costs. Here’s our guide to providing the right data for the best output:
What Data Should You Provide Your FEA Engineer With?
1. Geometry Definition (CAD Models)
The consultant needs precise 3D computer aided design (CAD) models, or detailed 2D drawings, to understand the exact shape, dimensions, and features of the component they’re testing with FEA. It also helps to simplify the design, by clarifying which small features could be removed in the virtual prototype to help the simulation work more effectively.
2. Material Properties
The FEA simulation engineer requires specific material properties to know how the part will behave under stress, temperature, or load. If the material is non-linear or specialised, experimental data may be needed. If you can gather data from previous iterations or products in similar conditions, this can be used to enhance the quality of the input.
3. Boundary Conditions and Constraints
- Fixings and Supports: The consultant needs to know how the part is physically held, mounted, or constrained in real life (e.g., bolted, welded, pinned, or sliding on a surface).
- Load Identification: Information on the exact forces, pressures, torque, or gravity loads applied to the object.
4. Environmental and Operational Context
- Real-World Scenarios: The consultant needs to know if the part operates at high temperatures, under cyclic loading (fatigue), or in a corrosive environment. In short, what is the product to be used for, and under what kind of circumstances?
- Worst-Case Scenarios: Data regarding extreme operating conditions helps ensure the design doesn’t fail under peak loads.
5. Project Goals and Acceptance Criteria
The consultant needs to know what the goal is in FEA analysing the part. Is it a new product? Are you testing to see why the part failed? Are you testing it for safety standards? Information about required safety factors or maximum allowable deflection is needed to evaluate if the design passes or fails.
To help the FEA engineer understand your goals, look at:
- Failure History: If this is a redesign, show pictures of where the previous design failed (e.g. crack locations).
- Design Objectives: Clearly state if the goal is to reduce weight, increase capacity, or fix a durability issue.
- Relevant Standards: Cite industry standards the equipment must comply with.
6. Load Cases and Boundary Conditions
Heavy equipment may fail due to misuse or extreme overloading. To test for this, finite element analysis companies require:
- Operating Loads: Maximum payload, lifting force, and hydraulic cylinder pressures.
- Misuse Loads: Worst-case scenarios, such as sudden stops, impact forces, or tipping.
- Boundary Conditions: How the machine is supported.
- Dynamic Factors: Appropriate acceleration factors.
How Do You Present Data to an FEA Engineer?
You can always ask us if you’re unsure of how to present your data. In general, the best thing to do is provide as much information as possible, in a format that makes details easy to find. If the engineer needs to keep chasing up data, the process will be slowed down.
Contact Us
With strong experience in FEA and knowledge of heavy equipment industries, our FEA engineers can be trusted to help you create the best products possible. If you’re looking for a mechanical engineer for mining, or a finite element analysis service, reach out to us today to start discussing how we can work together.