Structural analysis encompasses all aspects of ensuring a component meets its mechanical durability requirements. The analysis types that may be required include:
Types of Structural Analysis Results
Results from structural analyses will then be assessed using a second layer of algorithms and software. This layer includes:
- Strength/Burst
- Fatigue
- Fracture mechanics/Damage Tolerance/Crack Propagation
- Bolted Joint
- Welded Joint
- Steinberg (circuit board solder joint)
- Frequency Avoidance (Campbell & Interference Diagrams)
- Composite Tsai-Hill, Open Hole and Stability
We have the decades of experience in advanced structural analysis that it takes accumulate the tools and talented team to assess the wide range of materials used in today’s products.
Stress Analysis Services
We provide all of the following stress analysis services.
- Static Stress Analysis
- Displacements Analysis
- Impact/Crash Analysis
- Nonlinear Analysis
- Multipart Analysis
- Failure Analysis
- Thermal Stress
- Fatigue Life Analysis
- Crack Propagation / Damage Tolerance
- Bolted Joint
- Welded Joint
- Steinberg (circuit board welded joint)
Structural Analysis Engineering Tools
We maintain licenses and up to date training with the following engineering stress analysis tools.
- ANSYS
- ANSYS Fluent
- ANSYS CFX
- Nastran
- LSDYNA
- SolidWorks Simulation (FLOWORKS)
Results Delivered From Structural Analysis Analysis
With our deep understanding of material properties and our ability to model stress distributions with FEA we can select materials and iterate on the design geometry until we reach an optimized solution where durability requirements are met.
This process results in reducing weight and cost while maximizing the performance of a product and ensuring that the product meets with required specifications all prior to the need of a physical prototype. Not only does this deliver improved products, but it also reduces the number of high-cost and time-consuming prototypes that are required for testing prior to reaching a final product. In industries such as civil engineering where developing a full-scale prototype of a structure is infeasible, having a strong understanding of the stress distribution through the use of FEA can prove invaluable.
What is stress and strain and how does it affect you?
You may be wondering what stress and strain is and how it affects your product or project? In engineering when we discuss stress, we are not referring to the stress that occurs when you have tight deadlines or can’t seem to sleep at night. The stress we focus on is defined as how a cross-sectional area reacts to an applied force or forces which tends to cause deformation or strain. The stress distribution in a system, which is what we model, is the internal distribution of forces within a system in reaction to applied load(s).
Strain is the response of a system to applied stress. In engineering, strain is defined as the amount of deformation in the direction of the applied force divided by the initial length of the material. In simple terms, stress is the internal forces within a body in reaction to loading and strain is the body’s deformation caused by stress.
To better understand the relationship between stress and strain it is important to know the difference between elastic and plastic deformation. In stress and strain curves, there is typically a linear slope which eventually plateaus after the material has yielded. In most materials, stress and strain initially increase proportionally to each other which is represented by the linear slope. Eventually, at what is called the yielding point, strain continues to increase as stress remains constant which is represented by the plateau. The linear slope of the curve is the elastic region while the plateau is the plastic region. When a material experiences elastic deformation it will return back to its initial state while if a material experiences plastic deformation it will be permanently deformed. In engineering, we typically use the yielding strength, the stress of a material at the yielding point, as one of many control points. By using the yielding strength as a design consideration we prevent permanent deformation that may impact form and function and by definition the part will survive at least one load application. How many load applications will your part survive is a fatigue question and this is where it starts to get complicated and our expertise is necessary.
Other Engineering Services
Learn more about our wide range of engineering services that can help make your project a success!
Contact us today to speak an experienced engineer or for a free quote!