Quote:
Originally posted by beepbeep
You don't need "the feel"´when doing the computer model. You chose appropriate material (or define your own) and let the computer do the crunching.
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While I do agree with you, the computer models and analysis applications are only as good as the people using them. Additionally, there are circumstances where the part is just too difficult to model (defining boundary conditions, etc.).
We had a critical piece of Shuttle payload hardware a few years ago (it's failure would have probably resulting in losing a Shuttle), so we modeled and analyzed the crap out of it. And then we tested it. NASTRAN said it would fail at approximately 55k lbs of load. We all sat around taking bets on when it would actually let go. We watched as the tensile testing machine (at a NASA center) went past 50k, 60k, 70, 80k...the machine's maximum capability was 120k pounds and as we approached that, our test fixture failed. But the part that was supposedly only good for around 55k was fine.
Computers and FEM analyses are really indispensible these days, though. They're better than hand analyses (and waaaay better than gut feel), but ther are not perfect.
OK, back to Jack's ego.
Mike