Yesterday I took part in the 20th annual conference of MSC Software. This company was formed in the US in 1963. Their goal was to develop a program for finite element analysis. To make a long story short, this method allows engineers to split the complex tasks into small pieces that could be analyzed using the computer. And they successfully achieved their goal. in 1965 was released a break-through product NASA Structural Analysis (NASTRAN). The aerospace agency of the United States has used this program to design vehicles for their space programs. But soon enough this tool spread all across the engineering world.
You can use it from analyzing fences around your house or nails from this fence to modern aircraft or cars or even tooth in your mouth. Of course, you can do the same using paper, pen, and thick books from the shelves, but for complex structures like engine blades it would take you years to find the results witch NASTRAN will provide you in a minute.
Now, MSC owns a whole bunch of programs to simulate everything you could imagine. From spreading noise in the air to building fire or splashing tea on your keyboard.
Today is the second and last day of the conference and in my further posts, I’ll tell you what’s going on in engineering software right now.