Lots of mechanical engineering software are available in the market. These engineering software solve complex engineering problems and help engineers delivering first time right products.
Different mechanical engineering software have different applications. For example, FloTherm is used for thermal analysis of electronics products, whereas Solidworks application is for creating CAD designs. This article covers essential mechanical engineering software for mechanical engineers.
Why do Mechanical Engineers need Software?
Mechanical engineers are facing more complex problems with the technology evolution. Therefore mechanical engineers use software to:
- Solve complex engineering problems quickly and reliably.
- Evaluate the design performance before building actual prototypes.
- Team collaboration.
- Design first time right products.
- Aid manufacturing teams.
Mechanical Engineering Software
We can classify mechanical engineering software into three categories according to the type of application and problem to be solved.
- Mechanical design software (CAD Tools).
- Simulation or analysis software.
- Manufacturing software.
Mechanical Engineering Software for Product Design : CAD Tools
Mechanical engineers use cad design software to design and visualize product aesthetics before manufacturing actual products. CAD software can have the following applications.
Engineers looking for a career in design shall have basic knowledge of CAD design Software. Beginners can start with AutoCAD or SolidWorks. Some of the best cad tool available in the market includes:
- Solid Works (From Dassault System)
- Auto CAD (Autodesk)
- Inventor (Autodesk)
- Creo from PTC
- CATIA
- Fusion360
We suggest you also read this article on fusion360 vs Solidworks.
Analysis / Simulation Software for Mechanical Engineering
Simulation software can predict product behavior in real-life conditions before building actual products. During product design, simulation software helps in eliminating design risks.
As a result, companies can design first time right products and deliver them on time. For example, Simulation software can predict vehicle behavior on different types of roads before building actual prototypes.
We can classify simulation software into the following categories according to the type of problem software solves.
- Structural analysis software.
- CFD Tools
- Electronics Cooling Analysis (Thermal Simulation)
- Stackup Analysis
1) Finite Element / Structural Analysis Software
Following FEA tools are used to ensure that the design will be safe in various loading conditions.
2) CFD (Computational Fluid Analysis)
Following CFD software is used by mechanical engineers to predict fluid behavior in various scenarios. For example, engineers predict fluid behavior while passing through the nozzle using CFD tools.
3) Electronics Cooling Analysis (Thermal Simulation)
Engineers utilize the following thermal simulation software to determine the effect of heat and temperature on a product.
4) Tolerance Stackup Analysis Software
Engineers utilize the following tolerance analysis software to ensure product assembly during product manufacturing. Read this article for details on tolerance stack-up analysis.
Mechanical Engineering Software for Manufacturing : CAM
These days, manufacturing is more dependent on cam software. Following CAM software is used to program CNC and VMC machines.
To sum up, if you are looking for a career in mechanical engineering. A basic understanding of design, simulation, and manufacturing software will help you in your career.
We will keep updating this article on software for mechanical engineers. Add your comments, suggestions, or questions on mechanical engineering software in the comment box.
Add a Comment