CAE Software Is All About Engineering Better ProductsBy Khaleel Hayes, Technical Content Writer at SelectHub
Do your engineers need new tools to streamline their workflows? All-inclusive CAE software, an effective manufacturing tool, could produce cleaner, high-quality merchandise for improved ROI, profitability and customer satisfaction.
You're in luck! This buyer's guide delves into the most popular solutions, key features, benefits and SME insights.
Executive Summary
- CAE software is a system that helps companies streamline product engineering.
- Top features include Finite Element Analysis (FEA), 1D CAE, electromagnetic simulation and more.
- Gather your requirements and ask potential vendors questions about their products before committing to a purchase.
What This Guide Covers:What Is CAE Software?
Computer-aided engineering (CAE) software is a system that helps engineers create and model products. Similar to CAD, CAM and CAD-CAM solutions, this solution enhances product designs via computer. Hence the name, computer-aided.
Daniel Espada, founder of geardventure, discussed how CAE software plays a pivotal role in design and engineering protocols.
Investing in CAE software is like having a superpower for engineers. It optimizes designs, identifies flaws early on and accelerates the entire product development cycle. It fosters a culture of exploring new design paradigms and pushing boundaries, leading to groundbreaking solutions that might not have been envisioned without it.
Beyond simulations, CAE software serves as a hub for data integration. It connects various facets of engineering, enabling collaboration across departments, ensuring cohesive design decisions and facilitating a holistic approach to problem-solving."
Patrick Faulkner, lead engineer of Accu Components, described how CAE software streamlines product design before crafting the finished product.
CAE software is an important tool in today's industrial processes, enabling better value engineering, reducing material and process waste, and ensuring the final product can withstand the stresses it will encounter before any tools have to touch the material. CAE software enables expensive physical prototyping to be reduced, by simulating the outcomes of a given stress or input, the results can be viewed and revisions created on the fly to ensure the final product will be fit for purpose."
With CAE software and other tools like AI, IoT and other manufacturing technology, some people wonder if all of this technology is a main industry staple or, like Apple's iPod, will become a fad.
Nazmul Asif, manufacturing expert and co-founder of Riovizual.com, believes that CAE software is no short-lived craze.
CAE software transcended its initial status as a niche tool and has firmly established itself as a cornerstone for engineers in various industries. Its ability to enhance product development, optimize costs and ensure product quality has made it an indispensable tool for modern engineering practices.
The growing complexity of products and the demand for faster development cycles further cement CAE software's position as an essential tool. Engineers increasingly rely on CAE software to make informed design decisions, reduce development risks and meet stringent regulatory requirements."
Primary Benefits
CAE software provides numerous benefits for your company and engineering needs.
Save Time and Money
It's easy to create and simulate products in CAE software, saving time and money for design processing. Espada stated that doing away with physical prototypes can also ease stress.
CAE software [is] a virtual prototype where you can test, tweak and fine-tune your designs in a risk-free environment. It's like having a trial run before you build, saving resources, time and headaches. This virtual playground allows engineers to predict how our creations will perform in the real world, ensuring a smoother journey from concept to reality."
You also reduce the time it takes to invest in building and testing a physical prototype because you can conduct what-if analysis and test your design in a digital landscape with realistic situations.
Make Better Quality Products
Use reliable, industry-specific design tools to develop better, high-quality merchandise. You can also ensure products follow necessary ISO, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Sarbanes Oxley and other regulations.
Asif described how CAE software can give in-depth insights into models and materials for enhanced engineering.
Through simulations and analyses, engineers can access structural integrity, material compatibility, fluid dynamics and thermal performance, ensuring that the final product meets all functional and safety requirements."
Boost Design Process
Streamline product design and engineering for better time-to-market and efficiency.
More efficiency means higher customer satisfaction and retention.
Faulkner said simpler and centralized collaboration features improve communication and operations.
CAE software enhances the design process by ensuring that design changes implemented can be fully explored as to their effect, allowing real-time feedback and reducing the feedback required for each generation of parts produced. It was a long-held view in the design world that the more loops of idea generation, development and evaluation are performed, the better the product produced.
Whilst this still holds true, the loops of development and evaluation can be kept internal to the CAE software, meaning that by the time the product reaches a review stage, many revisions based on the data could have been performed, and material added or removed exactly where required."
Key Features & Functionality
CAE software varies by vendor when dealing with capabilities. Asif discussed some core features to consider when purchasing new CAE software.
CAE software should offer a wide range of analysis tools, including finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and structural analysis. The software should be intuitive and accessible to engineers with varying levels of expertise. Seamless integration with CAD and CAM software is crucial for a streamlined workflow."
We found some core features you should consider when browsing different solutions.
| Finite element analysis (FEA) | Measure and assess component and assembly stress. Test how objects interact with each other to determine the effect of physical forces. |
| Mechanical event simulation (MES) | Assess how products behave during real events. Determine if the product receives damage and note the kind of damage received. |
| Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) | Visualize how gases and fluids interact. Create thermal and fluid analyses for better decision-making. Find turbulent flow, multiphase flow, incompressible or compressible fluid problems. |
| 1D CAE or Mechatronic System Simulation | Leverage this CAE software capability to perform multi-domain mechatronics system designing. |
| Electromagnetic Simulation | Evaluate an object's electromagnetic components for effectiveness. |
Software Comparison Strategy
Now that you know what to look for in CAE software, let's review how to find and invest in this solution effectively.
When selecting the right solutions, thinking about the proper requirements is essential. Faulkner suggested it's also important to consider your use case for your industry and company size.
Do you require pure analysis? Are you utilizing a 3D modeling package, and if so, is it compatible? What sort of analysis do you require? E.g., CFD, FEA or even more? Once your use case and requirements have been identified, it is normally a simple matter to pick out what programs satisfy your needs in your target price range."
Espada suggested thinking about scalability and the future of your business.
Consider scalability, ease of use and comprehensive support. Your chosen CAE software should evolve with your needs, be user-friendly and backed by a robust support system. Also, a software's learning curve impacts productivity. Choose a tool that aligns with your team's skillset to avoid unforeseen downtime."
SelectHub offers a software selection methodology called Lean Selection. This technique helps you find the right solution for any company size or industry in nine easy steps! Here's a brief rundown of this technique:
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Establish: Determine why you need new software and evaluate current pain points.
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Collaborate: Create an internal selection committee of department leaders, end-users, stakeholders and more.
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Define: Develop a requirements list with your software selection team.
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Distribute: Compare numerous vendors with your requirements list.
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Justify: Assess vendor findings and determine if you need new software, add-on features or to scrap the software selection process.
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Prove: Ask potential vendors for demos, use cases, trials and more to evaluate performance.
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Rank: Classify vendors according to their demo scores and total cost of ownership (TCO). You should have at least two to three potential systems to meet your needs.
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Negotiate: Discuss terms and agreements with your top-rated vendor. Seek additional legal advice if necessary. Repeat this step if you can't reach a compromise with your top-rated supplier.
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Sign: Establish a solid implementation plan after signing with your best vendor.
Cost & Pricing Considerations
There are several factors to consider when dealing with CAE software, including company size, industry, deployment options and more.
Espada recommended thinking about the bigger picture.
Think beyond the initial purchase. Maintenance, training and potential upgrades significantly contribute to TCO. Don't forget adaptability. A rigid software might seem cost-effective initially, but the cost of adapting to new challenges could outweigh the benefits. Choose flexibility for a future-proof investment."
Asif discussed complexity, the number of users and integration costs as vital factors affecting TCO.
More complex software with advanced features typically carries a higher TCO. The number of concurrent users can significantly impact the licensing costs. Adapting the software to your specific workflow and integrating it with existing systems may involve additional costs."
What size is your company?
Are you a small business wanting to grow into a global enterprise in the next 10-20 years? Or are you already a massive enterprise? Company size, industry and the number of users are vital when picking the right CAE software.
If you're expanding, looking for a system with suitable scalability tools to meet your resource and workflow demand is best. If you're a big organization, finding a solution with all the right capabilities is best.
What deployment option works for you?
Do you need cloud, on-premise or hybrid solutions?
The cloud offers real-time updates over a vendor's server. It also provides additional security measures, such as multi-factor authentication, data encryption, user access permissions and more.
On-premise is only available on your company servers and computers. You're responsible for updates. Vendors also typically offer different support packages (i.e., gold, platinum, silver and more).
Hybrid offers the best cloud and on-premise features in one consolidated system. No two hybrid plans are the same. Talk to your potential vendor about this option in more detail.
New features or add-on tools?
If the mouse for your laptop breaks, do you replace the entire laptop or just the mouse? Most people would pick the mouse because it's cheaper than buying a brand-new laptop.
Why reinvent the wheel?
If you have a CAE system that performs everything you need but lacks CAD or CAM extensions, you will look for a vendor that offers compatible CAD or CAM integrations. This option will save you some money.
However, if you have an outdated CAE solution that isn't meeting your company's goals, it may be time to replace the entire system. The choice is yours.
Questions To Ask
Here are some guiding internal questions to consider before beginning your software selection quest:
- What pain points do we need to address with new CAE software?
- Should our solution offer FEA, CFD, electromagnetic and thermal simulation capabilities?
- Should we invest in cloud, on-premise or hybrid software?
- Who are the end users of this system?
- Should we get a solution with scalability tools? Are we looking to grow in the next 10 years?
Here are some questions to ask vendors when browsing different solutions:
- How many years of experience do you have in our industry?
- Do you offer free trials, demos, use cases or proofs-of-concept (POCs) for your solutions?
- How effective are your solution's CFD, electromagnetic simulation and FEA tools?
- What training and support packages do you offer?
- How many successful software implementations have you had in the past five years?
Next Steps
The ideal CAE software should offer vital tools to expedite your engineering process and ensure high-quality products.
Ready to take the next step? Check out our free comparison guide for an unbiased, detailed review of different software.
Additional Resources
SME Contributors
Patrick Faulkner, as Accu's lead engineer, is pivotal in driving internal project development and keeping the company at the forefront of engineering innovations. His expertise in CAD and 3D printing rapid prototyping elevates Accu's service offerings, ensuring exceptional client service. Additionally, Patrick spearheads staff training, enriching the team's understanding of various components and their applications. Patrick holds an Undergraduate Degree in Product Design and a Master's Degree in Industrial Design
Nazmul Asif, a manufacturing expert and AI solutions architect, co-founded Riovizual.com. His passion lies in assisting individuals in harnessing the power of technology to enhance their business marketing and financial well-being.
Daniel Espada, founder of geardventure, is a mechatronics engineer passionate about outdoor adventures. Espada has hands-on experience with the Autodesk suite, including Fusion 360, Inventor, AutoCAD, ePlan, Vault, and even some Revit. Additionally, he delved into Ansys for FEM analysis and dabbled in SolidWorks.
