The old way to evaluate the strength of a part is to break it. While many
of us enjoy breaking things, it leaves something to be desired as a learning
experience. It also means you have to make it before you break it. As you
might guess, that gets expensive.
Methods for mathematically modeling the stresses on parts have been around for many years. Unfortunately, the calculations required to do such simulations by hand are so time-consuming that nobody used them.
In the '90s, though, we can automate many such tasks. So now we can use the computer to break things.
Finite Element Analysis, or FEA, divides the part being modeled into
hundreds or thousands of little pieces by creating what is called a mesh.
(After a night of Ouzo, MrBebop alsho makesh a mesh, but that's another
story.)
The person running the test decides how to apply stresses to the part -- how much, in what direction, etc. When an analysis is performed, the stresses at the intersections or nodes of the mesh are calculated. These results can be presented in numerical form, giving the stress at each node. But the advent of high-powered work stations makes it possible to view the results graphically as well, with higher stresses shown in different colors than lower stresses.
The beauty of FEA is that it allows a good designer to improve a design
before ever cutting metal. And by showing where to add and take away material,
it helps a designer to make the strongest, lightest part possible.
Wanna see how FEA played a part in the design of the new Bebop pedal? That's
on the next page.