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Static Structural Analysis

Elevate Your Engineering Projects with Our Expert Static Structural Analysis Services

Running a static structural analysis is a great way to check the strength of your parts or assembly before physically making anything. This analysis is part of the umbrella of finite element analyses (FEA) services that we offer at CAD/CAM Services.

With static structural analysis, we’re looking at a part that is stationary and typically supports part of a larger structure, building, or assembly. As a simple example, it’s looking at a beam that’s holding up a part of the roof of your new building — the analysis will predict how the beam will deflect, whether or not it will fail, and any reaction it will physically have as a result of supporting your roof.

Let’s review more about our static structural analysis services, including why they’re important, what these services are, how they can benefit you, and how you can get started with CAD/CAM Services.

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The Importance of Accurate Static Structural Analysis

An accurate static structural analysis can dramatically change your part’s design. A simple analysis from our team can boost your confidence in your design, meet different standards and requirements, and help you save money.

Ensuring Structural Integrity

With a well-run static structural analysis, you can have more confidence that your part will be structurally sound. We can better ensure structural integrity through this analysis by showing when your member will fail, what factor of safety you have, and how a material change can impact the results.

Compliance with Standards

There are plenty of regulatory and industry standards that have to be met when it comes to structural members. This can apply to the thickness, material choice, finishing steps, and fastening scheme for each and every member.

With our help, you can be completely compliant with all applicable standards. Luckily, our team has engineers with backgrounds in multiple different industries. You can leverage our experts when you choose CAD/CAM Services for your next static structural analysis.

Cost Efficiency

By catching a potential design issue early, you can avoid costly delays and financial impacts. Changing your design in CAD is significantly easier than re-making a part once you realize it won’t work.

There’s no doubt that your project has a thousand different considerations and things to remember, so it’s easy to overlook a simple design flaw with your structural assembly. With our help, we can pinpoint these issues, suggest a resolution, and even redesign your structure from scratch.

Our expert engineers in addition to our static structural analysis software make the whole process look easy.

Our Static Structural Analysis Services

Our static analysis services are built around your specific project. As a result, we like to start each project with a quick consultation. During this time, you can tell us everything that’s involved with your project — the current status of your design, what kind of help you’re looking for, and all of the details that can help us run our analysis.

Once we have all of the right information, we can get to work. Our team of almost 100 engineers and designers works around the clock to offer the fastest possible results. Our comprehensive services include detailed analysis and simulations. These tests are run by our in-house experts, and we’ll share all of the findings and results.

We can run load testing and generate stress analysis on any number of support structures.

If any of the results are unfavorable, we can create a list of actionable recommendations to help your design. In addition, we’ll generate comprehensive reporting files for your team and stakeholders to look over.

Benefits of Our Structural Analysis Services

So many people choose CAD/CAM Services for our static structural analysis services. When you choose us, you’ll notice a number of benefits:

  • A team of experts. With nearly 100 engineers and designers from various backgrounds, you can leverage our in-house experts for every analysis.  
  • Better accuracy. We pride ourselves on our ability to generate accurate, reliable, and consistent results for any static structural analysis we run. We use advanced software and techniques for even better results.
  • Unlock a highly efficient team. Our team is undeniably efficient. We offer some of the best turnaround times and dependability across any outsourced team. With us, you can effectively grow your engineering power.

The Role of Model Simplification in Analysis

With any simulated analysis, there’s a lot of computing that our software and computers need to go through. However, the model can be simplified in an effort to reduce the amount of computing needed while still generating accurate and reliable results.

This is where model simplification comes in. Something as simple as removing threads from a bolt can save hours in computing time throughout an assembly.

But it’s possible to oversimplify a model and get results that aren’t reflective of real-world environments. This delicate balance comes with experience, and it’s something that’s hard to understand unless you run hundreds of simulations.

Since our team has so much experience, we know exactly how to simplify models in order to get faster results without sacrificing the quality of the analysis. With simplified assemblies and models, we can save days’ worth of work that would otherwise be done. This translates to quicker turnarounds and better pricing for you.

Get Started with Us

Contact us today to get a free quote and learn how CAD/CAM Services can help you. You can also scheduled a convenient consultation to speak directly with one of our staff members about your project. We can dive into specifics together and explain how CAD/CAM Services can help.

Finding an outsourced engineering team to run high-quality static structural analysis doesn’t need to be difficult, just choose CAD/CAM Services. We are here to save you time and money, and generate analyses that are more accurate with fewer headaches. Allow our experts to take this major task off your plate, and reach out to our experts today.

When you choose CAD/CAM Services, you can unlock more confidence in your structural design.

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General CAD Questions

I need my project done today or tomorrow. Can you process rush jobs?

Depending upon when you catch us, yes, we can handle rush jobs. We often work over the holidays, Thanksgiving and even Christmas holidays. If you have a deadline – call us.

For years we have run three shifts of about 30 drafting folks per shift – allowing us to deliver work 3x faster, and seven days a week. Yes, we work 24/7, so you do not have to. The fun never stops here.

For 3D scanning, this is a different question. Because of the common setup work required, at best expect a 48-72 hour turn to be scanned. CAD or simulation services are in addition to that.

Who is affected by the PPD-21 directive?

The Department of Homeland Security has identified 16 different infostructures:

  1. Chemical Sector,
  2. Commercial Facilities Sector,
  3. Communications Sector,
  4. Critical Manufacturing Sector,
  5. Dams Sector,
  6. Defense Industrial Base Sector,
  7. Emergency Services Sector,
  8. Energy Sector,
  9. Financial Services Sector,
  10. Food and Agriculture Sector,
  11. Government Facilities Sector,
  12. Healthcare and Public Health Sector,
  13. Information Technology Sector,
  14. Nuclear Reactors Materials and Waste Sector,
  15. Transportation Systems Sector,
  16. Water and Wastewater Systems Sector.

This is both Government and private sectors.

If you are in any of these industries, this directive is important to you for many reasons.  Do you know where your critical sections are? Are they well protected? Are there concerns for Hazmat, security clearance requirements, and other concerns?  Can you quickly rebuild what might be lost?

The important part of this means that critical infrastructure must be secure and able to withstand and rapidly recover from all hazards. Achieving this will require integration with the national preparedness system across prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery.

Further details can be found at:  Government PPD-21

DHS – The National Infrastructure Protection Plan details:  The National Infrastructure Protection Plan

Industry specific plans:  2015 Industry specific PPD-21 plans

CAD / CAM Services provides PPD-21 for the following industries:  DHS – CAD / CAM Services

What is the PPD-21 Protocall?

The Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21) is a Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience United States directive that aims to strengthen and secure the country’s critical infrastructure.The goal of this directive is to reduce vulnerabilities, identify and disrupt threats, minimize consequences and hasten response and recovery efforts related to critical infrastructure.

The directive defines resilience as the ability to prepare for and adapt to ever changing conditions, terrorists, and withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions. Resilience includes the ability to withstand and recover from deliberate attacks, accidents, or naturally occurring threats or incidents.

Do you support the PPD-21 Directive?

Yes we do, and have now for several years. In addition, we also support the industry specific plans as well.

Did you really own the trademark Cad Perfect™, Cad Perfect CAD Conversions™ and Cad / Cam Services™?

Yes, we did back in 2008. We started using Cad Perfect™ back in the early 1990s because all of our customers wanted only real Cad Perfect™ work. Back then the buzz words were terms like machine ready, or DXF Traceover and others.

The problem is, nobody wanted that. They all wanted drawings and models that they did not have to touch. Everybody wanted drawings just as if they hand redrew the work themselves.

Thus, Cad / Cam Services™ was the first company to start offering ONLY Cad Perfect™ work.

What is the estimated delivery time?

It depends on the scope of work:

  • 2D drawings – small quantity, normally 48 hours.  We have several customers where they contract to us, keeping 4-8 drafters busy full time.
  • 3D models – complexity dependent, but smaller jobs in 2-3 days. Some models we have spent months on.  Again, we have several customers where they contract to us, keeping 6-10 3D CAD designers busy full time.

Simple jobs have a lead time of 48 hours. Larger projects are delivered and invoiced weekly.

Will CAD / CAM Services Sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)?

Yes. NDAs are a common part of our business. All data is yours – not ours, and treated as proprietary data and not for public consumption or use. Probably 70% of our work is under NDA agreements. We can generally get these signed within the day.

How do I send a sample, in order to get a quote?

Fill out our quote form, attach your files, or simply send us an email. Tell everything about your project, like the model purpose.

For smaller files < 15 MB you can simply email them to us.  For something larger, just drop them in any number of drop boxes like Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and others.  Or if you would like, just contact us for a private, hardened link.

It is fine to use most any time of compression such as  *.zip, *.rar, *.tar, *.7z, *.arc, *.LBR, and even *.iso images.

A direct email is [email protected]

We also use a hardened OwnCloud web file sharing platform for unlimited file transfers. We provide unique and very private Web Storage Portals, this also supports file syncing for extreme convenience for you. Because so much of our work is DOD or weapons design work, Security – and confidentiality is very important to us.

Finite Element Analysis FAQ

What do you need to make an accurate simulation?

The more information we have, the more accurate the simulation results will be. It also depends on what type of simulation you want to run. For a simple FEA, we can run an accurate simulation with just a 3D CAD model and loading/force/pressure information that you want to simulate.

Don’t have a 3D model? Not a problem, our team can make one for you from scratch, and then run an FEA on it.

For a more detailed answer, a well-run FEA will need:

Material properties: What material is the part made out of? We can run different FEAs with different materials to help you pick the right one.

Loading conditions: The size, location, and type of load you want to simulate.

Bonding condition: How is the part held in place? Is it bolted, welded, or just sitting on a tabletop?

A 3D model

For other simulations: Please provide us with all thermal, dynamic, aero, and/or fluid flow information. Feel free to call us and we’ll walk you through what we need.

What is the purpose of FEA?

A Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a form of non-destructive testing (NDT) that shows how your part reacts to real-world loading events. A common example is running an FEA on a support bracket. The FEA will give results showing how much the bracket deflects, how much reactive force is seen, and the kind of internal stresses the bracket experiences.

FEA results will change dramatically based on the position and angle of the load, how much force is applied, the material properties of the part, and the design of the part itself.

An FEA is used to optimize a part before manufacturing begins. It allows you to find weak points within your part or assembly, and it will predict a failure before you physically make anything. This gives you an opportunity to fine-tune each part to optimize its size, strength, and cost before you start producing it.

Do you handle other engineering simulations?

Yes, our team has license access to all of the major simulations on the market. Currently, we offer:

• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Simulation Services

• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Services

• Discrete Element Method (DEM) Simulations

• Testing Simulated Products

• Fiber-Based Material Simulations

• Geometric Optimization and Design Iteration

• Aero and Hydrodynamics Analysis

How long does an FEA take?

On our advanced computers, an FEA can be run in a matter of minutes. For incredibly detailed or complex FEAs, it might take a few hours or even overnight. Not to worry, we have dedicated workstations that just run FEAs 24/7, so you won’t have to wait long for the results.

How do I know if I need an FEA on my part?

Generally, an FEA is a good idea for any new part that you’re going to make. The FEA tells you whether or not your design is optimized, and it points out your part’s weak points (physically, not metaphorically). For structural or load-bearing parts, FEAs are often required by your industry standards. For any one-off parts or custom pieces, an FEA can keep your operation safer.

Consult with our expert engineers to get a better understanding of whether or not your part needs an FEA, and let CAD/CAM Services handle the full project for you.

Does an FEA actually help?

In our experience, FEAs are invaluable. Spending a few hours running a simulated FEA in the background can save you weeks of your time, thousands of dollars, and countless headaches. One time, we ran an FEA for a client and found that their base platform needed to be an extra 1/4” thick, or else it would have collapsed under the weight of the machinery and people. Without an FEA, the platform was likely to fail in real life, and risk people’s lives — but it was completely avoided with just a simple FEA. In this case, the original designer changed the thickness of their platform in CAD, created manufacturing drawings, and then sent the plans out for fabrication: a change that took a day of effort.

An FEA can:

• Save you time

• Save on manufacturing costs

• Help you to avoid common design issues

• Optimize your part so you don’t overpay for manufacturing

• Keep your people safe

• Maximize power and fuel-efficiency

• Minimize drag

• Avoid thermal or physical failure

• Understand cyclic loading results

• Find the failure point of your designs

• Fine-tune your material selection

• Learn the physical limitations of each part

• Establish confidence in each design

• Be shared with stakeholders and investors to secure funding and buy-in

3D Modeling FAQ

What is the minimum price for your 3D modeling services?

We have a minimum order fee $150.

How do you check your models?

We create 2D drawings from our 3D models for QC purposes. We follow aerospace standards and deliver ±.005” accuracy models for all projects.  All of our QC is done by a different person than the designer. On Catia work, we often use Q-Checker for Airbus.

What do you need to give me accurate pricing?

First of all, we need to know the target CAD system and whether you have an existing  template, or set of CAD standards for this project.

The main question is the overall complexity. As each part and assembly consists of different features and elements the best way is to provide us with an example.  Again, a picture is worth a thousand words.

If you already have a model and need us to improve it or update it in any way we need to know which dimensions and features are critical and which can be modified to achieve your desired result.  Even a before and after example works very well. We started with x, and got to this CAD file.

We can also offer you better options if you provide us with the purpose of your project (demonstration, 3D printing, FEA Simulation, CNC manufacturing, etc.).  This helps us better refine the task.

How do you bill 3D CAD services tasks?

Per hour. Hourly rate depends on what CAD software used and typically starts at $75 per hour.  In general, to make this process safer for you, we often provide you a fixed not to exceed the cost as well.  That way, you are protected from an open-ended PO. However, the reality is our fees are based on time. In addition, services in say Catia or NX are more expensive than say Solidworks. Or, simulation services are commonly done by real engineers.

Engineering FAQ

Does CAD/CAM Services have engineers on their staff?

Yes, we do. CAD/CAM Services employs over 100 engineers and drafters to handle your most challenging engineering projects. When you need an engineer, you need CAD/CAM Services.

What goes into engineering services at CAD/CAM Services?

Our engineering services are really versatile, and they include services such as making CAD models, running simulations and doing calculations, reverse engineering parts, and optimizing designs. Our engineers can do all of the design work for your prototype or production item. With dozens of services offered under one roof, you can get more when you choose CAD/CAM Services.

Our engineers have tons of experience and impressive educations, which is why we can offer so many projects in the first place.

We can do almost anything: design a motor mount, reverse engineer an entire F-35 fighter jet, or create a million digital mock-ups of your parts. In fact, these are all projects we’ve done for big companies in the past.

If you’re not sure how an engineer can help, contact us and let one of our associates explain exactly what CAD/CAM Services can do for you.

Can you do these calculations for us?

Yes, we can. Our trained and qualified engineers can run manual calculations, develop calculator tools, and use non-destructive engineering simulations to calculate whatever you need. We will share the results of these calculations with you and also define what the results mean, in plain English.

How many engineers can we outsource through CAD/CAM Services?

Our team has over 100 engineers and drafters, and we have a ton of flexibility. Plenty of our clients keep a handful of engineers busy full-time, so we’re not opposed to assigning an engineer to help you long-term.

We will use our experience to assign the right number of engineers to your project. If you ever think you need more or fewer engineers, just let us know and we’ll adjust the assignments.

Whether you need one engineer for one day, or 20 engineers for a year, we can help.

How can you guarantee this bracket won’t fail under a specific load condition?

Our designers will run a finite element analysis (FEA) and do hand calculations whenever loads are a concern. This is just another way that we can guarantee CAD Perfect® designs for all of our customers.

Why wouldn’t I just have an in-house engineer do this work instead of CAD/CAM Services?

People choose to outsource engineering work to save time, save money, and simplify their workforce. With our team, you don’t have to pay for sick time, pay for days off, or deal with admin or HR headaches. Instead, you pay us a simple rate, and you only pay for the direct engineering effort that we provide.

The biggest bonus is that you can add or remove outsourced engineers in seconds — just tell us, and we’ll make sure you have the right engineering power assigned to your projects.

When you choose CAD/CAM Services, you also free up all of your in-house engineers to work on other tasks. In our experience, involving CAD/CAM Services makes everything simpler and smoother.