Everything a Fresher Needs to Know About Becoming an FEA Engineer

Every product that any company or brand sells to its customers should undergo various tests that confirm its durability in the real world. Since there can be thousands of iterations of the same product, manual testing and simulation are not financially practical. In such a scenario, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) can help the company boil down to just a few handful iterations of the product, which can then be prototyped and tested before moving on to large-scale manufacturing.

The career and demand of FEA engineers go hand-in-hand with that of product design engineers, CFD analysts, and scientists. Hence, it is safe to say that the demand for FEA engineers will not be fading away by a long shot. So, if you want a career in this exciting domain but are unsure of what it takes to become an FEA engineer, then this article has some useful nuggets of wisdom for you! Read on to learn more.

What Is Finite Element Analysis (FEA)?

Finite Element Analysis, popularly abbreviated as FEA, is at the core of pure mechanical engineering.  

FEA is the process of mathematically modelling an object or a physical component and numerically solving the obtained partial differential equations to compute the stresses, strains, and other forces that the body is subject to. Until a few years ago, this process was extensively manual. But now, thanks to the introduction of tremendously powerful processors and computers, an engineering student can solve complex FEA problems and set up simulations from almost any part of the world.  

Quite often, the simulations are done to know whether or not the component can sustain in the real world when it is manufactured as intended on a large scale. This is done by replicating the conditions to their extreme in a virtual environment and allowing the computer to solve them.

Is Finite Element Analysis the Right Pick for You?

Suppose you are intrigued by how heat produces stress in a component, how vibrations affect stresses, how dynamics forces create different stresses and other areas of structural analysis. In that case, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) could be the right niche for you.

However, to ace the FEA world, you must have a natural inclination towards mathematics and physics.

Stage 1 – Getting Familiar With the Graphical User Interface (GUI) 

If you just started as an engineering student, beginning from the first stage would be the ideal choice because you will not be overwhelmed with strenuous concepts of structural analysis, which would likely go way past your head as a beginner.  

The best way is to get the hang of any software's graphical user interface (GUI) under different fundamental analysis methods such as modal analysis, vibration analysis, thermal analysis, and stress analysis. 

In addition to performing the analyses mentioned above, you will also gain clarity on which results you need to consider for various purposes.  

You can get started in this with an introduction to FEA using SolidWorks.

Stage 2 – Pre-Processing and Solver

Generally, there are three stages in any analysis. 

1. Pre-processor
2. Solver
3. Post-processors

Let's delve a little deeper into Pre-processing and Solvers now.

Pre-Processor 

Pre-processor is where a particular tool is used to mesh a component that would undergo a simulation. This specific domain is currently flourishing in India.

The two Skill-Lync courses you can take a look into are: 

HyperMesh for FEA

Pre-processing using ANSA

These two courses will help you develop a fundamental understanding of pre-processors. Moreover, HyperMesh and ANSA are tools that a significant fraction of industries use globally.

Solver 

Once you know the fundamentals of pre-processing, you are good to go into the next level, i.e., the solver.  

There are a lot of different solvers to choose from: 

ANSYS Workbench

LS-DYNA

Altair Radioss

Abacus

Nastran

At Skill-Lync, we offer the following courses:

Advanced Structural Analysis for Ansys

Crashworthiness using HyperMesh and Radioss

Electronic Cooling Simulations using ANSYS ICEPAK

Stage 3 – Post Processing and Automation 

In stage 3, you are not just expected to be proficient in your use of the tool but should also be able to perform a lot of automation in the results you get from it. This is where the requirement for Python and MATLAB comes in. Once you also check this off, your career opportunities in the FEA domain can skyrocket.  

Python

Over the years, the Python programming language has been seen to pick up the pace and has become one of the most in-demand and high-paying skills. 

In addition to being very powerful and having countless applications, this programming language is easy to learn, use, and understand. Python is mostly a back-end programming language and a fantastic tool for automating tasks. This makes it extremely utilitarian for Finite Element Analysis (FEA).  

MATLAB

MATLAB Simulink is another great software for Finite Element Analysis. Since it is solely dedicated to solving complex mathematical problems, the partial differential equations (PDEs) that arise from an FEA study is a breeze to solve or approximate using this software. 

It is also used for heat transfer studies, structural mechanics, and thermal analysis. 

Conclusion

Now that all your doubts regarding Finite Element Analysis (FEA) as a career path are cleared, you know how to become an FEA engineer! If you think you fit right in, then why wait another day?

Skill-Lync's CAE Master's Certification is just the program you need if you are looking for a career in FEA.

Hope you found this blog useful.