Post Graduate Program inMATLAB Python and CFD using Solidworks for Mechanical Engineering Applications

• An Introduction to the Concepts of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

• You will learn to model simple geometry using SOLIDWORKS.
• You will also learn how to set up a fluid study in SOLIDWORKS, and understand the necessary boundary conditions, along with the initial conditions to run the simulation.
• In this module, you will learn how to change the mesh settings as well.
• Also, the following topics are covered in this week,
  
  • Simulating flow through a pipe.
  • Parametric studies and grid dependency tests.
  • Concepts of global maxima and global minima.

• You will be introduced to the concepts of external simulation and transient analysis. You will be learning how to calculate the total flow time and output time step.

• You will learn how to import the NACA airfoil data into SOLIDWORKS to create airfoil geometry.
• You will also learn how to
  
  • Simulate the flow over a 2D NACA airfoil.
  • Calculate the drag and lift forces for the various angles of attack.

• You will be learning the effect of the valve lifts over the mass flow rate. You will learn how to create flow trajectories.
• And perform the following calculations,
  
  • Perform transient analysis at different valve lifts
  • Create a plot of lift vs mass flow rate

• In this module, you will be introduced to the concept of a moving reference frame while also learning about the rotating body feature in SOLIDWORKS.
• You will complete the following projects within this module:
  • Using the MRF approach to simulate flow through a centrifugal pump
  • Plotting a pump performance curve

• This module provides an introduction to Python using different mathematical operations and performing operations such as,
  
  • Array manipulations
  • Plotting and understanding the relationship between 2 variables
  • Looping using one or more looping conditions

• In this module, you will write programs that plot the p-v line of an air standard cycle and also create animations for a robotic arm with 2 degrees of freedom and simulate the motion of a pendulum.
  • In this module, you will learn the following,
    
    • Understanding the relationship between 2 variables using plots
    • Saving plots and creating animations using ImageMagick
    • Using tables

• In this module, you will learn to solve ordinary differential equations using the SciPy module. This is of particular interest since differential equations govern the equations of motion for various mechanical systems and this method can be used to numerically solve initial value problems.
  
  • Using odeint to solve initial value differential equations
  • Create a pendulum using the available coordinates
  • Plotting and saving images
  • Creating an animation using ImageMagick

• In this module, you will learn how to perform curve fitting using Python.
• Curve fitting finds widespread use in predicting the relationship between different variables for which an existing relationship doesn’t exist.
• Furthermore, curve fitting can also be used as a predictive tool in machine learning and AI to predict what will happen in the future using the trend of the plot.
• Students will learn about,
  • Curve fitting using the SciPy module
  • Learning how to check how well the data has been fitted

• This module covers iterative solvers, which find widespread use in the solution of polynomial equations, and other aspects like understanding how to obtain the solution in the most optimised manner possible.
• This module also explains,
  
  • How to use an iterative solver
  • How to use while loops?

• The final module of the coursework deals with data manipulation, which is used in many industries like CAE and CFD to post-process the results from the simulation.
• This is particularly useful if the same simulation is run multiple times for different configurations, and this code can be used to obtain the data automatically.
• At the end of this module, you will be able to,
  
  • Take data from a file and manipulate the data to create meaningful plots.
  • Make the necessary calculations.
  • Automate the post-processing procedure.

MATLAB has a series of commands and functions that instruct the program to perform a task. Just like any other programming language, it has a syntax that defines the rules of the symbols and characters used to write a code. It is important for learners to understand the MATLAB syntax, basic commands, and functions to write effective programs.

This week will cover

• MATLAB syntax and commands
• Methods and ways to use commands in different scenarios
• Manipulation of calculations and comparisons
• Use of arrays.
• Functions (plotting, creating animations, creating figures, and more)

Forward kinematics is the process of determining the position of a robot’s end-effector by using kinematic equations with known values of angular velocities and joint parameters. It is important for learners to understand how MATLAB can be used to determine the unknown values in the kinematic equations, as well as simulate the movement of the manipulator.

This week will cover

• Manipulator motion using ImageMagick
• Simulation of a 2R robotic arm manipulator
• Creating a movie clip with the spatial motions of a robotic arm
• ‘For’ loop in programming
• Working of the “hold on” command
• Arrays and linspace commands

The air standard cycle considers air as the working fluid which goes through heat addition and heat rejection. This is a thermodynamic closed loop cycle in which heat energy is converted into mechanical power. By using MATLAB, the pressure and volume diagram of air standard cycles can be plotted and simulated. It is important to understand how to solve for the kinematic equations involved in the air standard cycle, and how to plot the diagram using MATLAB.

This week will cover

• Solving piston kinematics equation to calculate volume trace
• PV diagrams for different operating conditions.
• Thermodynamic relationships
• Pressure-volume variations
• Order of the program
• Plots & legends used in the graphs
• Piston kinematics

Vibrations and dynamics are at the core of physical systems. Most mechanical engineering systems are dynamic in nature. These systems can be represented by equations of motion that form a set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). It is important for learners to understand how to solve these ODEs, and their application in a real-world context.

This week will cover

• Backward difference formula (BDF) and forward difference formula (FDF) methods to solve ODEs
• Real use of differential equations
• How differential equations relate to real-world applications
• Solving differential equations
• ODE solvers, syntax of ODEs, and various supplementary commands

Curve fitting is used to understand the relationship between different variables by constructing a curve that fits best through a series of data points. Regression analysis identifies the strength of the relationship between two or more variables. This lets engineers understand the relationship between system input and output, as well as predict how the system will behave in the future. Curve fitting and regression can both be done using MATLAB. It is important to understand curve fitting and regression analysis when working with physical systems in MATLAB.

This week will cover

• Polynomials and their best fits
• PolyFit and PolyVal commands
• Calculating errors
• Sum of squares regression (SSR)
• Sum of squares error (SSE)
• Sum of squares total (SST)

The genetic algorithm is based on Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection in which each step identifies the ‘best’ set of parents to reproduce children. Overtime, the continuous process of doing this yields an optimal population. In the same way, the genetic algorithm can be applied to optimization problems and performed using MATLAB. It is important for learners to understand the genetic algorithm, and how it can be used as an optimization technique.

This week will cover

• Optimization techniques
• Working of the genetic algorithm
• Genetic algorithm syntax and finding the global maxima
• Stalagmite functions and how it works
• Population size, number of generations, fitness value, and termination of further generations