One of the things that is truly great about industrial design is the huge variety of work we do. As designers, particularly in a consulting environment, we can be faced with tasks ranging from highly conceptual, through to highly technical and everything in between.

In recent years, the ability for our team to complete more relevant and specific technical analysis into our design concepts has advanced significantly. Our team now routinely uses specific FEA software to interrogate 3D CAD models as design ideas are being developed.

The analysis can range from assessing the effect on a single part by applying simple forces, to more complex stress assessments of assemblies or even preliminary thermal analysis of assemblies, depending on the critical requirements of the product or part.

As any analysis expert will tell you, the results are only as good as the quality of the inputs, but if you take the time to prepare the model in a way that defines and isolates the particular issue as much as practical, the data received can be invaluable in fast tracking design decisions.

We’ll often simplify a CAD model to help remove unknowns, run specific comparison tests, adjust the model based on our theories and then re-test. This rapid fire iteration helps us make design decisions that are informed by data and critical thinking, rather than intuitive guessing.

It’s important to stress that these theoretical ‘tests’ are always used in conjunction with physical prototype testing and pre-production off-tool sample reviews as the project progresses through milestones.

If you have a new design project that needs some technical analysis please reach out www.katapultdesign.com.au – and we’ll explain in more depth how we can help.