2. SOLVING!ENGINEERING’S!CALCULATION!COMPROMISE!
The!difference!between!engineers!and!makers!
Given today’s massive Maker Movement, powered by the
idea that anyone can invent and make a product, the
difference between engineers and makers is fair to
consider, don’t you think?
One difference, at least, is easy to discern. Makers rely
on creativity, iteration and luck to find designs that work.
Engineers do that as well, but rely more on predicted
performance than luck to make decisions. Put simply: it’s
more about prediction than chance. And at the core of
that important distinction lie engineering calculations.
In years past, engineers performed calculations in paper
notebooks. They were often full of equations with
corresponding sketches, notes and pictures. Of course, a
lot has changed since then. The engineering office
caught up in the digital revolution, just like every other
department. After the dust settled, engineers could
perform calculations in one of two kinds of software:
spreadsheets or mathematical modeling solutions.
Neither do much to curb the inherent volatility of
engineering work. This has serious implications for both
the organization and the engineer.
There is, however, reason for hope. There are software
applications purpose-built for engineering calculations.
What exactly do they do? Do they resemble engineering
notebooks of the past? What are the implications for the
business? That's where this eBook comes into play. Here,
you'll find more on the calculation needs of today's
engineers, today's technology compromise on
calculations, new calculation tools built for engineers and
implications for the team and individual.
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3. SOLVING!ENGINEERING’S!CALCULATION!COMPROMISE!
Calculations:!A!Core!Engineering!Function!
There is little doubt that performing calculations to
predict performance is a core engineering function. But
how exactly are they used? Let’s look at some use cases
before looking at how today’s software tools support
them.
Conceptual!Feasibility!and!Trade!Studies!
Before 3D models are created in CAD, engineers use
quick and detailed calculations to determine if new
product concepts are feasible. In addition to helping with
those types of ‘go or no-go’ decisions, engineers also
employ calculations to compare and contrast different
characteristics or parameters of a design before
proceeding into detailed design.
Detailed!Design!Decision!Making!and!Sizing!
Once in detailed design, engineers perform calculations
to work out some of the finer details of products. They
drive component selection decisions, which materially
affect the form, fit and function of the design. Engineers
also run calculations to spatially size parts and
assemblies as well. These efforts are often done in
parallel with the creation of a 3D model in CAD.
Validation!of!Performance!Before!Testing!
Even when a design is relatively mature, engineers need
to validate that it performs as expected. CAD models
often exist at this point, so that existing information can
be leveraged in the calculation. This is often the case in
verifying that requirements are satisfied, where
traceability is also important.
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4. SOLVING!ENGINEERING’S!CALCULATION!COMPROMISE!
Today’s!Compromise!on!Calculation!Tools!
•
Hidden in the Cell: Once a calculation is captured
in a spreadsheet cell, an engineer can only see the
result of the formula, not how it was generated.
An engineer has to select the cell to see the
program-written calculations, which requires some
translation back into the language of math.
•
Watch Your Units: Engineers deal with variables
that appear in a confusing mixture of units.
Spreadsheet cell values can be assigned units.
However, they are not unit aware. That means that
if an engineer asks the spreadsheet to add
millimeters to inches, the spreadsheet will perform
the task, even if the result doesn’t make sense
formulaically. That, in turn, can lead to terrible
design errors.
When it comes to software tools that engineers use to
perform calculations, the choice is simple: they can use
spreadsheets or mathematical modeling. Here, we'll dive
into the details and drawbacks associated with each.
Spreadsheets:!Getting!Lost!in!Translation!
Spreadsheet tools, along with document and presentation
tools, are some of the most widely proliferated types of
software in the business world. Make no mistake:
engineers use spreadsheets to perform calculations every
single day. However, a problem exists in the language
that spreadsheets use for engineering calculations.
Confused? Let me explain by asking a question.
How do engineers build calculations? They use the
language of math. They define variables that are then
used in equations. They use mathematical operators like
integrals and functions with special symbols that are
specific to calculus and differential equations.
Now, how do users build calculations in spreadsheets?
They use something that looks, acts and feels like
working in a programming language. They drop in
mathematical operators based on text, not special
symbols. They reference specific cells, not variables. As a
result, there are a few drawbacks for engineers.
•
Ultimately, spreadsheet software was developed for any
kind of user and any kind of generic application. It
requires engineers to take extra steps to translate
between the language of math and the programming
language. Not only is that time consuming, but it can
also introduce errors along the way that impact
downstream product development processes.
Translating on the Fly: When engineers build
calculations in spreadsheets, they must translate
their mathematical formulas into the
corresponding programming required by
spreadsheet software. It’s an extra step in the
process that can introduce errors along the way.
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5. SOLVING!ENGINEERING’S!CALCULATION!COMPROMISE!
Mathematic!Modeling:!The!Realm!of!Experts!
While less well-known but more powerful in capability,
mathematical modeling tools are also an option for
engineers to perform calculations. In comparison to
spreadsheets, mathematical modeling software offers far
more advanced functionality to represent advanced
phenomena and behaviors. Such software can be used to
develop complicated algorithms that are used repetitively
for specialized applications like financial predictions,
genetic simulations and far more.
Building calculations in these tools also looks, acts and
feels like working in a programming language, only a far
more complex one than the one spreadsheets use. As a
result, the use of this software falls into the domain of
true specialized experts like scientists and dedicated
mathematicians. That’s where engineers encounter
difficulty using these tools. The ramp up and ongoing
use of such tools is far too high.
Furthermore, these tools lack integrations with CAD or
other engineering software tools, making them hard to
use during the detailed design or validation phases of
product development.
A!Distasteful!Choice!
In summary, engineers face a simple but distasteful
choice when it comes to the software they can use to
perform calculations. Theoretically, both types of
software can get the job done. But neither uses the
language of mathematics, either in building or
representing formulas. In all honesty, these choices, at
least to date, have simply been between bad and worse.
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6. SOLVING!ENGINEERING’S!CALCULATION!COMPROMISE!
Engineering!Calculation!Software!
In recent years, a third kind of tool has emerged to help
engineers build their formulas: Engineering Calculation
Software. This software is purpose-built for engineers
specifically for design and product development
applications. They have a number of important
characteristics that differentiate them, including:
Natively!Speaking!the!Language!of!Math!
The first, and probably most important, trait of
Engineering Calculation Software is that it natively uses
the language of math. Engineers start by defining
variables that will be used throughout their equations.
Next, they build formulas using mathematical operators
used in calculus and differential equations, not
programming functions that require translation. They
also reference the variables they defined instead of
referencing cells.
Unit!Awareness!and!Intelligence!
Another critical trait of Engineering Calculation Software
is the ability to be aware of the units of every number
and variable in every equation. For example, let’s say you
wanted to add a measurement in inches to a
measurement in millimeters and get the result in meters.
The software will automatically convert each of the inputs
into like units and then convert the output into the
desired units.
But it goes beyond that as well. If you try to add a value
in megapascals, a pressure unit, to a measurement in
newtons, a force unit, the software will highlight the
mixed unit error. All in all, the fact that Engineering
Calculation Software is unit-aware and intelligent adds
another safety check against design errors. Essentially, it
manages units so you don’t have to.
Another important capability of Engineering Calculation
Software is the presentation of formulas. They are not
hidden away inside of spreadsheet cells or represented in
programming language. Instead, they are shown as if
they were written on a sheet of paper in an easily
recognizable form. This leaves little confusion in figuring
out the engineer's design intent.
As a result of this more natural and familiar process,
building equations is streamlined and less likely to
contain errors that could lead to design mistakes. Other
engineers that need to review the formulas can do so
quickly and easily, eliminating the non-value added effort
of translating another engineer’s equations.
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7. SOLVING!ENGINEERING’S!CALCULATION!COMPROMISE!
Close!Integration!with!CAD!Applications!
Integration with CAD applications enables the engineer to
build equations by using parameters, dimensions or
measurements from the 3D model as variables. An
important facet of this capability, however, is what occurs
when the 3D model changes. The values get updated in
the equations. So as engineers explore different
iterations of the 3D model, the formulas are updated in
an automated fashion. This associativity serves engineers
well because the nature of design can be chaotic.
Embedded!Plots,!images!and!Text!
Performing calculations, however, isn’t all about the
math. Engineers traditionally surround their calculations
with other notations such as images and textual
information that serve as notes and documentation.
Furthermore, they need to graph out the results of their
equations, often with variations in design characteristics.
Engineering Calculation Software allow users to insert
such information right alongside the formulas to make it
all more visual and easier to understand.
There is another advantage, however, in closing the loop
and driving changes from the engineering calculations
back into the CAD model. Engineers can run formulabased optimization and design of experiment routines
and send the results back to the CAD model.
Standardization!and!Reuse!of!Calculations!
During design, engineers certainly run into unique
calculations relevant to a specific product or application.
However, the bulk of their work is spent looking at very
similar or slight variations on the same performance
characteristics or measures. In that context, an important
trait of Engineering Calculation Software is the ability to
save and then reuse subsets or entire formulas. This lets
individuals leverage past work instead of recreating it. It
also allows the organization to define and apply
calculation standards and practices.
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8. SOLVING!ENGINEERING’S!CALCULATION!COMPROMISE!
Working!Normal!Hours,!Work!Fulfillment!
Implications!for!the!Team!and!Individual!
So far, we've talked a lot about the technical needs of
engineering calculation tools. But we haven't talked about
the advantages and benefits to the organization and
team. Next, we’ll take a look at that important topic.
Schedule!and!Budget!Savings,!Winning!Products!
When the benefits of using a certain type of software are
defined, the emphasis is almost always placed on what it
means to the organization. However, for Engineering
Calculation Software, there are just as many benefits to
the individual engineer as there are to the team.
•
Get Your Life Back: Mistakes in the design come
back to haunt engineers in a big way. A change
order against a product close to product launch
disrupts their entire day. They have to de-prioritize
their current design projects and return their
attention to a design they worked on months ago.
Furthermore, they often have to stay as long as
necessary to fix the problem, even if that means
working through the night or weekend. Performing
calculations more frequently and accurately
bolsters an engineer's ability to avert those errors
in the first place and the design disruptions
associated with them. That saves engineers’ nights
and weekends.
•
Fulfillment in Engineering: Ponder this question:
how many engineers went into the profession to
program spreadsheets or build mathematical
models? Very few. Ultimately, an engineer's job is
about designing products. Building and interacting
with equations more naturally lets engineers focus
on engineering, not on becoming spreadsheet
power users.
How do the advantages of performing engineering
calculations better affect the organization? There are
multiple benefits, but they stem from the same activity.
Because engineers can perform their calculations more
frequently and more accurately, they make better
decisions. That in turn translates into:
•
•
Avoiding the Costs and Delays of Errors: Better
decisions means that engineers can get it right the
first time. Better decisions eliminate errors that
frequently proceed downstream and turn into
change orders, multiple rounds of prototyping,
scrap and rework. That’s saved time in the
schedule and money in the budget.
Winning with Better Designs: Better decisions
mean that engineers don’t just find a design that
works, but the best design. That, in turn,
translates into products that can compete and win
in the marketplace.
There are real benefits of performing equations faster
and more accurately to the organization. In today’s
hyper-competitive environment, companies need every
advantage they can get.
When all is said and done, Engineering Calculation
Software can make a positive impact on an engineer’s
personal and professional lives.
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