Knowledge Base

We are happy to share our knowledge with you. In our knowledge base you will find articles, tools and insights on the finite element method, material fatigue, Computational Fluid Dynamics, thermal analysis and optimisation.

Finite Element Analysis (FEA)


The finite element method is a powerful computational technique for modelling complex physical phenomena. From beginners to experienced professionals, here you will find the information and tools to use FEA effectively in your projects.

FEA Best Practices

What are the best practices applied in industry when performing a finite element analysis?

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FEA Stress Assessment Guide

A practical guide to interpreting and evaluating stresses obtained from a finite element analysis.

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The Ramberg-Osgood Equation

What is the Ramberg-Osgood equation? How does strain relate to material stress beyond the yield point?

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Material Fatigue


Metal fatigue, or simply fatigue, is a complex subject. The fatigue process is stochastic in nature, but in practice it can be evaluated and predicted with reasonable accuracy, provided certain design rules and assumptions are observed.

What is Material Fatigue?

What exactly is material fatigue? And what factors determine the fatigue strength of a component?

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Glossary of Terms

Common terms and definitions related to material fatigue and metal fatigue.

Terms and definitions

Surface Roughness Factor KR

How is the surface roughness factor KR calculated and how is the S-N curve adjusted accordingly?

KR explained

Uncertainty of Fatigue Data

Fatigue test data contains considerable scatter. How is this handled in the S-N curve?

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High-Cycle vs Low-Cycle Fatigue

What are the differences between high-cycle and low-cycle fatigue? What methods exist to deal with both types?

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Residual Stresses in Welds

Residual tensile stresses can be very harmful to the fatigue strength of welded components. Where do they originate and what can we do about them?

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How to Recognise Metal Fatigue

This article provides the insights needed to recognise metal fatigue in practice.

Learn to recognise

The Palmgren-Miner Rule

What is the Miner rule? What are its advantages and disadvantages? And when is it used?

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Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)


The field of CFD is highly complex and exceptionally broad. Below you will find tools and insights that will help you better understand the concepts and practices behind CFD calculations.

Advantages and Disadvantages of CFD

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Computational Fluid Dynamics?

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Calculate the y+ Wall Distance

Calculate the y+ wall distance for use in CFD with our calculator.

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Water Vapour Mass Fraction

Calculate the mass fraction of water vapour in humid air with our practical calculator.

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Calculate PMV and PPD

Calculate the Predicted Mean Vote and Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied for the thermal conditions in a room.

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Energy Loss and CO2 Footprint

How CFD analysis can reduce energy loss and lower the CO2 footprint in the process industry.

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Thermal Analysis


Welcome to our know-how page on thermal analysis and heat transfer calculations. Here we share our extensive knowledge and expertise to guide you through this essential field of engineering.

Glossary of Terms

Common terms, definitions and explanations related to thermal analysis and calculations with FEA and CFD.

Terms and definitions

Heat Transfer by Conduction

An introduction to thermal conduction: Fourier's law, thermal conductivity and practical applications.

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Heat Transfer by Convection

An introduction to convective heat transfer: natural and forced convection, and the heat transfer coefficient.

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Thermal Radiation

An introduction to thermal radiation: the Stefan-Boltzmann law, emissivity and radiative heat exchange.

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Newton's Law of Cooling

Newton's law of cooling — formula, examples and applications.

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Optimisation


FEA and CFD are ideal tools for optimising products and processes. The available optimisation algorithms are numerous and often extremely complex. To help you get started, we are happy to share our knowledge in this field.

Glossary of Terms

Common terms, definitions and explanations related to optimisation in FEA and CFD processes.

Terms and definitions

Our Services

Need expert support with a structural, thermal or fluid dynamics challenge? We offer FEA, CFD, fatigue and thermal analysis services tailored to your project.

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Our Courses

Want to learn more about the finite element method, fatigue calculations or CFD? Take a look at our courses.

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