Shape of things to come
Component design all too often relies on individual intuition. Now a UK team is developing a computer tool for finding the most efficient shape while avoiding costly calculations.
For most engineering designers, the most useful tool is their instinct. When designing a particular component, they will often go for the shape that feels right. But according to Atul Bhaskar, an aeronautics specialist at
, very often instinct isn't good enough.
Bhaskar is leading a team which is developing a computer tool for searching out the most efficient shapes for aerospace components. This will help engineers understand and predict how a change in shape will affect the weight and strength of a particular component, and how it might perform in service.
'When we design mechanical components, it is important to make the best use of material by choosing an appropriate shape and material connectivity,' said Bhaskar. 'Designers often make this choice intuitively.'
The key factor for the design is the topology of the components — the level of 'connectivity' between the various load-bearing sections of the shape, which is related to the amount of material needed to make the component.
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