Computer-aided engineering (often referred to as CAE) is the use of information technology to support engineers in tasks such as analysis, simulation, design, manufacture, planning, diagnosis, and repair.
Software tools that have been developed to support these activities
are considered CAE tools. CAE tools are being used, for example, to
analyze the robustness and performance of components and assemblies. The
term encompasses simulation, validation, and optimization of products
and manufacturing tools. In the future, CAE systems will be major
providers of information to help support design teams in decision
making.
Engineers in fields from Aerospace, Automotive to Bio-Medical use CAE in
tasks such as analysis, simulation, design, manufacture, planning,
diagnosis and repair. It encompasses simulation, validation and
optimization of products and manufacturing tools.
Among the CAE areas covered include:
1. Stress analysis on components and assemblies
using FEA (Finite Element Analysis);
2. Thermal and fluid flow analysis Computational fluid dynamics
(CFD);
3. Kinematics;
4. Mechanical event simulation (MES).
5. Analysis tools for process simulation for operations
such as casting, molding, and die press forming.
6. Optimization of the product or process.