Thoughts on FEA consulting services 5

[trainguy]

Hi all.

My question is more of a business question than a technical one. Living in Montreal, Canada, there are only a handful of engineering consulting companies that provide FEA capability.

Is it reasonable to assume that if we offer linear static analysis as a service, that this is a viable business, or must we be able to provide nonlinear static, and dynamic analysis, large deformations, etc.?

My guess is that we MUST provide the advanced analyses (with the related high costs, etc) to be successful. Although this also calls for hiring highly skilled personnel, etc...

Any thoughts?

tg

 

[izax1]

Let me give you my experience. I have been running a FE cosultancy for 15 years now, and life is not what you think it is.

15 years ago (1988) I startd out alone doing linear FE analysis. Back then this was quite advanced, and no one believed anything more could be done. (By the time I started I had worked with FE for 5 years) At the same time many customers did not even believe simple linear analysis could be done by computer. Over the years we (today we are 8 people doing FE work) advanced to dynamics and non-linear problems. In fact today, most of our projects are within structural dynamics. I think that is because most CAD systems today can handle linear statics by their embedded code, although sometimes crazy results will come out. Dynamics, on the other hand, is a scary business, and very few non FE people will dare to touch it. So today, most of our business is in linear and non-linear dynamics.

I think you need to remember the following:

Always ask the questions: Why do structures fail? It might not have anything to do with things you can solve by FE

What does the customer want? You might think what he wants is just rubbish, but remember, he knows his product much better than you. Althoug many times it is just rubbish. Once a customer did not want a finer mesh in the radius, because that would cost more to remesh and the stress results would be even higher. (No kidding) Of course as a consultant you are bound to point this out, but you still cannot force your customer.

Even if you find out you will not go for non-linear and dynamics, you must be able to tell the customner when the problem can not be solved by linear, static analysis. And I think if you are in the tranportation business, dynamics is the world.

Always stay ahead of your customers. Don't approach a customer that has more skills than yourself in the field you'r doing consulting in.

The only way you can stay alive is, of course, to find customers, but I think more important to keep the customer happy. He will then not consider others for the job. He will keep coming back, and back and....

As others have already stated. Be prepared to work long hours, long periods of time without turnover.

This is not to scare you. If you are confident, have a go at it!

 

[feajob]

Hi trainguy,

I am living in Canada (Montreal) too. I think that if you can reach the first customers and make them happy then your idea is a great idea. I do have experience in Nonlinear FEA.

Regards,
AAY

 

[rb1957]

trainguy,

going back to your post (19th march '04) ...

go with the real estate idea ! ...

how do you make a small fortune out of aerospace ?

start with a large one !

 

[trainguy]

rb1957,


(In the booming voice of Ed McMahon on the Tonite Show)

YOU ARE CORRECT SIR...


LOL,


tg

 

[ramshree]

Trainguy,

So, did you go ahead and invest in FEA side of your business?

I have read all replies here.. and was curious as to what is your business status in regards to FEA?

Thanks.

Rob.

 

[trainguy]

After all this,

We have NOT gone ahead. We are still not equipped for FEA in-house (except the FEA module in Inventor Pro), but we have access to several decent FEA consultants.

We are focusing on design backed up by hand (Excel)calcs. We are still keeping our eyes open for a decent package - most likely NE/Nastran but 1 station only, to assist our design process.

That said, we have been extremely busy in the last 12 months, so I'm not complaining.

tg