Structural finite-element analysis (FEA) can validate brackets, bus supports, enclosures, and mechanical assemblies before they're built or tested. To get useful results, the right questions need to be settled upfront. Here are five that matter.
1. What are the loads, and where do they act?
FEA is only as good as the loads you apply. For electrical equipment, short-circuit forces on busbars and connections are often the governing case. You need magnitude, direction, and location—from a short-circuit study or from the applicable standard. For mechanical assemblies, define operational loads, gravity, and any seismic or shock requirements. Unclear or missing loads lead to either overconservative design or, worse, missed failure modes.
2. What are the acceptance criteria?
"Is it strong enough?" needs a number. Common criteria: stress below a yield or ultimate factor, deflection within a limit, no buckling, or a fatigue life. Agree on the criterion and the safety factor (or design margin) before the analysis starts. Without that, the report may not answer the question you need for sign-off.
3. What is in scope—and what is not?
FEA can cover a single bracket or an entire assembly. Define the boundary: are supports or adjacent structure included, or are they represented by constraints? What is assumed rigid or omitted? A clear scope avoids late surprises when someone asks about a part that wasn't in the model.
4. Do you have usable geometry and materials?
An FEA model needs geometry that reflects the design—simplified where appropriate, but not in a way that hides critical stress. Material properties (yield, ultimate, modulus) must be defined; if they're uncertain, the analysis can bracket a range. Bad geometry or wrong properties undermine the whole exercise.
5. What format do you need for the deliverable?
Some teams want a full report with plots and handoff to a reviewer; others need a short summary plus the model for internal iteration. Align on the deliverable format—report, models, plots, and any design changes—so the output fits your process.
Next Steps
Our structural simulation services include static and dynamic FEA for electrical and mechanical assemblies. Request a consultation to discuss your structure, loads, and acceptance criteria.