Pro Engineer /Mechanica
We make consistent reference throughout this blog to engineering judgement and wisdom. Some of this wisdom is acquired through years of practice in the design profession, but much of it is gained through close association with my inspired and creative business directors.
Engineering design is an engineering discipline.
Design Against Failure
Engineers/Designers use materials, whose properties they do not properly understand, to form them into shapes, whose geometries they cannot properly analyse, to resist forces they cannot properly assess, in such a way that the public at large has no reason to suspect the extent of their ignorance. John Ure Engineer 1998.
One of the real problems we shall face in this area is that of relating the strength of an element to the external loads which are imposed upon it. These external loads cause internal stresses in the element. In this analysis we shall concern ourselves with the determination of these stresses.
We will introduce the concept of strength and begin the process of relating strength and stress to achieve safety.It is worth observing that the stresses which are calculated are only as reliable as are the external loads and geometries which are used in the determination. Once a product has been manufactured and placed in the hands of the consumer, the manufacturer has no control over that product and , to some extent, over external loads to which it may be subjected.
It is for this reason, among others, that testing and experimental proving are so important in the design and development of any Product development.
