In this week's newsletter, Aaron Moncur has a conversation with Krishna Raichur, Principal Engineer at SimuTech Group, an ANSYS certified elite channel partner with over three decades of experience in engineering simulation, technical support, and technical marketing.
Think of simulation as virtual testing. You create a mathematical model of whatever device you're designing, apply loads mathematically on the computer, and visualize how the device responds - all without building a single prototype.
In this episode:
How simulation reduces physical prototyping from 20+ design iterations to 1-2 final validation tests
Why starting with simple models and adding complexity gradually prevents expensive debugging in large assemblies
How digital twins combine real-time sensor data with simulation models to predict equipment failures before they happen
Why material characterization determines simulation accuracy more than model complexity or computational power
S5E19 Krishna Raichur | The Ins & Outs of Engineering Simulation (FEA, CFD)
Krishna Raichur spent his childhood in India disassembling bicycles for fun and building with Meccano sets: an engineer in the making. Today, he helps engineering teams overcome one of the biggest barriers to simulation adoption: the belief that it's too complex, too expensive, or takes too long to implement. From an artificial heart that prevents blood clots through CFD optimization to digital twins that predict pump failures in real-time, Krishna walks through how simulation has shifted from PhD-level complexity to half-day learning curves. The ROI is straightforward: instead of building 20 physical prototypes at hundreds of dollars each, you run those tests on a computer. But the real advancement isn't just cost savings - it's AI and machine learning feeding years of simulation experience into models that solve complex problems in seconds rather than hours.
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Quick! When your automation fails, what gets protected first? Humans, the machine, or the product?
Most teams design backwards. They optimize for product quality, then machine uptime, then (maybe) add safety guards.
Pipeline Design & Engineering's order of protection:
Humans first. Always.
Machine second.
Product last.
Why? No humans = can't run machine. No machine = can't make product. Your responsibility is handing operators a system they trust won't hurt them.
We follow ANSI B11.0 standards and conduct risk assessments before finalizing any design.
Designing safe automation systems? Pipeline Design & Engineering follows safety-first protocols on every project.
Virtual Testing: How Simulation Eliminates Expensive Physical Prototypes
One of the most persistent misconceptions about simulation is that it requires advanced degrees and weeks of training. The reality has changed dramatically.
With a good understanding of engineering fundamentals - what is stress, what is strain, that kind of basic stuff - picking up engineering simulation these days shouldn't take more than a day or two. We have what we call getting started or Quickstart courses on our website where, literally, in half a day, they would be running some basic models.
The entry barrier is lower than most engineers realize, but the cost savings are substantial. When teams build physical prototypes for every design iteration, each one can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Testing multiple configurations means multiplying those costs.
Instead of building 20 prototypes, each of which may cost hundreds of dollars, you run those 20 prototypes on your computer. Other than the cost for the software itself, you're not spending any money building those parts or toolings. Right there is huge savings.
The shift from physical to virtual testing doesn't eliminate prototypes entirely—it reduces them to final validation. Engineers can test dozens of configurations on the computer, identify the optimal design, and build one or two physical prototypes to confirm the simulation results. This approach compresses development timelines while cutting costs.
You can try different designs much faster on the computer. You can come to a final design and say, 'This is looking really good. Now let me build a prototype of this one thing, not the 20 other things I tried.' Maybe instead of running 20 tests, you just run one or two tests.
The ROI calculation becomes straightforward: simulation software investment ranges from under $10,000 for basic FEA to six figures for multi-physics packages. Even at the higher end, the cost of eliminated prototypes pays for the software within months.
Happy Holidays!
I’m taking a much needed reset with family for the holidays. Our articles will return at the beginning of next year with better, more insightful and impactful content!
Past articles can all be found on The Wave.
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