Today we understand turbulence well enough so that airplanes don't fall from the sky and liquid fuel igniting inside a rocket engine produces enough thrust to blast payloads into space.

Turbulent SmokeLicense: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, vanessapr

Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) software enhances product design and manufacture. In the parallel world of video games and movies, CAE-like software gives life to breath-taking effects and virtual realism.

Plasma Pong

Ever noticed when you walk a dog it always wants to investigate the area just beyond the range of its leash? Seems the same universal rule is in play configuring Computational Aided Engineering (CAE) simulations, slightly too big to fit the available resources. If only we had a leash to rein in errant simulations.

The relentless push to make Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) software easier to learn and use is opening up the discipline to those previously excluded from the CAE party. Some view this as a bad thing, allowing novices to play with fire and make product design decisions. I'm sure the same was said when the car was in its infancy, the printing press and more recently the Internet.

Single Unified Environment

What would it take to open Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) software to anyone? If the leading CAE vendors (e.g. ANSYS, MSC, Algor) are to be believed, then there are already a large number of large businesses reaping rewards. What about everyone else? What about the small businesses, students, hobbyists?

Caedium