The engineering designer in the role of a design analyst – An industrial survey

Traditionally, design analysts are solely responsible for all computerbased design analysis (CBDA). CBDA refers to quantitative design analyses utilising computational tools in the engineering design and development of technical solutions. There are currently limited insights into and knowledge of tools and methods needed to facilitate the use of CBDA by engineering designers. In order to gather information on this aspect of CBDA, an industry survey has been performed.
77 persons completed the survey (16% affiliated to NAFEMS) open for twelve weeks during October-December, 2014. Around 35% answered that within their companies CBDA is used by engineering designers, and 28% of those who are not currently doing so expect to do so in the future. Linear static analysis is the most frequent type of analysis performed by engineering designers. The benefits put forward by the respondents in favour of involving engineering designers in CBDA are: it allows early evaluation of concept candidates, shortens lead time, frees resources for the analysis department, and reduces costs. 26% of the respondents answered that there is resistance from the analysis department against allowing engineering designers to perform CBDA, 19% within the engineering design de-partment are also against this involvement and 26% answered that there has been no problem associ-ated with this involvement.
Even though the engineering designer performs CBDA on his/her own, supervision (56%) and quali-ty assurance of the analysis results (59%) is the responsibility of the design analysts. This is also the case regarding the development of tools and methods to be used by the engineering designers as well as instruction and training of the engineering designers.