Mechanical engineering: computer-aided engineering (T329) introduces and develops an understanding of the typical three elements included in CAE (computer-aided engineering):
All run from a single software package: ANSYS Workbench.
The module comprises three parts, each concentrating on a different CAE element:
Part 1: Computer-aided design and finite element analysis
This part begins with a slight detour in the form of an introduction to computer-aided design. This short foray will show you how models are drawn and assembled before they can be analysed using any tool. You’ll then move on to analysing these models using the finite element part of the software package, allowing you to discover how these models would behave in different scenarios. There is a theoretical section so you understand what the software is doing and how it does it, providing a solid foundation for interpreting problems and results. Validating results in one way or another is vital for confidently using any modelling. So, towards the end of this section, you’ll 3D-print a part you designed and test it to see if it behaves as your model predicts.
Part 2: Mechanisms and multibody dynamics
In this part, you’ll learn about mechanisms in engineering and how to model them analytically and computationally through the multibody dynamics (MBD) functionality in ANSYS. You’ll begin by examining some simple, familiar systems made from simple joints and exploring their behaviour through the MBD software. The module then introduces kinematic analysis, allowing these simpler systems’ displacement and velocity to be compared to the MBD results. It then tackles more complicated situations that would be impractical to solve by hand. Finally, you’ll move on to gears, belts and pulleys and how they interact with the systems containing them.
Part 3: Computational fluid dynamics
The third part introduces ANSYS's computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package. It begins with a general overview of the technique with many application examples of CFD. You’ll learn the fundamentals behind CFD programs and about fluid flow more generally, including the Navier–Stokes equations. Following this, you’ll focus on the flow around wind turbines, particularly on boundary layers. You’ll then consider oscillatory flow, vortex shedding and compressibility. During this part, you’ll also have the chance to control a wind tunnel to compare a physical model with the virtual one in the software.
You’ll learn how CAE software works and what it can do, along with its limitations, assumptions and how to validate the output.
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Course work includes:
The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.
You’ll have access to a module website, which includes:
Additionally, the website includes:
We also provide physical:
You can study this module on its own or use the credits you gain towards an Open University qualification.
T329 is an option module in our:
Mechanical engineering: computer-aided engineering (T329) starts once a year – in October.
It will next start in October 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2032.
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