Question: how do you create the virtual models?

Alessandra Treviso answered on 14 Jun 2017:

Hi Frenchie,

to create a virtual model you need a computer and normally some specific computer programme. All the programmes are based on maths and solve physics, chemistry, material science equations. Before creating a model you have to understand how that part works, what is made of and, for example, what forces will act on it once in service and how it is connected to other parts. Maths is really powerful so you can almost always write a set of equations that describe all these things. But at the same time reality is really really complex and it is very difficult to account for all the possible interactions. So you have to make some hypothesis and assumptions and the model that you create is an approximation of reality. Engineers know that and they work to create models that are as representative as possible. And luckily we succeed most of the times!