In Q4 2018, we surveyed our user base on how they are currently using StressCheck Professional for their engineering analysis needs, as well as the preferred features and enhancements for future StressCheck releases. We were then able to apply what we learned from the survey results to our 2019 release, StressCheck v10.5.

Now, we’re rolling out v2.0 of the survey to collect your latest thoughts and experiences in applying our software to your engineering analysis tasks. Complete a handful of questions about your current role, StressCheck experiences and feature requests, and you’ll automatically be entered to win a $50 electronic Amazon Gift Card (terms and conditions may apply, see Official Sweepstakes Rules).

Additionally, if you’re interested in tips, resources and training options for increasing your StressCheck productivity, we highly recommend you join us for our February 12th webinar “Mastering StressCheck: Practical Training Approaches & Online Resources for A&D Engineers“.

We look forward to your valuable responses, and hope that our next release (StressCheck v11.0, due in early summer 2020) continues to raise the bar for high-fidelity simulation of challenging structural engineering applications.

We are no longer accepting submissions for this survey. Thank you for your participation!

In late 2018, ESRD surveyed a representative cross section of our StressCheck user base to learn how the software is currently used to solve engineering applications, and identify potential features which make it more appealing and/or impactful to our users. These survey responses directly influenced the planning and development of StressCheck v10.5, released in June 2019.

With the same purpose in mind for StressCheck v11.0 (expected release in Summer 2020), we rolled out v2.0 of the StressCheck User Experience survey, and the results have been tallied. Many thanks to all of our participants who took the time to complete the survey and share your experiences.

Survey Results Summary

As the survey results were intended to be anonymous, we will summarize & analyze the submissions categorically based on the selected Engineering Roles & Applications and Desired StressCheck Improvements. The submissions by percentage of survey participants are as follows:

Engineering Roles and Applications

• Stress Analysis/Stress Concentrations – 90%
• Fracture/Cracks/DaDT – 70%
• Nonlinear/Cold-working/Residual Stress – 60%
• Fastened Joints/Contact – 57%
• Fatigue/Life – 50%
• Structural/Displacement/Deflection – 40%
• Global-Local/Breakout Modeling – 37%
• Design/Strength – 23%
• Composites/Bonded Joints/Repairs – 20%

Analysis: Similar to the previous survey results, the v2.0 data suggests that most of our survey participants remain focused on detailed analysis of parts & assemblies, including analysis of 3D cracks (e.g. SIF’s), 3D stress concentration factors (e.g. Kt’s), breakout models (e.g. global-local), bolted joints (e.g. multi-body contact) and nonlinear behaviors (e.g. cold-working & residual stresses). As previously noted, these applications are typically challenging in traditional FEA tools, but less challenging in StressCheck due to its focus on high-fidelity FEA applications, hierarchic modeling framework and tools for automatic verification of engineering results.

Desired StressCheck Improvements

• Improved Automeshing Tools – 67%
• Cutting Plane Forces/Moments at Any Cross Section – 60%
• Improved Hand Meshing Tools – 57%
• General Multi-Body Contact Solver Enhancements – 33%
• Post Cold-Work Bolted Joint Analysis – 33%
• Improved GUI Navigation (e.g. Dockable Panes) – 33%
• Large Deformation Contact Analysis – 30%
• Macro Recorder – 27%
• Automatic Detection of Contact Regions – 23%
• Bonded Contact Analysis – 23%
• Multi-Threaded/Cluster Solver – 23%
• 3D Bolt Generator App – 20%
• Enhanced Part Visualization – 17%
• Enhanced Solver Feedback – 17%
• Contact Pressure and Penetration Plots – 17%
• Cyclic Symmetry/Periodic BC’s – 13%
• Tabular/Curve Fit Elastic-Plastic Material Properties – 13%
• Import/Assign Tabular Displacements or Pressures – 7%

Analysis: In response to the previous survey results, in which most respondents (76%) favored improved 3D crack growth simulation support, ESRD reached out to technology partner LexTech, Inc. (developers of AFGROW fatigue crack growth software) and Hill Engineering, LLC (developers of BAMF, an advanced FEA-based 3D crack growth tool incorporating AFGROW and StressCheck) to explore a collaborative effort. Our teams then organized a joint webinar in July 2019 to discuss the latest in 3D crack growth simulation, during which AFGROW, BAMF and ESRD’s CPAT were discussed and/or demonstrated. Then, in early 2020, ESRD and Hill Engineering formalized a marketing partnership to jointly promote StressCheck Professional and BAMF to a wider audience of DaDT professionals. We believe much progress has been made (and continues to be made) on this topic since our previous survey.

The v2.0 data shows that the majority of users (67%) are requesting improved automeshing tools. During the current release cycle, ESRD has dedicated extensive time to improving the behavior of StressCheck’s automesher utility (MeshSim, developed by Simmetrix) and the design & appearance of StressCheck’s GUI. In addition, many of the participants desired improvements to multi-body contact solver options & feedback, cutting plane extractions, and manual meshing tools. We will certainly take these feature requests into consideration for development of StressCheck v11.0 and beyond.

Again, thanks for all of your valued feedback and we look forward to releasing StressCheck v11.0 to you this summer!

Sweepstakes Winner Notification

The $50 Amazon gift card sweepstakes winner will be notified by the e-mail address you provided when you submitted the survey, so be sure to check all your inboxes in the next week!

Last month we asked our FEA-minded engineering community how we should improve StressCheck Professional, and the survey results are in. Many thanks to all of our participants who took the time to complete the survey and share your experiences.

Survey Results Summary

As the survey results were intended to be anonymous, we will summarize the submissions categorically based on the selected Engineering Roles & Applications and Desired StressCheck Improvements. The submissions by percentage of survey participants are as follows:

Engineering Roles and Applications

• Stress Analysis/Stress Concentrations – 71%
• Fracture/Cracks/DaDT – 76%
• Nonlinear/Cold-working/Residual Stress – 71%
• Fastened Joints/Contact – 59%
• Fatigue/Life – 65%
• Structural/Displacement/Deflection – 47%
• Global-Local/Breakout Modeling – 41%
• Design/Strength – 29%
• Composites/Bonded Joints/Repairs – 12%

The data suggests that many of our survey participants are focused on detailed analysis of parts & assemblies, including analysis of 3D cracks (e.g. SIF’s), 3D stress concentration factors (e.g. Kt’s), breakout model (e.g. global-local) and nonlinear behaviors (e.g. cold-working & residual stresses). These applications are challenging in traditional FEA tools, but typically less challenging with StressCheck’s Numerical Simulation Technology.

Currently, StressCheck is optimized to satisfy the requirements of the majority of survey participants, as well as the laminated composites design & analysis engineers. This means StressCheck’s development is trending in the right direction for its user community.

Desired StressCheck Improvements

• 3D Crack Growth Solver – 76%
• Large Deformation Contact Analysis – 47%
• Bonded Contact Analysis – 24%
• Updated GUI – 29%
• Integration with Other Software – 53%
• Improved Meshing Tools – 41%
• 3D Bolt Generator App – 47%
• Post Cold-Work Bolted Joint Analysis – 41%
• Cutting Plane Forces/Moments – 53%
• Import/Assign Tabular Displacements or Pressures – 12%
• Cyclic Symmetry/Periodic BC’s – 6%
• Tabular/Curve Fit Elastic-Plastic Material Properties – 24%
• Multi-Threaded/Cluster Solver – 24%

The survey participants were overwhelmingly in support of a 3D Crack Growth Solver application (over 3/4 of survey submissions), suggesting many participants are involved in DaDT, life extension programs (e.g. ASIP) and other fracture mechanics applications. The good news is that ESRD and other technology partners are currently working on tools to support this type of application, and ESRD is involved in the ERSI program to connect technologies in support of assessing the influence of residual stresses on crack growth.

In addition, approximately half of survey participants are interested in features like Large Deformation Contact Analysis (47%), 3D Bolt Generator App (47%), and Post Cold-Work Bolted Joint Analysis (41%), indicating that detailed analysis of fastened parts is necessary in their engineering responsibilities. We will continue to work to provide features in these applications.

Again, thanks for all of your valued feedback!

Sweepstakes Winner Notification

The $50 Amazon gift card sweepstakes winner will be notified by the e-mail address you provided when you submitted the survey, so be sure to check all your inboxes in the next week.

This survey is now closed. Thank you for your submissions! The random drawing for the $50 Amazon Gift card will occur in November 2018.