CFD analysis has become one of the distinct features for mechanical engineers. Now we are seeing a potential increase in the number of CFD modeling being done across the globe. Hence; there is an acute need for outsourcing CFD services.

1. Rephrased article:
Three Distinct Questions to Ask before Outsourcing CFD Analysis Services
CFD analysis has become one of the distinct features for mechanical engineers. Now we are seeing a
potential increase in the number of CFD modeling being done across the globe. Hence; there is an acute
need for outsourcing CFD services. But before taking this crucial decision it is very important to answer
five distinct questions that will help you in outsourcing your CFD services effectively. In this article we
discuss about these questions and the respective elements that can help you determine the necessary
steps to be taken before taking the decision to outsource CFD analysis services. Let us look these
questions now:
 What is the design of your product?: Generally a product carries a specific design pattern. But
for that there is a need for thorough research and conceptualization. There is also a need to
gauge whether the product can enter the design phase or not. The design requirements have to
be understood and then the general framework of the product is decided. The next step is to
determine the process, tools, design and prototype of the product. Once this is completed
production can start.
 What role does CFD play and how is it important?:The next question is regarding the role of
CFD in the process of establishing of physical product. Now since you know that the cost of
testing a prototype is generally higher so it is not always possible to opt for it. In such scenarios;
CFD comes to the rescue. In this process; a CFD expert tries to stimulate the flow condition
around the design in such a manner that irrespective of the product the realistic operating
conditions on a full scale can be employed.
 In which industries is CFD services useful?: CFD services are highly efficient for particular
industries pertaining to aerospace, marine, industrial fluid dynamics, turbo machinery, heat
transfers, and construction & civil architecture. With the help of CFD services it is possible to
predict the design weaknesses, optimize design that are tough to prototype and test by
experimentation at early stages of the product.
To conclude, the high accurateness of results obtained from CFD analysis, cost-effectiveness of running
calculations, detailed flow field data obtained, convenience of design handling, and time savings has
made engineers across the industry to frequent this technique.
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Five Crucial Questions to Respond before Outsourcing CFD Services

2. When it comes to CFD analysis, you are faced with three obvious choices. You can utilize a member
already within the company. You can hire an additional member of your team to set up, run, and
evaluate CFD models or, you can outsource a CFD contractor. Utilizing a member of the team or hiring
an additional CFD engineer to join your company may seem like the more viable options initially.
However, it is important to understand that there are innumerable benefits included when outsourcing
to a CFD contractor, which you may not acquire when working with somebody directly within your
company.
So what are the questions that you should respond before outsourcing your CFD services? Let us look at
these questions and answers in detail:
 What is a design?: Generally a design approach consists of the following elements:
1. Research (literature, existing solutions, costs, and market requirement)
2. Conceptualization (problem statement is defined, solution of the goals identified)
3. Feasibility / practicality (can the product enter the design phase?)
4. Design requirements (key elements in design process)
5. Preliminary design (general framework of the product)
6. Detailed design (operating environment, parameters, life reliability …etc.)
7. Production planning (determining process, tool designs, prototyping)
 Prototype testing
 Qualification testing
 Optimization after experiments
 Certification
 Finally, production
 Why and where CFD plays a key role?:We can generalize the process built up on two elements:
 Pure theory
 Experiments
After the prototype is released and is tested either by specialist testing procedures such as wind
tunnel or destructive and or non-destructive testing or merely trial and error method to
establish the proximity of the physical product with the initial theory and or concept.
Now, for this type of testing a specialist laboratory or testing analyst need to be employed and
often this could be expensive, to the level that could dictate the crucial part of the budget.
Based on the nature of operation and domain it could determine the nature of testing required.
For example, an aeroplane wing or formula one racing car shape could be needed to be tested
into a huge wind tunnel by experts. Moreover, other secondary effects such as the “scale effect”
(as a scale model could be tested, not possible to house the actual 747!) and “wall
effects”(limitation of the flow field due to the walls or die of the tunnel) could yet make the
final report non-realistic; even after the mammoth cost of the stunt.
CFD comes to rescue here… Welcome to CFD!

3. Basically, a CFD expert will simulate the flow conditions around the design under the conditions
of interest irrespective of the domain, may it be a speed boat, gas flow in multi-spool turbine
engine, cylinder head temperatures in a piston engine or just a flow past an offshore tidal
turbine or a wind mill, realistic operating conditions on a full scale model could be employed.
 How do I know if I need CFD services?: If you are into engineering design, product development
and technology consulting,operating in the challenging domains like aerospace,
marine,industrial fluid dynamics, heat transfers, turbo machinery,construction, and civil
architecture; CFD analysis services could provide an immense leverage. Thus
greatly insulating the exposure to mechanical risks; and deeper insight all the way through the
design process by early prediction, absent during the expensive testing investments.
Individuals having employed CFD analysis services have enjoyed the benefits of being able to
predict beforehand design weaknesses, susceptibility to failures, project fool proof design
characteristics, and to design optimize even complex systems tough to prototype, and test by
experimentation at early design phases.
 How current is my design technique?: CFD analysis have carved a permanent abode in all facets
of fluid dynamics supporting ground breaking research findings to elementary engineering
designs. The fuel behind this bright flame is the constant development in the computational
power available from the digital computers.
 What has CFD analysis changed in the industry: cost –wise and everything else?: One of the
greatest accomplishments of CFD in engineering design is its influences on the testing
methods,and the boon of cost reduction that follows.
For instance, it has been observed over the ages; as computers became more and more
computationally powerful there was a speedy decrease in the computational cost compared to
the higher increasing cost of the wind tunnel tests depicted in the survey along the right which
gives the relative computational cost as a function of years.
The milestones events on the graph are the inventions of various supercomputerssuch as CRAY,
STAR IBM etc.
Consequently, the determination of aerodynamic characteristics of new automotive and aircraft
designs using CFD analysis is much more cost effective; than performing the same in wind tunnel
experiments, plus considerable time saving and detailed flow field data obtained as well. It is
much more time saving to run simulation on the preliminary designs under the conditions of
interest in a CFD package than performing several wind tunnel experiments. However, the wind
tunnels have not lost their significance completely as they aid in fine tune up the model in its
last design phases.
To conclude, the high accuracy results obtained from CFD analysis, cost-effectiveness of running
computations, detailed flow field data obtained, convenience of design handling,and time savings has
made engineers across the industry to frequent this technique.