Structural Design and Analysis Engineering (FEA)

Welded steel base with gussets, stiffeners and a machined flange, in warm side lighting.
We apply finite element analysis so that every component withstands the service loads throughout its entire design life.

When it's needed

Do you recognize your component in any of these cases?

  • Your component operates at high temperature and creep and thermomechanical fatigue govern its service life.
  • You must justify the behavior under earthquakes, impacts or dynamic loads.
  • You want to reduce the weight or cost of a component without compromising its safety.
  • The geometry or loads don't fit design-by-formula and you need a rigorous finite element model.

What we do

From static load to the creep regime.

We cover the full spectrum of loads and temperatures a critical component must withstand.

  • Static and dynamic analysis

    From constant loads to seismic events or impacts, with the load cases established by the applicable design code.

  • High-temperature analysis

    Study of creep and thermomechanical fatigue in components subject to severe thermal cycles, following the guidelines of API 579/ASME FFS-1 and ASME III Div. 5.

  • Material optimization

    Weight and cost reduction through stress redistribution, verifying that safety is maintained across all load cases.

How we do it

Ansys Mechanical, with systematic V&V.

We work with Ansys Mechanical, always starting from the most realistic thermal and pressure conditions available: when the project requires it, we import them directly from CFD through Synapp. Systematic validation and verification: mesh independence, results cross-checking and documented code checks.

Macro shot of the teeth of a steel gear, with machining marks on the flanks.

What we deliver

A report a reviewer can follow without calling us.

  • Stress and strain maps for all analysis cases.
  • Assessment of fatigue, creep and design life.
  • Calculation report per the applicable code, ready for the approval process.

Why Vanguard FSI

Technical rigor, controlled risks and calculation ready for certification.

  • A single problem, not two

    Where others treat the fluid and the structure separately, we solve the coupled problem. The mechanical results are based on actual temperature and pressure distributions, not on simplifications.

  • Risks detected at the design stage

    We identify the critical points before manufacturing: it saves prototypes, repairs and surprises during commissioning.

  • Calculation ready for certification

    We work with Ansys Mechanical and Ansys Fluent and deliver complete and traceable calculation reports, prepared for the certification process the project requires.