BENCHmark July 2006

Support is the Key to Success

In this Issue:

• Knowledge Base 012 - Pressure Vessel Stresses
• Practical use of CAE-Tools for High-Tech-Polymers
• Virtual Test Lab
• Structural Design and Optimization of the Beijing National Aquatics Center
• Simulation of Vehicle Soiling at Audi
• Putting the Swerve into Football (Soccer)

Organisations are continually striving to become leaner operations. For individual employees, including senior personnel, this often results in an increasing need to justify how they spend their time.

Not-for-profit bodies like NAFEMS rely on leading experts to voluntarily contribute their time to serve on the numerous committees that provide the very lifeblood of the organisation. These experts, as well as making invaluable input, do find that they can benefit from being on such committees. For example, they comment on how useful it is to meet with other experts in the field and exchanging information. However, these benefits are largely intangible. When asked to do so, it can be difficult to describe and quantify them.

It should come as no surprise therefore to learn that many organisations that rely on the assistance of volunteers, particularly those in the engineering sector, are struggling to continue. Against this backdrop, it is particularly gratifying to see growing interest in NAFEMS. Not only is the membership continuing to grow, but we are seeing strong support from experts throughout industry and academia who are willing to get involved with our committees. Many of the existing working groups of NAFEMS have recently recruited new members who have much expertise to offer. And when two new working groups were recently launched ( the MultiPhysics Working Groupand the Dynamics and Testing Working Group), there was tremendous support offered individuals who are well-qualified to contribute. These offers came from across the engineering analysis community: industrialists, researchers and software developers alike.

NAFEMS is grateful for all such assistance that it receives, and we look forward to developing an interesting new range of informative material that should be useful and valuable for all our members.