Confidence in Results

Validation. Confidence. Quality. Standards. Verification.

VCQSV (look mum, I’ve made up another engineering analysis acronym!)These are words that ring true in my own ears after my weekly self-help meetings (you’re in a safe place now David), but also terms that we’re hearing rather a lot of at the moment in and around NAFEMS. Talk about bridging the gap between work and leisure…

This issue sees a focus on the issue of confidence in results and all things verification and validation. NAFEMS is made up of a multitude of technical working groups, each focussing on their own technology area,but one thread which draws them all together is the need for the users of those technologies to be confident in their results – for their simulation results to be validated in the ‘real world’ environment that they will be used in. And this is one of the areas which opens up most discussion within the community. How can you have confidence in your results?What really is verification & validation? Which standards are most appropriate? How can I be sure that the people I’m trusting to carry out these simulations, and then validate them, are suitably qualified?

Whilst we certainly won’t claim that the answers are contained within this issue, we do have a number of articles for you from a range of sources, industries and perspectives, which will hopefully make you think more about these processes, give some appropriate guidance, and emphasise the importance of each of the issues discussed.

The past few months have seen the NAFEMS 2016 Regional Conference program run almost to completion, with the final conference taking place later this year in India. All in all, the feedback has once again been outstanding. The quality of presentations continues to set a high standard, and each event was attended by a fascinating mix of users,vendors and academics, each striving to share their experiences in simulation and learn from their peers. A full report on the series will be published in the October edition, but we would like to take this early opportunity to thank everyone who took part in this exciting series of events in the USA, Sweden, Germany, France and the UK.

And within what seems like the blink of an eye, the next NAFEMS World Congress, NWC17, is upon us. Being held in June next year in the picturesque city of Stockholm, Sweden, we are delighted to once again be ready to launch our open call for papers in the next few weeks. The World Congress gives you (yes I’m actually talking to you – this is not a test) the opportunity to present to a truly international audience of your engineering simulation & analysis peers, on an independent and neutral stage like no other. If you have never taken part, we would urge you to get involved. And if you have presented before, we welcome you to be part of the event once again.

Enjoy this issue. If you have any comments, you know the drill by now.