Technical Animations - Investigating Mechanical Engineering Failures

By Tim McGarvey


Professional developers use CGI, which is also referred to as computer generated imagery, to design test and build new products and to market them successfully, especially if they are complex. The use of engineering animations is helpful when trying to explain complex processes, products or events in television and news programming or when a producer needs to explore a "fantasy" concept, such as a what-if scenario.

Engineering animations can also be used to design and build complex structures in 3D or to investigate mechanical engineering failures for use in litigation involving industrial accidents. Mechanical animations and technical animations are a logical choice, as CGI software uses mathematical formulas and logical sequencing, which allows things to be build to scale, down to the last detail. Creating realistic elements built exactly to scale helps eliminate error and can lead to product improvement prior to expensive prototyping. This can eliminate errors in design, and reduce costs later on in the prototyping stage. 3D artists can also model object and animate processes and scenes that cannot be seen by the naked eye, or that cannot be videotaped, such as molecular activity, medical devices inside the body, for example.

These animations are often used in television or video production, especially information heavy stories that need to be explained quickly to viewers, such as information related to mechanical failures that cause disasters or accidents. They can also be used when conducting accident or engineering failure analysis. Engineering animations are create using special software, which builds exact replicas of structures or machines and then can be used to look at complex issues such as load distribution or stress evaluations.

The term engineering animations includes several general categories, such as conceptual animations, process animation, product animation, training animation, medical devices and architectural. Conceptual animation can be used to design, test and pitch product ideas to investors or research and development teams. Product development is costly and if a product can be streamlined or improved in the 3D design stage, the prototype phase will be more successful.

Product marketing can be greatly enhanced by these types of animations as they can be used to highlight unique details, or to explain complex information to an audience. It has been shown that visual aids such as 3D animations of complex products or information increases viewer retention, which is a plus when producing video productions, television series, training materials or when presenting at trial.




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