The stress testing environment within professional CAD software can be applied to projects that can benefit from it. If the models are mechanical in nature or, will see high loads when put into use, a stress test can often expose a potential failure. This can be beneficial by finding the problems before an actual physical model is made, therefore saving the cost of manufacturing and assembling a prototype before it’s ready.

The stress testing can catch a weak bolt or pin, find a thin wall, a weak hinge point, or a steel frame that may twist. It can also maximize the material efficiency by adding or eliminating material thickness for maximum performance for the application.  If you import your load information from the stress testing environment, into the dynamic simulation environment, you can find further problems that may not appear with static load testing.

Although testing your model for load failures is a good idea, it’s not always necessary. If you’re making a plastic housing for a tool, or an encasement to surround electronics, you don’t need to stress test the part.

If you have the right CAD software, you can simulate real world environments to check your model before a prototype is made. You can even check a bolted connection for strength given it’s positioning. CAD can work for all products. If your product doesn’t necessarily need stress testing, it will always need to be tested for fit, function, interference and of course, overall appearance.