Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Design & FEA Engineering
Mechanical equipment design to AS 3990, finite element analysis and fatigue checks for machinery, frames and fabricated components, taken from concept through to workshop drawings.
What we do
- Mechanical equipment design to AS 3990: machine frames, material handling equipment, stands and fabricated assemblies.
- Finite element analysis (FEA) of stresses, deflections and stress concentrations in complex parts.
- Fatigue assessment for parts under vibration and repeated loading, where most real failures start.
- Weld design to AS/NZS 1554: weld sizes, types and categories, specified on the drawings.
- Design verification of existing designs, modifications and other engineers' work.
- Component optimisation to reduce weight and fabrication cost without losing strength.
Hand calculations and FEA, together
FEA is a powerful tool, but a colourful stress plot is only as good as the model behind it. Every analysis we run is backed by hand calculations, so the results are checked against first principles before anyone relies on them.
That combination lets us find the real weak points, such as a weld toe, a hole in a highly stressed flange or a sharp change in section, and fix them at the design stage, when changes cost almost nothing.
What you get
- An engineering report with hand calculations, FEA results and clear conclusions.
- 3D models and manufacturing drawings, with weld symbols, tolerances and material callouts.
- Recommendations you can act on: what to change, where, and why.
Related reading
Stitch welds or full welds?
When stitch welds are the smarter choice, and when they're a fatigue risk.
Read the answerNeed it certified?
Certificates of compliance for custom-built equipment, stands and frames.
Equipment certificationNeed drawings?
Workshop-ready 3D models and fabrication drawings, checked by an engineer.
Fabrication drawingsFrequently asked questions
When do I need FEA instead of hand calculations?
Hand calculations are fast and reliable for beams, plates, bolts and welds with simple load paths. FEA earns its place where the geometry is complex, where stress concentrates at holes, cut-outs or weld toes, or where fatigue is a concern. We use both: hand calculations to check the FEA makes sense, and FEA to find what hand calculations can't.
Should I use stitch welds or full welds?
It depends on the forces and the conditions. Stitch welds are cheaper and cause less distortion and are often strong enough, but on parts that vibrate, see repeated loading or live outdoors, continuous welds are usually the better choice. We've written a full answer in our Insights section.
Can you check a design someone else has done?
Yes. Independent design verification is a big part of what we do: we check the calculations, the load cases and the details, and either confirm the design or tell you exactly what needs to change.
Can you make an existing part lighter or cheaper to make?
Often, yes. Using FEA we can see which parts of a component are doing the work and which are just extra weight, then reshape it to save material and fabrication time while keeping the required strength and fatigue life.