WatchTech - CAD software and friction/wear prediction

CAD software and friction/wear prediction

I was thinking about Stiyakuza's recent thread in the Blancpain forum about the wear that was occurring on the fly back mechanism, and this got me wondering...

Do modern CAD software suites calculate or simulate friction and wear? Does the software provide alerts when certain parameters (I.e. The angles of parts interacting) fall outside known limits? To what extent do these packages consider the finishing or tempering (and therefore the hardness) of a given component?

I am not an engineer and have never used this type of software, so I'm not sure that I'm articulating this in standard terms. I'm just curious if wear is simulated in the platform or if this is something that has to be observed during the prototyping stage.

Thanks!

Brandon

This would seem like a role for a Tribology Engineer. I'd imagine at least some skillsets/knowledge of this would be conducted by the big brands.

By: skyeriding : June 26th, 2017-10:31

I'm not well versed in this topic, but I don't think such systems exist within the 3D CAD models themselves, and are modelled separately on a case-by-case basis. Each section of the watch where heavy contact is expected would have to be isolated, and the ...

Hi Brandon.

By: Flanker : June 26th, 2017-14:10

CAD software can be used for mechanical design and assembly of watch parts, but for engineering calculations like motion simulation or strength of parts, you have to use a CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) software. This kind of software idealizes a mechan...

Thanks Skyeriding and Flanker!

By: brandon1 : June 26th, 2017-16:39

Tribology is a new term for me, and I've been reading about it this afternoon. Very interesting to learn that this can't always be simulated effectively. I guess that's why Lange batch tests the L951 pushers 10,000 times! Thanks for the insight, Brandon

Wow

By: STiYaKuzA : June 26th, 2017-19:08

Tribology is definitely new to me; shall read up on it! IIRC, during a conversation with the local brand manager, she mentioned Blancpain tests their watches for a simulated period of 5 years, but wasn't too sure on the details. In the email trail with HQ...