As the government is all-out in building the country’s capabilities for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), a group of Filipino scientists is urging it to harness the potentials of finite element analysis (FEA).
They said FEA will enable the country become a hub once it has developed a substantial pool of skilled engineers who can handle the requirements of the global market.
This was pointed out during the recent graduation of the second group of trainees on the Basic Training Course on FEA held at the Industrial Technical Development Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-ITDI) in Taguig City on August 25. The first group held their graduation last month
Finite Element Institute of the Philippines (FEIP) President Dr. Ria Liza Canlas said the country needs to develop more local talents in FEA as the world market introduces more products for the global economy.
She added that these products will have to undergo several tests before they will be sold to the market. She pointed out that FEA will be a major element in the testing of such products.
DOST-ITDI Director Annabelle Briones said finite analysis is a powerful tool to analyze complex problems in engineering.
“We need to establish a globally competitive expertise in this field,” Briones said. “I am confident this is just the start of something big.”
To consolidate the plan of transforming the country into a major hub of FEA in Southeast Asia, Balik Scientist Engr. Vicente DyReyes, Canlas and other advocates of FEA formed the FEIP in 2021 to gather support for it.
“FEIP hopes to jumpstart the development of future Filipino experts in FEA,” Canlas said.
FEA defined
DyReyes said FEA uses calculations, models and simulations to predict, analyze and understand the behavior or potential behavior of a product or material under various physical conditions.
Moreover, FEA finds and detects vulnerabilities in design prototypes.
DyReyes pointed out that the Philippines can benefit in using FEA as a tool for research and testing for various programs.
An expert in aerospace engineering and space technology, DyReyes noted that agencies in space, defense, construction, manufacturing, health, civil engineering and transportation requires FEA.
“The Philippine Space Agency is one major potential client for the FEA tool as its processes are similar to the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration program,” he said.
“Being a disaster prone country, we will need cutting-edge software to determine the quality and strength of our infrastructure. FEA can fill in that gap,” he added.
Meanwhile, DyReyes said the main challenge in expanding the program is the acquisition of the MSC Software which is recognized as the top FEA software brand.
“I hope the government can support the development of FEA experts so the country can develop a sophisticated technology-driven outsourcing industry once the graduates become experts in their respective fields,” he pointed out.
“We really need investors to make the program move on so we can produce future talents in FEA,” he added.
DyReyes has been conducting talks with the University of the Philippines and the De La Salle University for the possible teaching of FEA to their engineering students.
The graduates of the second group of trainees on the Basic Training Course on FEA are Dennis Clyde Acantilado, Patrick Ambay, Patrick Angelo Velasco Balanag, Irish Diecon Capili, Jonaz Cruz, Alexander de Lara, John Emmanuel B. Gil, Eldon Libo-on, Louise Danielle B. Panghulan, Helena Nikka S Publico, Melvin Redondo, John Jericho C Roxas, Charlie N. Samonteza, Jamila Tabora, Marvin Tolentino, Alchris Nino N. Zolina, Jayson Baga, Sonny Cac Jr., Michael Benjamin Diaz, Salvador T. Gelilang, Ariel Go, Louie John O. Gozun, Raynaldo Dexter Pampuan, Michael Daniel Ramirez, Jeq Zyrius A. Sudweste and Arn James Vengua.