Over-engineering is one of the most overlooked costs in modern product development.

Many companies might proudly claim: “our products never fail” but that line of thinking masks a more expensive truth: you’re likely overspending on materials, labour, and time. In many industries, the cost of over-design goes unmeasured, celebrated even, because it gives the illusion of safety and robustness.

But what if you could guide and refine your designs with new insight and cut unnecessary waste – without needing a specialist?

I’m a Mechanical/Applications Engineer specialising in SOLIDWORKS Simulation. I’ve assisted dozens of companies through technical support, training, demonstrations and even hands-on consulting. I’ve seen firsthand how outdated beliefs about simulation are keeping companies from operating leaner and smarter.

This article challenges those beliefs and shows how SOLIDWORKS Simulation has evolved into a powerful, designer-friendly tool that enables better engineering decisions across the business.

Simulation Isn’t Just for Analysts Anymore

There is a persistent belief that simulation is only reserved for analysts with years of experience and access to powerful computing clusters.

The game is changing.  Dassault Systèmes is driving a concept called MODSIM, which refers to unified modelling and simulation and it is putting the power of simulation into the designer’s hands. 

Gaining insight into their designs early in the design process.  SOLIDWORKS Simulation is integrated directly into the CAD environment and is designed specifically with designers and mechanical engineers in mind.

They automate much of the complexity while still allowing room for engineering judgement.

Here are the key features that make simulation accessible to non-specialists:

• Full CAD Integration: Your model and simulation live in the same environment. Design changes update automatically in your study without the need for export-import loops.
• Automated Meshing: Mesh generation is handled intelligently with options for local control where needed.
• Design Studies: Easily explore multiple scenarios to answer questions around strength, stiffness, or optimise weight vs. performance ratios.
• Built-in Materials Library: Access hundreds of standard materials without hunting for data.
• Guided Setup Tools: SOLIDWORKS provides warnings and suggestions to help catch errors early.
• Automatic Solver Selection: The software picks the best solver for your analysis, but also gives advanced users control when needed. (For more information on the available solvers and choosing the best one for your analysis go and view the Solver Selection document or any other SolidPractice documents at SolidPractices | MySolidWorks)

In short, simulation is now something any competent designer can – and should – learn to use.

The Hidden Cost of Over-Engineering

One of the most common objections I hear is: “We don’t need simulation. We’ve never had a failure.” But failure is only one side of the equation. You’ll know if something is under-designed when it breaks. But you’ll rarely notice when something is over-engineered. And that’s where the cost hides.

• Material Waste: I observed a client in the steel construction industry who based their designs only off past designs and guesswork. Performing simple FEA analyses might be able to reduce the size and weight of several structural members—with the possibility of saving thousands per structure.
• Labour Hours: Another client used hand calculations from engineering manuals to select bolts and brackets. While valid and good practice for sanity checks, it was time-consuming and, in some cases, overly conservative. Introducing simulation can significantly cut design iteration time, freeing up designers and engineers to focus on more valuable tasks.
• Missed Deadlines: Mechanical designs often go through extensive back-and-forth during design review or professional sign-off. Accurate preliminary simulation reduces this friction and aligns the design with real-world performance expectations earlier than ever.

Why Over-Engineering Happens

• Reliance on past over-engineered designs
• Lack of insight into stiffness and stress distribution
• Assumption that FEA is too complicated or resource-intensive

SOLIDWORKS Simulation bridges that gap. When integrated early in the process, it provides valuable insights and feedback that informs smarter design decisions.

What I Recommend to Clients

• Analyse Early: Run simulations during design—not just at the end. Even using simple linear static studies correctly can guide your material choices and geometry.
• Don’t Skip Best Practices:
  •  Simplify your setup, you do not always have to simulate the entire scenario in one study
  • Use accurate material properties, sourced from your supplier or data from physical testing if possible
  • Set up accurate boundary conditions that reflect reality
  • Check mesh quality
  • Run mesh independence studies
• Know The Limits: Be aware of what the software can do accurately. A working simulation does not imply an accurate simulation.  If you’re pushing a design to its limits, always plan to validate your simulation with at least one real-world test case.
• Streamline Analyst Reviews: A thorough preliminary simulation can shorten the time and cost spent with specialist FEA consultants or professional engineers for sign-off.

Things to Watch Out For

• Understand the scope and limitations of the software
• Make valid assumptions and document them
• Garbage in = garbage out: if your simulation input is inaccurate, your results will be worse
• Always assess uncertainty and possible error margins

Conclusion

Designers and engineers today face increasing pressure to deliver better products, faster and cheaper. Relying solely on experience and overly conservative safety factors might keep you out of trouble, but it won’t make you competitive.

Utilising SOLIDWORKS Simulation is not just about avoiding failure – it’s about unlocking better designs, gaining insight, reducing waste, and saving time. Get in contact with MECAD to find out more about the products and training we offer. 

You don’t need to be a specialist. You just need to be willing to learn and start.