This category hosts engineering animated models in MS Excel. Excel is particularly valuable in engineering being inexpensive and ubiquitous. In my career I managed to solve difficult engineering problems by building animated simulations where engineers using other, much more expensive software, failed. Unlike dedicated engineering software, excel is not a “black box”, which means that you develop your models from scratch using basic principles, calculations and charting. This leads to a much better understanding and control of the problem.
Excel is a great software for engineering calculations because it can combine data tables, charts and even engineering formulas under the same application.As far as civil engineering is concerned, Excel can do regular calculations such as cost estimates, schedule and cost control, and markup estimation, as well as structural calculations of reactions, stresses, strains, deflections, and slopes. Excel can deal with difficult problems, charting, and report generation.
This section shows how to model heat transfer in a linear bar by dividing it in elementary sections in which the basic linear equations introduced in the previous tutorials can be used. Animated heat transfer modeling for the average Joe – part #3 by George Lungu – This is a new section of the beginner series of tutorials in heat… Read More... "Animated Heat Transfer Modeling for the Average Joe – part #3"
This is a continuation of the first part of the beginner series of tutorials in heat transfer modeling. The first part introduced the reader to the concept of heat capacity (being analogous to the electrical capacity). This section continues with the concept of heat conductance which is analogous to the electrical conductance. Ohm’s law applies. Toward the end, the principle… Read More... "Animated Heat Transfer Modeling for the Average Joe – part #2"
This the first tutorial on modeling heat transfer at a very introductory level. If you follow this series and spend your own effort in developing your own models you will be able to model heat transfer in very complex shapes (1D, 2D, 3D) in a short time and with the basic understanding of a 12 year old school boy. Animated heat transfer modeling… Read More... "Animated Heat Transfer Modeling for the Average Joe – part #1"
Hi guys, Here is a 1D dynamic model I built today simulating heat transfer in a 21-segment bar. Just click on the orange “Demo” button for a quick demo. Hitting “Reset” sets the 21 segments of the bar to the initial conditions which is a fully customizable initial temperature map. Clicking “Start/Pause” starts the simulation and you can watch the bar temperature profile… Read More... "A One-Dimensional Dynamic Heat Transfer Model – a diffusion model"
This last section of introductory PLL modeling shows how to upgrade the model with adjustable scale charts for three voltage signals within the loop. The model also shows how to create a Lissajous based phase display. [sociallocker][/sociallocker] How to Model a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) in Excel – part #4 -This is the continuation of part #2 of the PLL tutorial. The previous… Read More... "How to Model a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) in Excel – part#4"
This is a continuation of the PLL series of tutorials and it takes the recursive numerical formulas derived in the previous section, implementing a dynamic spreadsheet model with help from a copy-paste loop type of macro. This macro emulates the behavior of the phase locked loop model in time. At this point, the model is functional. Charting options for the waveforms… Read More... "How to Model a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) in Excel – part#3"
Both frequency and phase modulation are important not only in electronics but also in science and physics in general. It seems like a trivial chore but when I first tried to model such a signal some time back I hit a hard wall. Our minds easily understand kinematics concepts such as coordinate, speed, acceleration and the relations between them in… Read More... "How to Model a Frequency Modulated (FM) Signal – an insight"
This is a continuation of the PLL series of tutorials and it starts by implementing and testing the low pass filter created in the previous section. After that, the block diagram is updated and the presentation begins to show how to build the PLL model in a worksheet using the existing LPF formulas. [sociallocker][/sociallocker] How to Model a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) in… Read More... "How to Model a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) in Excel – part#2"
A Phase-Locked Loop is a type of electronic circuit. It generates an oscillation with the same frequency as a reference oscillation and a relatively constant phase difference with respect to the same reference. The applications spectrum of such a circuit are extremely wide. Signal modulation, demodulation, detection and filtering, frequency conversion and synthesis are just a fraction of what this circuit can do.… Read More... "How to Model a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) in Excel – part#1"
In this tutorial, most of the calculations for the numerical simulation a SMD (spring-mas-damper) system will be consolidated into a single formula, the coordinate formula. In this case, in order to calculate the coordinate at the end of a any time step, we will need just the coordinates from the previous two time steps and of course the input parameters (constants). These… Read More... "Casual Introduction to Numerical Methods – spring-mass-damper system model – part#5"
This tutorial explains the principles to generating animation for the spring-mass-damper system analyzed in the previous presentations. [sociallocker][/sociallocker] A casual approach to numerical modeling – part #4 – a Spring-Mass-Damper-System – creating the animation by George Lungu – We are trying to generate animation for the system sketched above knowing the deviation from the equilibrium function of time. This deviation is… Read More... "Casual Introduction to Numerical Methods – spring-mass-damper system model – part#4"
Hi Folks, As a kid was fascinated with high power rifles, sniper rifles, cannons and in general, fast projectiles. I’ve been brainwashed with all sorts of urban legends about how far an AK 47 or a pistol can shoot or how thick a steel metal plate a bullet can penetrate at various distances. I’ve also watched some documentary about snipers… Read More... "2D Projectile Motion Model #1 – a virtual tactical shooting range"
Here is the third part of a tutorial in both elementary dynamics and numerical methods. It is written at a basic level and it shows you how to set up a dynamic model for numerical solving of simple differential equations. The dynamic model makes use of an infinite loop, which make the calculations advance in time. Instead of a large table… Read More... "Casual Introduction to Numerical Methods – a spring-mass-damper system model – part#3"
Here is the second part of a tutorial in both elementary dynamics and numerical methods. It is written at a basic level and it shows you how to solve a system of difference equations in an Excel table. It also starts to explain how to animate the model. [sociallocker][/sociallocker] A casual approach to numerical modeling – the Spring-Mass-Damper System – part 2.… Read More... "Casual Introduction to Numerical Methods – a spring-mass-damper system model – part#2"