Hello Reader,

I had a really good response from my restart newsletter last week where I got some feedback from my community both here and on YouTube welcoming back after the nearly six-month sabattical from this newsletter and the YouTube channel. Thanks to everyone of you who got in touch, it makes me feel loved and I hope I can return your good gesture of love to me.

Today's highlights

1. ABAQUS Masterclass Series Explained
2. Quote for the Week: AI as electricity

Technical Reflections

ABAQUS Masterclass Series Explained

In the last edition of this newsletter, I announced that I have started filming and publishing the very first kind of the ABAQUS Masterclass series for the YouTube channel. I will like to explain the reasoning behind this:

Why I am doing this?

I have always wanted to teach ABAQUS in a masterclass series right from the start of the YouTube channel. In fact, at the time of starting the channel, I saw several channels doing such and wanted to be different. I therefore started by explaining my research in my videos and this has grown my channel to about 9,600 subscribers. It was proof that there is appetite for the content and I had over the years honed my skills doing this.

Over this period, I have had a lot of requests about making such masterclass videos and I wrestled between creating an online course on this which a few will buy but consequently many might miss out due to the paywall restrictions. I decided that it would be best to take my time over weeks to develop a free ABAQUS Masterclass for everyone across different levels of expertise. I did not want to create a masterclass only for the entry users but also something advanced users can engage with. My audience currently is a mixture of all levels of users and I wanted this masterclass to cater for everyone.

Recently, I also did a channel review between mine and some of the existing FEM channels and that analysis showed that an area where I am currently having a huge gap is in instructional videos that introduces users to ABAQUS and works them through to the advanced topics in a structured step-by-step way. It became apparent that to continue to grow the channel, I need to fill this gap.

Purpose of the Masterclass

It is quite simply, the key purpose of the masterclass is:

Levels of the ABAQUS Masterclass

In line with the vision of the Masterclass, I decided to split the tutorial into these four levels:

1. Level 1: Foundational topics: The aim here is to create contents that is relevant to those new to ABAQUS. It tracks installation of ABAQUS, understanding the ABAQUS CAE interface/workflow as well as building ones first ABAQUS models.
2. Level 2: Intermediate topics: This level targets those who have already become used to how ABAQUS models are set up but need to upskill into building better models, querying outputs and blending theory with ABAQUS in a competent manner. Topics covered here are: bolt-modelling, bending analysis, dynamic analysis, modal analysis as well as coupled thermal-stress analysis.
3. Level 3: Advanced applications topics: Here, we are beginning to systematically deploy ABAQUS into classic applications to generate realistic results as would be the case with practising engineers or researchers. Topics covered here include: composite modelling, cohesize zone elements, generating stress-strain plots, impact analysis and crack propagation using XFEM approaches, explicit (dynamics) analysis, micromechanics and periodic boundary conditions. It is expected to be the most impactful level for several users and offer practical guidance to some of the most challenging FEM problems within STEM.
4. Level 4: Automation and Research topics: The aim of this last level is to provide advanced ABAQUS users an automated approach to model creation, analysis, post-processing and batching of jobs. This is aimed at equipping them with understanding of the ABAQUS Scripting Interface and how it can be used to automate ABAQUS tasks thereby producing large outputs over a short period of time whilst freeing time to focus on other non-FEM tasks. I will also produce videos (introductory) focussing more on my research. These would mainly be the sort of videos already existing in the channel which has helped draw a subscriber base of 9600. It serves to complete the loop from beginning to practicing experts shining the light to students of this Masterclass how the knowledge gained from completing the masterclass can help one in their professional academic career.

If you want to see the video where I explained these levels and gain more insight into the topics proposed per given level, then watch the embedded video below.

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If you have suggestions for me in terms of topics to include/exclude from the current list of topics, then please do let me know and I will consider it. I would also add that I may have to expand the list of topics or drop some of them if I find they are not necessary.

Please join me as we develop this ABAQUS Masterclass Series over the next few months. Please follow the journey on YouTube and here as I offer you more behind the scenes reflecting behind any of the videos I publish on the channel.

Quote of the Week

AI as Electricity Powering Innovations

I gave a presentation at an international conference about AI and higher education where I concluded with this quote:

I was reminded about this quote this week as I listened to a podcast on the 'Art of Preaching' hosted by Carey Nieuwhof who is one of my favourite authors. Here, they were exploring the impact of AI even in religion and development of sermons. In my talk at the conference, I was reflecting on the disruptive and complementary impact of AI in university education especially in design of assessments. Increasing, it is becoming harder for academics to assess structure's learnign objectively without the disruption caused by AI.

Prof Ng's quote speaks to a different way for us to consider AI now and in future. It is similar to impact of electricity to industrial revolution. If we see AI as the power behind the current and future innovations in all sectors of live, then we will embrace it as electricity and it would drive our productivity significantly. Just like electricity can be directed to positive uses, it can also drive negative uses especially in warfar, hacking and advanced fee fraud. Does that mean we demonize electricity? Of course not! We simply have to continue to fight the war against such bad uses but embraces all the positive superpower we get from electricity.

For you, in your area of work, how is AI enabling you to produce your best work. There are negatives to its use and I would reflect on that in future, but for now, let us celebrate this truly amazing invention that is shaping, accelerating and enabling different users produce at a pace and volume that traditionally has not been seen before. It is truly electricity that powers our innovations.