A pretty picture. For more pretty pictures, see here.
Glossary
CAD: Computer Aided Design. In this context almost the same as solid modeling.
CAE: Computer Aided Engineering. In many contexts, the same thing as Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Could also be the same as simulation.
CFD: Computational Fluid Dynamics. A discipline which is a subset of simulation in which the matter subjected to analysis is fluid.
digital twin: A modern term which the author of this website dislikes because of its vagueness and hype. May identify the same concept as a virtual prototype.
FEA: Finite Element Analysis. A discipline which is a subset of simulation in which the matter subjected to analysis is solid.
fluid: A gas or a liquid. Both obey similar laws of nature and may therefore be calculated with the same methods.
freemium: A pricing model where you get basic capabilities for free and pay for more advanced features.
IP: Intellectual Property. A sentence may become unclear if the ambiguous word "property" lights up somewhere in it.
journaling: Some software applications (in my opinion: the best) may be controlled with mouse clicks and keyboard input as well as with a script. If the software application can output a text file containing a script which produces the same effect as that of the mouse and the keyboard, that application will have the feature of "journaling". Journaling saves the scripting nerd from needing to remember all details of all scripting languages. Under many circumstances, it is much easier to create a script from journaling output than from scratch.
license-bound: A software product is (on this website) said to be "license-bound" if you can only legally use it in case you have paid for it. The binding is essentially a legal one but the software will almost always come with a system that protects the authoring organization against unauthorized use.
ML: Machine Learning. A subset of Artificial Intelligence once frequently associated with the term "neural networks".
NDA: Non-Disclosure Agreement. Sometimes also called a "confidentiality agreement".
open source: On this website, the term "open source" is used to identify software which you can legally use without any payment. In most cases, you can even modify the software to suit your own needs. Rules apply for such procedures, as open source software comes with a license, too.
scripting: Controlling a software application through command lines in a text file. The term "scripting" usually implies the availability of coding constructs like loops, variables and subprograms (macros).
simulation: A calculation of the mechanical behavior of an object subjected to well-defined conditions. The calculation may be done using formulae on a piece of paper (almost out of scope in this context), or it may be done numerically on a computer. The object may be liquid or gaseous (i.e., fluid) or it may be solid. The discipline of simulating fluids is often called Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) while the discipline of simulating solids is called Finite Element Analysis (FEA).
TLA: Three Letter Abbreviation.
virtual prototype: Umbrella term describing anything that can replace a real, physical prototype when it comes to retrieving information about relevant properties. The concept of "simulations" is a subset of the concept of "virtual prototypes". The concept of "CAD" is another subset of the concept of "virtual prototypes".
