LIDAR unit structural finite element analysis

A laser radar (LIDAR) unit was being developed that would either mount in a plane or in the back of a military vehicle. I was tasked with creating a simplified model and running structural and modal FEA analyses using PATRAN/NASTRAN. A prototype device was eventually put on a shaker table to evaluate how well the model predicted reality (not great, unfortunately). It was my first real-life experience comparing FEA to experimental results and learning the benefits and limitations of the simplification of complex behaviors.