A moving object is typically subjected to a variety of forces and conditions that may adversely impact the integrity of the moving object. For example, various parts in an engine of a car may heat up when the car is set in motion. Some parts may heat up more than others depending on the way the car is driven and the conditions under which the car is driven. Engineers typically attempt to predict the extent of the heat generation in the various parts of the car under a variety of conditions before making the car available for sale to the general public.
In some cases, the effects of the heating may be readily apparent—either through visual observation of viewable moving parts or by the use of relatively simple test equipment. However, in some other cases, the nature of the heating and the adverse effects of the heating on the performance or longevity of a moving part (such as a piston, for example) may not be readily viewable and/or identifiable.
Consequently, engineers may resort to using a computer simulation procedure to replicate one or more possible scenarios in which a moving part may operate. However, as can be understood, it is difficult and complicated to theoretically predict all possible scenarios of operation for the moving part when executing the computer simulation procedure. Therefore, in some situations, engineers may opt to use a real-world test system in order to evaluate the operation of the part when the part is actually in motion. However, the voluminous amount of data that may be generated by a computer that is a part of this real-world test system makes it often difficult to analyze potential problems that may exist in a moving part and predict when and how the problematic moving part may fail.