SRM Winter 2018 PDF

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 1
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Engineering Smart Change
with CAE Simulation
By Paolo Guglielmini, President and CEO, MSC Software
Greetings Readers!
I
t is with great pleasure that I pen this, my first Editorial, for (p18) and Hyundai in S. Korea (p56), engine rotor
Engineering Reality magazine as CEO of MSC Software. dynamics for Pratt & Whitney in Canada (p36), downhole
The first thing you will have noticed no doubt, is that we oil & gas extraction using Adams Drill at Pioneer in Texas
have renamed the magazine and given it a new tagline. We (p48), and BoostHeat in France even claims to have
feel these changes show a natural evolution of what MSC designed and made the world’s most efficient domestic
has been saying and doing in the computer-aided boiler thanks to Cradle CFD software (p41).
engineering (CAE) market prior to its acquisition by Hexagon
AB in April 2017, and where we are positioning ourselves If you are fascinated by the Industrie 4.0 ‘Smart Factory’
going forward. This magazine used to be called Simulating concept, I would encourage you to read an article by my
Reality and this resonated with MSC’s long term mission to colleague Brian Shepherd (p15) explaining how Hexagon is
‘Simulate Reality, Deliver Certainty’ in the multiphysics CAE leading the way in this area. If you want to know the latest on
space with our best-in-class products like MSC Nastran, Autonomous Vehicle simulation and testing solutions, then do
Adams, Actran, VTD, SimManager, MaterialCenter, Simufact read the commentary by our Divisional Strategist, Dr. Luca
and Digimat to name a few. With the acquisition of MSC by Castignani (p6). And finally, Dr. Keith Hanna, our new VP of
Hexagon, a 3.5 Bn Euro Swedish-listed (Nasdaq Marketing offers his insights into MSC’s strong co-simulation
Stockholm: HEXA B) global positioning systems and multiphysics offerings that are unique in the CAE market (p73).
metrology powerhouse, a unique simulation and testing/
measurement solution offering to many markets and This edition of the magazine also has a very strong Indian
manufacturing industries is now possible. flavor with an interesting background article on CAE within
the fast emerging economy of India by my colleague
We believe that our synergizing of CAD/CAM, CAE and Sridhar Dharmarajan. India has many hidden engineering
Metrology offers something new to the product gems like the Mahindra Group who are relatively unknown
development process. Indeed, in Hexagon we talk about globally, yet a large conglomerate growing organically as
‘shaping smart change’ through our unique approach to the well as by acquiring a number of automotive companies in
market where a focus on quality measurement and quality the west, like Pinafarina from my native Italy. We have
production solutions has led to very significant productivity Indian automotive application stories from both Tata (p44)
enhancements for our customers around the world and and Mahindra Tech (p61) in this edition to illustrate what’s
return on their capital investments. When this is added to leading edge today in the subcontinent.
MSC’s history of quality predictive engineering simulation
solutions, a new benchmark for manufacturing is possible. Finally, I would encourage you to google ‘HxGN Live’, our
annual company-wide showcase in Las Vegas, if you want to
In this edition of our magazine you will see where MSC’s understand our unique vision for all Hexagon’s wide spectrum
broad portfolio of engineering simulation software and of products and services, and where our USA MSC User
co-simulation solutions is having an impact in the real Conference will be held again next year. It will be a great way
world – what we like to call ‘where simulation gets real’. to expand your CAE mind and to see where Hexagon
Everything from Bluefin Tuna and Leatherback Turtles in technology is leading the world. I hope to see you there.
the oceans (p32) to armored HMMVEE vehicles on difficult
terrains (p22) is showcased by our customers in this Ciao
edition. Our lead story is on Autonomous Vehicles because
of the exciting work by our VIRES Virtual Test Drive (VTD)
software at Volkswagen in Germany (p10). Acoustic
predictions get real for our customers Renault in France

Table of
Contents
FEATURES
10
Volkswagen Group:
Leveraging VIRES VTD to Design a
Cooperative Driver Assistance System
18
18
Renault:
Predicting the Acoustic Signature
of Electric Vehicle Powertrains
Pratt and Miller Engineering:
Adams-EDEM Co-simulation for
22
Predicting Military Vehicle
Mobility on Soft Soil
10

Pratt & Whitney:
Efficient Rotordynamic Analysis
36

using the Superelement Approach for an
Aircraft Engine in MSC Nastran
Hyundai Motor Company:
Actran Helps Reduce Time to
56
Optimize Design of Active Pedestrian
Alerting System by 50%
36 61

Navistar-Tech Mahindra:
MSC Nastran Based Fatigue Lifecycle
Predictions at Navistar-Tech Mahindra
Magneti Marelli:
Digimat-RP Helps Reduce Time
69
to Market for Fiber Reinforced
Plastic Control Arm
4 | Engineering Reality Magazine

06
Dr. Luca Castignani:
Achieving Autonomous Driving
with Simulation & Testing
15
Brian Shepherd:
Hexagon’s Smart Factory Executive Editor
Opens its Doors Keith Hanna
29
Bhoomi Gadhia: Editor
MSC Apex and Hexagon PPM Elizabeth Yeh
Smart 3D Integration
Contributing Editors
Yijun Fan, Bhoomi Gadhia,
32
Kindai University and Maine Marine Composites, LLC:
Farnaz Jadbabaie, Romain
Using Multiphysics to Understand
Baudson and Fred Harvey
Marine Animal Behavior
Design
41
BoostHEAT: Dante Fiorini
Using scFlow BoostHEAT Develops Elizabeth Yeh
the World’s Most Efficient Boiler
44
Tata Motors Limited:
Automated Correlation of Door Sag
Simulation Using MSC Marc
MSC Software Corporation
4675 MacArthur Court, Suite 900
48
Pioneer:
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Drilling Simulations Enhance 714.540.8900
Well Planning and Drilling Decisions www.mscsoftware.com
52
Sridhar Dharmarajan:
Indo-Pacific Region: An Opportunity in
the Making for Engineering R&D
Ampower:
Use of Simulation in Additive
Manufacturing Process Chain of
Thin-walled Automotive Parts 66 22
73
Dr. Keith Hanna:
Co-simulation - Breaking the Back of
Multiphysics CAE Simulation
80
Dr. Horen Kuecuekyan:
Shaping Smarter Simulation
with Artificial Intelligence
56
82
Tips and Tricks:
HDF5: A Very Useful Enhancement
for MSC Nastran and Patran

Achieving
Autonomous Driving
with Simulation & Testing
By Dr. Luca Castignani, Chief Autonomous
Driving Strategist, MSC Software
S
elf-driving is becoming more and more testing have we done so far? Waymo, the world’s
realistic. Every day, thousands of autonomous leading autonomous driving company in road testing,
vehicles (Figure 1) are being tested on the has accumulated an impressive 9 million miles in the
roads by companies like Waymo, Cruise, Uber, Tesla, past 9 years. However, even if we increase that effort
and some of those companies have accumulated by 10 fold, it would still take about 100 years for us
millions of miles of road testing data, enhancing and to complete the validation of one self-driving system,
validating their autonomous “brain”, with the hope that if we solely rely on road testing.
in the near future, full automation can be achieved.
As long as you only have to check a few use cases
When the Pumpkins Take a Stroll (in the range of tens), you can easily test them on
real roads. However, in order to assure safety for
Today, everyone understands the importance of road Autonomous Vehicles, the number of conditions to
testing for self-driving vehicles, and the industry is
spending a fortune on it. On an average, a fully
equipped autonomous vehicle can cost more than
half a million dollars, so a small fleet of 20 vehicles
would mean a 10-12 million dollars investment in the
hardware itself, to perform the road testing for
autonomous driving. However, is road testing really
enough to help us reach level 5 autonomy in the
foreseeable future?
To answer that question, first we need to

understand: how many miles of testing is required to
develop an autonomous driving system? The
commonly accepted number among the industry is
Figure 1. Autonomous Vehicle Testing Platform Developed
“one billion miles”. So how many miles of road by AutonomouStuff, Part of Hexagon

materials (composites) analyses, CAE companies like
MSC Software (acquired by Hexagon AB in 2017)
have been providing industry leading simulation
solutions to help auto OEMs and suppliers refine the
attributes of every newly developed vehicle model.
Engineers have been using CAE to improve the

vehicle performance for a long time, so how is
autonomous driving simulation (Figure 3) different
than the traditional CAE simulation?
Figure 2. High-fidelity Vehicle Dynamics Model in MSC First of all, in an autonomous simulation environment,
Adams, Part of Hexagon
we need to capture more than the vehicle under
design (the so called “Ego Vehicle”). Different types
of participants need to be included in the scenario,
for example, other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists,
be evaluated scales quickly to millions and there is animals (moose, deer, kangaroos) and so on.
no way to tackle it without simulations. For example:
What if you want to know how the car will behave Secondly, a realistic perception is crucial to
when the city decides to paint all the road signs in accurate simulation. Unlike the vehicle models in a
yellow instead of white? Or what happens when the traditional CAE environment, the “Ego Vehicle” in an
trees planted today grow to a size that prevents the autonomous testing model doesn’t always have a
driver from seeing the pedestrians? perfect understanding of its surroundings. Instead,
it only knows what its sensors perceive, therefore it
With simulation, it’s also possible to create outlier is important to accurately simulate those different
scenarios for testing. Think of workers carrying a types of sensors (cameras, RADAR, LiDARs…) and
large mirror while crossing the street. Think of also how they function especially in adverse
children dressed up as pumpkins, out for a walk on atmospheric conditions (sun glare, fog, snow, rain,
Halloween. Not many of these scenarios have been evening light…).
taken into consideration, but those are the realities.
These are just some examples that highlight how
How is Autonomous Driving Simulation autonomous driving simulation is very different than a
Different than the Traditional Vehicle traditional CAE car simulation, and for those same
Simulation? reasons, not every traditional CAE solution provider
is going to be a natural fit as an autonomous driving
Computer-aided engineering (CAE) simulation has simulation partner.
been a trusted tool leveraged by the automotive
industry for dozens of years now. From vehicle
handling & steering, ride & comfort (Figure 2), NVH,
durability, aerodynamics, controls validation, all the way Figure 3. Autonomous Driving Sensor Simulation Environment
to manufacturing process simulation and advanced by Vires VTD (Virtual Test Drive), Part of Hexagon

Figure 4: Hexagon’s Complete Autonomous Driving Simulation & Testing Portfolio
A Comprehensive Strategy for (sensor fusion, object detection, path planning) or to

Autonomous Driving Simulation assess its performance in terms of safety, comfort
and Testing and efficiency.
Through a series of acquisitions with MSC Software B. Vehicle CAE Model

and VIRES VTD in 2017, AutonomouStuff in 2018,
along with indigenous domain expertise in sensors, Depending on the scenario that the simulation needs
smart city and positioning intelligence solutions, to address, having vehicle models with different level
Hexagon holds the leading edge in autonomous of complexity can be handy. For example, for a
driving validation (Figure 4). This includes solutions common scenario such as emergency braking on a
for these domains: Vehicle CAE Modeling, Sensor highway, a simplified model is preferred so a higher
Measurements and Modeling, 3D Environment number of scenario permutations can be verified in a
modeling, Scenario Testing, Data Management, AI given amount of time. For a more dynamic scenario
Driver and above all an open platform on which to that perhaps involves a swift lane change to avoid a
integrate these. crash, a higher fidelity Adams Car model with a
well-correlated suspension system is going to be
A. Virtual Test Drive (VTD) essential. Not to mention that within an autonomous
vehicle the riding comfort will become even more
VTD is an open platform for creation, configuration, critical to the passengers such as to not suffer
and animation of virtual environments for the testing motion sickness while reading your favorite book or
and validation of Autonomous Vehicles. It acts as the working with the laptop.
coordinator for the domain segments mentioned
above. It receives vehicle position and motions, C. Sensors and Sensor Models
rebuilds the 3D environment in real time (including
traffic and pedestrians), computes the sensor VTD has a complete set of sensors to replicate the
perception, calculates the movements of all physical sensors used in an autonomous vehicle:
surrounding vehicles and so on. This stream of data cameras (included infrared), LiDAR, RADAR and
can then be used to train the AI Driver at all levels ultrasonic sensor. Each sensor can be represented

Figure 5. Creating Virtual 3D
Environment in VTD from Metrology
Road Measurements
with different levels of fidelity, from reproducing the F. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Driver
intricacies of a laser beam reflecting over rough
surfaces to simply capturing the basic sensor The AI Driver is the core of every autonomous system,
characteristics (in order to achieve the maximum and users can easily connect VTD to their own AI
simulation speed). To further enhance the fidelity and Driver to carefully validate them under all conditions,
the variety of the sensor models, team VTD is also including sensor failure or misbehavior such as mud
working with the world-leading sensor manufacturers sputters covering a portion of a LiDAR. MSC Software
like Leica and NovAtel (all part of Hexagon). is also working with its sister company,
AutonomouStuff (both part of Hexagon), to connect
D. 3D Driving Environment AutonomouStuff’s AI Driver to VTD so partners of
AutonomouStuff can run their physical road tests and
A 3D virtual environment can be generated either virtual tests with exactly the same AI brain.
from inside VTD, or from scanning the actual roads.
Creating the environment inside VTD gives you In summary, today Hexagon owns many of the
maximum control over all the details, while simulation and testing assets necessary for
generating the 3D environment from measurements autonomous car projects: sensors and technology
(LiDAR/camera) is more realistic and much faster. to manage smart intermittent sampling, HD maps
With Hexagon’s new Leica Pegasus:2 mapping from Hexagon Geosystems, and a turnkey platform
platform and its connection with VTD (Figure 5), for autonomous vehicle development from
engineers are expected to speed up the “Road AutonomouStuff. Add in MSC Adams vehicle
Digitization” by a factor of 20 in the near future. modeling, VTD to recreate the external environment
and traffic, data management via MSC
E. Scenarios and Data Management SimManager, and there is a very compelling turnkey
autonomous vehicle solution toolset for both
With millions of scenarios to be evaluated at each simulation and testing awaiting both OEMs and
step of the autonomous vehicle development, there Start-ups around the world.
is simply no way to manage everything manually.
Indeed, Intel calculates that 1 Petabytes of data will
be generated each day by an autonomous vehicle.
That is where SimManager, the simulation
management platform of MSC, comes into play to
store the generated data and appropriately label
them for easy access at any stage. With such a
well-organized collection of data, to find out the
“needle in the haystack” (such as “extract all
simulations with rain”) is like child’s play and to
compute meaningful performance indexes (such as
“average time to collision”) becomes a no-brainer.

Volkswagen Group:
Leveraging VIRES VTD
to Design a Cooperative
Driver Assistance System
By Dr. Kai Franke, Development Online Driver
Assistance Systems, Volkswagen AG

“A combination of ADTF, VTD,
and OMNet++ allows us to do a
host of experiments to test and
validate cooperative driver
assistance systems.”
the consideration of unequipped vehicle are some of

the key challenges for cooperative driving.
This article focuses on a test framework for CDAS,

which can be leveraged to master the complexity of
distributed driver assistance systems (DAS) during
the development process. A combination of ADTF
(the application prototyping framework within the
Volkswagen group), VTD (Figure 1, a simulation
tool-chain from VIRES GmbH) and OMNet++ (an
open-source component-based network simulator)
Figure 1. VIRES VTD is an open platform for developing allows us to do a host of experiments to test and
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems validate cooperative driver assistance systems.
Simulation Framework
‘C
ooperative Driving’ has attracted significant Since the development of CDAS requires at least two
attention in recent years within automobiles. interacting vehicles, the implementation and the
In order to increase the quality of signals, validation of the system necessitates a flexible test
the availability and the perception range as well as to framework for connected vehicles. Figure 2 gives an
decrease the latency and the probability of total failure, overview of the proposed architecture used within
advanced perception systems consisting of camera, this project (reference 1). The detailed description of
radar and lidar systems with vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) interfaces and functionality follows hereinafter.
communication are required. Moreover, V2V
communication enables advancements from individual A. Application
to cooperative decision making. Advanced driver
assistant systems (ADAS), which determine their A simplified illustration of the CDAS is composed of a
behavior in due consideration of the definition of planner implemented in ADTF (Automotive Data and
“cooperative behavior”, are capable of increasing the Time triggered Framework) and a controller for each
total utility of a group of cooperative vehicles. However, involved vehicle. There are three relevant interfaces
several technical issues have to be resolved on the way of the application. The first interface represents the
to deploying the first cooperative driver assistance environmental model and the current vehicle state
systems (CDAS) on our public streets. For example, provided by the simulation gateway. The second
handling the misuse of the communication channel and interface to the network enables the communication

Figure 2. Overview of the VW simulation framework
between vehicles. The last interface to the simulation The central component is the task control
gateway realizes the controllability of the vehicle. coordinating additional modules with the help of the
module manager. Additional modules are the
B. Simulation Gateway scenario with roads and vehicle information, the
traffic, the basic vehicle dynamics for internally
For each vehicle (here an example is shown for three controlled vehicles and the Image Generator (IG).
vehicles in Figure 3), the simulation gateway fulfills The virtual environment transmits its information via
among others two tasks: the modeling of the perception Ethernet on the Real Time Data Bus (RDB)
(environment and vehicle state), and the reaction to interface. Furthermore, the Simulation Control
controller outputs. The interface for the vehicle state Protocol (SCP) interface provides a mechanism for
includes, but is not limited to, the velocity, the longitudinal operating the simulation.
and lateral acceleration, and the steering wheel angle.
D. Network
C. Virtual Environment
The network simulation can emulate the
The software Virtual Test Drive (VTD) developed by communication of the application via for example,
VIRES provides the virtual environment we used. ETSI ITS G5. In order to simulate the signal damping,
the analog model uses information about line of sight
and distances between the communicating vehicles.
The RDB interface and the map of VTD (*.xodr
format) contain the required information.
Simulation Results
A. Decentralized Decision Making
An example of a merging scenario on a highway is

chosen to demonstrate the usability of the decentralized
decision making (see Figure 3). The red vehicle wants to
merge onto the highway, while the two lanes are
Figure 3. Results of the planning methods for the merging
blocked by a truck (yellow) and another vehicle (blue).
scenario of three vehicles The lane width amounts to three meters each.

“The proposed
Figure 4. Scenario for collision avoidance on oncoming traffic simulation framework
allows a flexible
Three different planning algorithms generate offers
modular combination of
for the merging scenario. It can be seen that the software components.”
planning methods (a) and (b) recommend a lane
change for the truck, while method (c) makes the
truck stay in its lane. Planner (b) starts the lane
change later than planner (a). Planner (c) solves the
conflict situation by accelerating the truck and
merging maneuver of the red vehicle behind the
truck. The diversity of the offers results from different
discretizations and different evaluation criteria. In
order to demonstrate the decentralized decision
making process, a cost function based on a fuzzy of planner, controller, and vehicle dynamics. An
logic is applied, which enables a continuous application for collision avoidance exemplarily
prioritization between comfort, driving enjoyment, demonstrates the closed loop performance (Figure 4).
efficiency, and safety. Table I illustrates the different
preferences of each vehicle. The truck focuses on As an initial scenario, a driver starts an overtaking
efficiency, the red vehicle prefers driving enjoyment, maneuver on a rural road. The driver misjudges the
and the blue vehicle prioritizes comfort. situation and the danger of a collision with the
oncoming traffic arises. An active safety system
Each vehicle comes to a different evaluation or rating detects the danger and starts/triggers the
of the offers, because of the varying preferences. cooperative maneuver planning. The detection
The varying preferences can be caused by different criterion could also be the time to collision (TTC). The
brands, different vehicle models (sedan, van or SUV), TTC is calculated as the quotient of distance and
or by an online driver monitoring system. Table II relative velocity. The calculated cooperative
shows the results of the evaluation of each plan by maneuver plan targets the completion of the
each vehicle and the result of the two proposed overtaking maneuver of the red vehicle and a
selection criteria. The selected solution (bold) deceleration of the truck and the blue vehicle.
represents the compromise of the solution options.
Plan (c) is selected by the sum criterion and plan (a) Figure 5 shows a flagging characteristic. The
is selected by the squared sum criterion. longitudinal controller has a linear increasing controller
error. This is caused by a constant velocity error. A
B. Closed Loop Simulation possible reason is that the longitudinal controller does
not model the decelerating influence of a steering
The closed loop or hardware-in-the-loop simulation maneuver. In this case the vehicle decelerates
enables a study to evaluate the control error stronger than planned. The lateral controller shows an
considering communication and calculation latencies overshooting. The vehicle stays with 50 cm maximum

Figure 5. Results of closed loop simulation
controller error in a safe condition (stays on road, no applications disable a development and later
collisions with obstacles). This error is caused by validation without considering the multi-directional
latencies and systematic errors in the feed forward influence. The proposed simulation framework allows
controller. However, systematic errors, difference a flexible modular combination of software
between vehicle dynamics model and inverted model components and considers modeling of perception,
in the feed forward controller, are made on purpose. communication, and controlling of several vehicles in
A perfect vehicle dynamics model in the feed forward a virtual environment.
controller is impossible in reality, because of for
example changing loads, changing wheel Reference
characteristics, and changing surface etc. Further
controller adaption will be done with the help of real 1. “A Cooperative Driver Assistance System:
field test. Decentralization Process and Test Framework” by Kai
Franke, Reza Balaghiasefi, Michael Düring, Hendrik-
Jörn Günther, Proc. 7th Tagung
Conclusions Fahrerassistenzsysteme Conf., 2015.
2. Source: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.rg/6361/393b-
8c4067f857bf68f8ea7b79588eb19aba.pdf
A new CDAS (Cooperative Driver Assistance System)
imposes new requirements on simulation methods.
The high degree of connectivity and interaction of the

Hexagon’s Smart Factory
Opens its Doors
By Brian Shepherd, Senior Vice President
Software Solutions, Hexagon
Manufacturing Intelligence
I
n June 2018 we announced at HxGN LIVE in Las includes cyber-physical systems, the Internet of
Vegas that Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence is Things (IoT), cloud computing and cognitive
building an ambitious new strategy around Smart computing. The previous three revolutions were
Factory Solutions. What does that mean for you, mechanization in the 18th century, mass production
our MSC Software customers? For a start, it is in the early 20th century and computing and robotic
important to recognize that we are going through a automation in the late 20th century. The term ‘smart
fourth industrial revolution called Industry 4.0. This is factory’ is a convenient overall term for a set of
the name given to the current trend of automation industry initiatives that our customers are pursuing
and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. It to deploy new advanced technologies and digital

transformation across the entire enterprise to drive plenty of data, in fact some of you are drowning
the next wave of productivity and quality in massive volumes of data, but the challenge
improvements in product manufacturing. Capgemini, you face is how to use this data to create value.
an Industry Analyst company, calculated in a 2017 The ‘digital thread’ assists in breaking down
report that Smart Factories could add up to $1 these silos, letting the data flow smoothly
trillion in value to the global economy by 2022. As through your organization to the teams and
well as new technologies, I believe a mindset tools that need it in order to make decisions
change is coming. and take action. An example of this is Hexagon
Manufacturing Intelligence’s integrated
Let’s take a look at a few of our Hexagon Smart manufacturing cell offering where we are
Factory technology initiatives in some more detail: breaking down the silo around metrology
information and flowing product quality data
1. An important element of a ‘smart factory’ is “upstream” in the manufacturing process to
Connected Devices. Everyone has heard of the make corrections and improvements to the
‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) when it comes to manufacturing process, yielding even better
consumer devices like thermostats, light bulbs, product quality on subsequent parts. Another
and smart refrigerators in our homes. But this example of this is Hexagon Manufacturing
concept also makes sense for our customers like Intelligence’s Die Build Improvement project.
you as you seek to use advanced new Here we will combine cloud-of-point inspection
technology to connect all of your devices in your data from metrology with CAE tools from MSC
factory so that you can monitor and control them and Forming Technologies Inc. (FTI) to more
remotely, and, by looking at production data and quickly and accurately calculate the die face
sensor trends even predict when the machines geometry needed to correct for springback in a
will need servicing. die set (see the FTI forming simulation
2. Another important ‘smart factory’ descriptor is prediction on the next page). Further
the so-called ‘Digital Thread’, a simple, but capitalizing on our ‘digital thread’ and breadth
powerful, concept of connecting sources of of products, we will pass that geometry to our
data to consumers of that data in order to CAD/CAM production software in Vero to
create value. Today, many of you our customers create a new cutting routine for the machine
have various silos of information. You have tool to cut the corrected die set.

3. Another promising technology under the ‘smart
factory’ umbrella is Artificial Intelligence (AI)
– sometimes called machine learning (ML). As
ordinary consumers, we see AI/ML in practice
every day with technologies like dynamic routing
in navigation systems, face recognition in social
media apps, and fraud detection in credit card
transactions. Our customers want to use the
advanced mathematical techniques of AI/ML to
analyze the massive amounts of data that you
have collected over time in order to gain some
insight, make some predictions, and potentially
even take direct autonomous action without
human intervention.
FTI Forming Simulation of an automotive metal panel
At Hexagon, our newly announced Xalt framework
provides a powerful technology base for us to
expand on our metrology, CAD/CAM and CAE
solutions and help solve our customers’ most
important problems. That is the goal of our new
Smart Factory Solutions team that I lead. With you,
our customer’s help, I believe that we can transform
current industrial age factories and processes into
highly productive and increasingly autonomous
‘smart factories’ of the future. The factories of the
future must be flexible, modular working
environments with data-driven ecosystems that
embed agility and quality into every phase of the
production process.
We, at Hexagon, have backed up our ‘Smart

Factory’ strategy by investing approximately €90
million in a new 52,000-square-meter, state-of-the-
art production facility in Hongdao, China, that we
announced in 2017 to demonstrate and embody our
initiative. It will be completed in 2020. The new site,
which will primarily produce metrology systems for Hexagon’s Xalt, the backbone of our Digital Thread strategy,
our Manufacturing Intelligence division, utilizes for Connectivity – Automation – Monitoring – Insights
Hexagon’s smart manufacturing technologies to
produce and calibrate the systems, as well as house
software development and customer support teams
covering our wider Hexagon portfolio.
Finally, I believe that three words will encompass the

Smart Factory in future:
Responsive. Agile. Connected.
If you want to know more about this exciting

initiative, do contact me directly or visit HxGN LIVE
2019 in Las Vegas to hear of our exciting new
product releases in this area.

Predicting the
Acoustic Signature
of Electric Vehicle Powertrains
By Yijun Fan, Global Automotive Application Manager &
Romain Baudson, Actran Product Marketing Manager,
MSC Software
Figure 1. Electric
Vehicles Reduce
CO2 Emissions

“With the emergence of
hybrid and electric vehicles, the
automotive industry is also
facing new Noise, Vibration and
Harshness challenges.”
S
ince 2010 the global Electric Vehicle (EV) only by changing the technology that powers
market has been growing rapidly. Different passenger cars and by moving to the electrification
electrical vehicle technologies have been of powertrains (Figure 1).
introduced, from the Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) to
the Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV). According to projections, With the emergence of hybrid and electric vehicles,
BEV and PHEV will be the dominant technologies in the automotive industry is also facing new Noise,
the coming years, with a larger proportion of BE Vibration and Harshness (NVH) challenges. The
Vehicles in the field. In other words, we will face a removal of both engine and transmission when
complete change of landscape in the way passenger compared to conventional internal combustion
cars will be powered with a removal of Internal engine cars will make the vehicle a lot quieter.
Combustion Engine (ICE) technologies. To However, previously hidden noise sources will then
understand this growth, one needs to look at become more dominant with a potentially annoying
government and state regulations. Indeed, all major effect on customers, for example, HVAC noise and
automotive markets in the world do have emissions Tire/Road noises. Besides these traditional types of
regulations in place aiming at reducing CO2 noise, electric vehicles also show new noise types
emissions and improving vehicle fuel economy. originating from the electric powertrain which
Taking a closer look at the European CO2 regulation includes the electric motor and the gear reduction
for instance, it can be seen that the year 2020 will be system. It is more challenging to accurately predict
affected by the entrance of a new C02 emission these new types of noise because they are usually
target together with an excess emissions premium generated at a higher frequency level than before,
being applied to manufacturers failing to meet it. This plus other non-traditional powertrain physics types
new regulation will actually demand a 27% emission like electromagnetics need to be captured during the
reduction from all OEMs, which will be achievable computer engineering simulation analyses.
Figure 2: Noise Prediction in an Internal Combustion Engine Car

Workflow Solution: EV Powertrain A co-simulation methodology developed at MSC
Acoustic Analysis Software allows engineers to perform modeling
within an MBD interface (Adams) to get initial
Electric Vehicle powertrains usually consist of an results and impressions of the acoustic behavior
electric motor and a gear reduction system without manually exporting the results into
(Reference 1). In order to accurately predict the noise acoustics software. Typical acoustic results are
generated by the entire electric powertrain, dynamics computed in the background via an acoustics
performance and acoustic behavior need to be solver (Actran), and displayed in the MBD interface,
studied together for both the electric motor and the including the acoustic pressure evolution at
gear reducer. selected positions and the creation of audible
acoustic wave files for listening to the sound. Such
1. Gear Reducer: Assessing Gear Rattle and relatively new workflows can greatly reduce the
Gear Whine Noise time and cost to conduct acoustic analysis on
moving mechanisms like a gearbox, allowing for
Both gear rattle and gear whine noises are the result more iterations in the same time than with
of specific forces being applied on the gear conventional methods. Indeed, the methodology
mechanism. While rattling noise is an impact- fully automates this workflow into a single
induced noise generated by the unloaded gear pairs, simulation environment by embedding an acoustic
whine noise can stem from different factors that solver into an MBD tool (Figure 3). If deemed
include the change in tooth stiffness, tooth surface necessary, acoustic engineers can also perform a
imperfection, or the transmission error resulting from more detailed analysis by investigating acoustic
the tooth deformation. In order to capture these maps or further post-process results and analyze
physics behaviors in a systems model, engineers the acoustic frequency content of their results.
need the correct tool to predict dynamic loads
generation, structural vibration and the acoustic 2. Electric Motor Noise
radiation of the gear mechanism. The traditional
engineering simulation workflow (Figure 2) for such Noise radiation from an electro-magnetic motor is
analysis involves a sequential application of a driven by the structure of the motor that vibrates due
multi-body dynamics (MBD) tool, a finite element to the internal electro-magnetic forces in the air gap
analysis (FEA) tool, and finally acoustic software, between the rotor and stator of the motor. Indeed, if
which could be fairly time-consuming especially the frequency of the radial forces on the stator teeth
when dealing with multiple changes in the design. are close to, or equal to, any of the natural
Figure 3. Integrated acoustic toolkit

inside the MSC Adams environment

Figure 4. Electric Motor Noise Prediction Workflow
frequencies of the stator frame, resonance of the on a weak coupling between the three steps of the
stator will occur. This leads to deformation of the process; respectively the predictive computation of
stator which ultimately causes vibrations and electromagnetic forces, structural vibrations and
generates the noise. Assessing the noise radiated by acoustic radiation. This multiphysics workflow has
an electric powertrain therefore requires co- been used to validate electric vehicle electrical
simulation analysis of structural vibrations induced by powertrain designs at Renault. It relies on the
the electromagnetic forces (Figure 4). integration between 2D electro-magnetic simulation
software, structural deformation in MSC Nastran,
A hybrid engineering simulation methodology (see and then Actran for the acoustic prediction. This
Figure 5) for predicting electric motor noise has been workflow permits the Renault NVH team to simulate
created by Renault in France (Reference 1) that relies the acoustic radiated power of an EV powertrain at
different RPMs up to 10kHz in order to validate the
design of their electric motor.
Summary
Car buyers generally have a very high expectation of

low noise levels for electric vehicles. Predicting the
acoustic behavior of their electric powertrain involves
the study of the noise generation mechanisms for
both the electric motor and the gear reduction
system. This article illustrates a very clear workflow
for engineers to analyze the noise generated by both
the electric motor and also the gear reducer,
leveraging multidisciplinary computer-aided
engineering analyses using MSC Software tools. The
expertise generated helps auto OEMs and suppliers
improve the acoustic signature of their electric
vehicle powertrains.
Reference
1. “Numerical methodologies to address electromagnetic

noise at each phase of development of electric machines”
Figure 5. Workflow for Electric Motor Noise prediction by G. Fritz and H. Mechmeche, SIA International
by Renault Conference, Automotive NVH Comfort, 2014

Adams-EDEM Co-simulation for
Predicting Military Vehicle
Mobility on Soft Soil
By Brian Edwards, Vehicle Dynamics Group,
Pratt and Miller Engineering, USA

M
ultibody Dynamics (MBD) models of DEM allows for particles to break down or separate
wheeled and tracked vehicles can be from the material bed, and can easily represent
validated and used to predict behavior on particles of varying size and shape. Different particle
hard surfaces for a wide variety of events. However, types may be mixed together to obtain a non-
when the vehicle is simulated over a deformable homogenous material, or layered on top of each
terrain, no current methodology can fully represent other as needed. Since the particles dynamically act
the dynamic interactions of the vehicle and the soft in 3-D, lateral bulldozing effects, soil accumulation on
soil. When designing a vehicle, engineers will often wheels or tracks, as well as vertical surface features
resort to using their past experience with physical like hills can be easily represented by the soil model.
testing to predict how the vehicle will behave once it Additionally, the particles may be compacted once or
leaves the hard road surface. Only when the vehicle multiple times to provide a variety of soil conditions.
is built and tested, can they obtain the actual data
for how the vehicle performs over soft soils. And for Integration of MBD and
many low-rate or expensive vehicles, the prototype DEM Models
may actually be the end product as well, requiring
major modifications to the physical vehicle once In order to simultaneously solve an existing MBD
off-road testing is performed. Accurately modeling vehicle model with a separate DEM soil model, co-
the terramechanics is key to understanding the simulation is required to allow each solver to accurately
mobility characteristics of off-road vehicles, and calculate the dynamic behavior of the vehicle-soil
understanding how changes to the vehicle and interactions (Figure 1). The forces and displacements of
terrain will impact the dynamic behavior. the MBD/DEM objects must be shared between each
program, via a structured interface that connects and
Discrete Element Models (DEM) represent the soil as manages the communication.
individual particles, with complete free body motion
between other particles as well as any physical When integrating an MBD model with a soft-soil
objects they encounter. DEM is a particle-scale EDEM model, the traditional vehicle-road forces are
numerical method for modeling the bulk behavior of replaced with corresponding forces between the
granular materials and many geomaterials, including vehicle and the soil particles. The MBD model
coal, ores, soil, rocks, aggregates, pellets, tablets supplies geometry locations at each integration step,
and powders. EDEM® from DEM Solutions is one of and the EDEM model then calculates the particle
the leading solutions in this space. forces acting on the equipment parts based on the
Figure 1. Adams-EDEM Co-simulation

Figure 3. Adams model of HMMWV
discrete particle model employed. The resultant force After the MSC Adams MBD model is validated, the
on each geometry is then communicated back to the next step is to determine which geometries will
MBD model, which uses the forces during the potentially come into contact with the soft soil. For a
subsequent dynamic time step. wheeled vehicle, this might be as simple as the four
tires. In contrast, a tracked vehicle will require many
Model Preparation for more contact geometries, including the track
Co-Simulation segments, connectors, wheels, and hull. For each of
the Adams parts containing the corresponding
The first step towards integrating an MBD model with geometry, a GFORCE element is created which will
a DEM soil model is to validate each model within its hold the force value calculated by the EDEM soil model.
own domain. By isolating this initial verification phase,
each model can be tested independently to ensure The EDEM soft-soil particles must be configured to
the behavior meets the desired specifications. represent the desired MBD-EDEM testing scenario.
For instance, if a flat terrain is desired, then the
appropriate dimension of the particle bed needs to be
determined. The width should be enough to ensure
that any lateral particle displacement does not build
up against the side boundaries, and the length should
be long enough to perform the vehicle maneuver.
Once the EDEM particles are prepared, the vehicle

geometries exported from the Adams model are then
imported into EDEM. The geometries are imported
such that a single EDEM geometry is created for
each corresponding Adams part.
With the Adams and EDEM models ready for

Figure 2. Adams - EDEM setup workflow simulation, the final step is to define a

communication protocol for the integration of the models. The Adams
Co-Simulation Interface (ACSI) is a framework that provides the
topological interface between Adams and other software via a
configuration script and corresponding glue code. The ACSI controls the
co-simulation, allowing for asynchronous communication and various
interpolation and extrapolation algorithms.
Figure 4. Double hill terrain in EDEM
When the ACSI interface is started, the configuration file supplied will define
how the Adams and EDEM models share data at each communication
step. The Adams model will provide the location of each GFORCE, and the
EDEM model will then assign that location to the corresponding EDEM
geometry. Based on this geometry displacement, the EDEM solver will
calculate the bulk behavior of the soil particles, and determine the
composite particle force and moment on each EDEM geometry object. This
force is then communicated back through the ACSI which assigns the
values to the corresponding GFORCE elements. These forces are then
included in the next dynamic time step the Adams solver takes.
Model Definitions Figure 5. HMMWV on flat terrain

at 20kph
Two separate Adams vehicle models were defined for the original paper: a
wheeled vehicle, and a tracked vehicle. In this article we are going to talk
about the wheeled vehicle only. An EDEM ground material model was
developed and used for all the different co-simulations.
A. Adams Wheeled Vehicle Model
An Adams model of a HMMWV (Humvee, see Figure 3) was used for

development and validation. This HMMWV Adams model had been
previously used for hard surface simulations, and the behavior verified Figure 6. HMMWV on single hill
using various test maneuvers. The initial integration with the EDEM particle at 20kph
model included only the four tires as contact objects with the terrain;
subsequently, the body and certain exposed suspension elements were
also exported for use during co-simulation.
B. EDEM Ground Material Model
Extensive testing and correlation has been performed by EDEM users to

define particles that match the behavior of the desired physical soil. To aid
Figure 7. HMMWV on double hill
users in obtaining particle models that behave as desired, EDEM provides at 60kph
the GEMM Material Database, where users can lookup pre-defined
materials based on three inputs: the scale of the application; the angle of
repose; and the bulk density of the material. Finally, the EDEM Soil Starter
Pack provides eight sample out-of-the-box materials with different ranges
of compressibility and stickiness.
Figure 4 shows a double hill terrain configuration used for both the
HMMWV and Tank Adams models. To create this test case, the Adams
road surface was imported into EDEM, and then a fixed quantity of
particles was dropped onto the road, with the particles forming a natural
rounded hill based on the material properties. The same amount of Figure 8. HMMWV on 30 percent
particles was then dropped onto the road at a fixed offset location, side slope at 25kph

creating the second rounded hill in the background, gradient. At this point the hard surface ends and the
which has a slightly higher peak than the first hill. soft soil begins. The steering controller in the Adams
model is set to try and maintain a straight-line while on
Simulation Results the side-slope. Figure 8 demonstrates the vehicle
behavior as it leaves the hard surface and enters the
The Adams HMMWV model was simulated over a material bed. The vehicle initially slides down the slope
variety of soft-soil terrains, using the same EDEM as the steering reacts to the lessened traction
particle model in each case. The first maneuver is available, and compensates until the vehicle begins to
the HMMWV traversing a flat particle bed as shown recover towards the desired straight-line path.
in Figure 5.
Co-Simulation Results
The HMMWV was then run over a single hill at various
speeds to investigate the ability to traverse the obstacle, A. HMMWV Results
as well as the power required during the event. Figure 6
shows the HMMWV at 20kph trying to climb the hill, Two of the simulation results for the HMMWV model
and getting the front wheels stuck in the soft soil. are discussed below. First, for the vehicle traveling
across the flat terrain; second, when the HMMWV is
At a high speed, the HMMWV becomes airborne as it traversing the 30% side slope.
crests the hill. Based off this behavior, the HMMWV was
run over the double hill at various speeds, with the One important validation step was to compare the
vehicle impacting the ground at different points based tire forces when the vehicle is on the hard surface,
on the velocity. When running at 60kph as shown in against the forces when it is crossing the soft soil.
Figure 7, the HMMWV lands just before the crest of the Figure 9 shows the forces between the left rear tire
second hill, with the impact “splashing” the soil particles. and ground during the entirety of the simulation. Up
until around time=1sec, the HMMWV is on the hard
In order to run the HMMWV on a side-slope, the surface, and the tire forces are calculated through
vehicle starts out on a level hard road surface, which the standard Adams Tire routines (shown in red). As
then gradually rotates until it reaches the desired slope the vehicle transitions onto the soft soil, the Adams
Figure 9. HMMWV tire and particle forces

Figure 10. HMMWV on 30% side slope
Tire forces go to zero, and the EDEM particle forces onto the soft soil, and the vehicle’s ability to maintain a
(shown in blue) begin to carry the load. After an initial straight-line course once on the EDEM particles.
transient phase, the vehicle stabilizes and the
contact forces calculated by the EDEM particles are The simulation begins with the HMMWV on a flat, hard
equivalent to the tire forces on the hard surface. road surface, at a constant speed of 25kph. At time
3.75 seconds, the hard surface begins to gradually
As the HMMWV exits the material bed, there is a roll, until at about a time of 5.5 seconds the 30% side
spike in the EDEM particle force, due to a localized slope is achieved. The vehicle continues on the hard
particle effect at the transition from soft soil to hard side slope road until around time 7.6 seconds, at
surface (a scaled soil particle which was pushed which point the hard surface ends and the soft soil
onto the hard surface is traversed). Once the vehicle begins. The EDEM particle bed was positioned to
returns to the hard surface, the tire forces again are match the slope of the hard surface to the soft soil;
calculated by the Adams Tire method. however, as seen in Figure 10 there is a transient
response as the vehicle enters the deformable terrain.
The HMMWV side slope maneuver (slope downward
from right-to-left) provided an opportunity to As the front wheels of the HMMWV enter the particle
investigate the behavior of the vehicle as it transitioned bed, the vehicle initially yaws to the left while the rear
“The process of co-simulating

the Adams MBD vehicle alongside
the EDEM DEM soil model
introduces a new dimension to
the established procedure.”

introduces a new dimension to the established
procedure for verifying DEM soil properties. When
the entire solution is performed inside a DEM
environment, the force/displacement interactions are
all internally computed. With the Adams-EDEM
co-simulation, each software solves its own
equations, communicating the displacements and
forces at the established communication intervals.
Additionally, the dynamics of the vehicle can
generate rapidly changing displacements and force
values between the vehicle and soil particles.
A testing procedure has been proposed (reference 1)

Figure 11. Adams-EDEM test rig for soil parameter
for validating the Adams-EDEM implementation. The
characterization test rig will be created inside an Adams MBD model,
with the pressure/force also being defined in Adams.
The test rig geometry will be exported from Adams
and imported into EDEM, and then filled with the
wheels are still on the hard surface. Once the entire desired soil particles (see Figure 11). The Adams-
vehicle is on the soft soil, it begins to drift down the EDEM co-simulation will then run, applying the
slope, and the steering controller increases the angle specified force or pressure to the plate, with the
to return to a straight line course, causing the vehicle Adams simulation results post-processed to generate
to yaw in the opposite direction. At the end of the the corresponding Bekker-Wong parameters.
simulation, the yaw has stabilized and the steering
angle is maintained at about 50 degrees to travel in a Reference
straight direction.
1. “Co-Simulation of MBD models with DEM code to
B. Correlation of Adams-EDEM Soil Properties predict mobility on soft soil”, Brian Edwards, NDIA
Ground Vehicles Systems Engineering and Technology
with Bekker-Wong Parameters Symposium, 2018, Michigan USA.
The process of co-simulating the Adams MBD

vehicle model alongside the EDEM DEM soil model,

MSC Apex and Hexagon PPM
Smart 3D Integration
A Complete Engineering Solution for the Shipbuilding Industry
By Bhoomi Gadhia, Product Marketing Manager, MSC Software
F
rom recreational craft, to tankers, to ships built for Hexagon PPM’s Intergraph Smart 3D provides all of the
defense and homeland security, modern capabilities needed to design ship structures and
shipbuilders are creating enormously complex maintain their 3D “as-built” representations.
systems. Driven by market pressures to control
production, reduce operating costs, address Engineers typically try to predict stress distribution
environmental concerns, ensure safety, and increase throughout the structure and the final assembly
human comfort, manufacturers look to reduce material capacity to carry loads. The structure’s performance is
costs, design, and development costs. then typically optimized through design iterations.
Engineers will then either affect the shape or position
Shipbuilding industries are required to maintain their 3D of load bearing members to change the overall load
“as-built” representations. Most of these massive path through the structures. Until recent years,
assemblies require many manual parts, welded together. engineers in the shipbuilding industries have not
Because of the complex representation, they share typically used finite element analysis but relied on
some of the same design engineering characteristics. hand-calculations and assumptions.

Virtual prototyping solutions, such as MSC Apex, By integrating Hexagon PPM Smart 3D with MSC
ensure safety and reliability and helps make the design Apex, a complete engineering solution is provided.
and verification process faster and more efficient. This MSC Apex Scripting Technology translates the Smart
not only saves considerable cost, but also allows users 3D CAD data of the ship model into CAE specific
to gain deeper understanding of the product behavior geometry model that will be consumed within MSC
and improve the designs well before production. Apex to build a simulation model.
MSC Apex automates many time-consuming tasks Hexagon PPM Smart 3D exports the CAD model in
such as creating mid-surfaces, applying appropriate Neutral XML format. This XML file contains the midsurface
thicknesses, as well as properties to mid-surfaced geometry of 3D solid parts as surfaces represented as
geometries. MSC Apex also makes it easy to parasolid surfaces in MSC Apex, stiffeners, and beam-like
connect parts together, whether they are mesh- structures represented with curves that are rendered with
dependent or mesh-independent, using the edge tie 1D beam spans into MSC Apex.
or glue contact capability. The automation of the
defeature operation for any standard or user defined Along with the parts and assemblies, materials and
features is also a one-click process with MSC Apex’s other properties, beam definitions are also brought
scripting technology. into MSC Apex using scripting.

Below is a process chart showing a ship section This integration between Hexagon PPM Smart 3D
demonstration of the Smart 3D integration with MSC with MSC Apex scripting technology, provides a next
Apex. Hexagon PPM Smart 3D CAD model XML level engineering solution. MSC Apex Scripting
data is processed by MSC Apex scripts and a Technology automates the translation of the Smart3D
geometry model is created. This geometry model is CAD data of the ship model into a CAE specific
imported into MSC Apex with material properties and geometry model. This can then be used within MSC
beam definitions extracted from an XML file. This Apex to build a simulation model. Smart 3D and MSC
model is then connected using mesh-dependent or Apex allows interoperability of different 3D models that
mesh-independent connections within MSC Apex can be streamlined with CAD and CAE without having
and different finite element analyses are performed to go through a full project conversion.
on these structures.

Using Multiphysics
to Understand
Marine Animal Behavior
By Dr. Keith Hanna, MSC Software
K
nowledge of our ocean depths and how marine organisms adapt
to life under water is still developing in terms of what we know of
the underlying science. Two recent studies by MSC Software
users, Kindai University in Japan, and Maine Marine Composites LLC in
the USA, have helped to throw some interesting light on the true nature of
the lives and struggles of bluefin tuna and leatherback turtles respectively.
CFD Uncovers the True Nature of Bluefin Tunas,

the ‘Diamonds of the Sea’
Professor Tsutomu
Pacific Bluefin Tunas (thunnus orientalis) are beautiful large fish known as
Takagi from Kindai “the diamonds of the sea” and their nature is to swim freely in the ocean.
University This makes close examination of their behaviors difficult which is why little
(Laboratory of
Fisheries Production of their biological characteristics has truly been explored. Professor
System, Department Tsutomu Takagi from Kindai University, Faculty of Agriculture, has been
of Fisheries, Faculty
of Agriculture)
applying CFD fluid analysis using scFLOW from MSC Software to reveal
the mysterious nature of these animals.
Bluefin tunas are the most prized fish from the tuna family by fishermen and
chefs. In 2002, Kindai University even succeeded in farm-raising this special
fish and named the breed ‘Kindai tuna’ which attracted wide public attention
for the species. Professor Takagi then started to take an interest in this
beautiful creature after noting that biological data for bluefin tunas in the wild
have not yet been fully collected. He decided to use the fluid analysis software
scFLOW to investigate the true nature and unknown swimming characteristics
Dr Michel Azoulay, Sr. of fish in general, but with a particular focus on the bluefin tuna.
Technical Consultant,
Maine Marine
Composites, LLC
Tunas are large, carnivorous fish that inhabit the open seas. They are a
Portland, ME, USA perciform fish, under the scombroidei suborder, in the scombridae fish family.
Their biological classification is actually the same as mackerel and swordfish.
Besides bluefin tunas, eight other species of tuna exist, including the familiar
yellowfin tunas and bigeye tunas. Bluefin tunas are the largest in the group:
they can weigh 400kg (882lb) and be up to 3m (10ft) long. They are known

as the ‘diamonds of the sea’ and they account for only required preparing a frozen tuna (to prevent decay) and
2% of the entire tuna catch worldwide, but are traded painting the frozen fish white to minimize diffuse
in the fish markets of the world at the highest rates. reflections of the laser beam used (see figure 1).
Professor Takagi and his team decided to use fluid
analysis software to investigate bluefin tunas’ swimming Using CFD, Professor Takagi calculated the drag on a
capabilities to understand this fascinating fish better. gliding 34-cm (1.1-feet) long tuna to be 5gf (0.355pdl).
This is the same drag as a 5-mm (0.2-inch) diameter,
Tunas can swim very fast reaching speeds of nearly 15-cm (a half-foot) long cylinder. For a 100-cm tuna,
90km/h (56mph) although slower ones, such as the the drag was 400gf (28.4pdl). This is equal to the drag
yellowfin tuna, swim at 75km/h (47mph). As a of a 30-mm (1.2-inch) diameter, 15-cm (a half-foot) long
comparison, Indo-Pacific sailfishes, which are known to cylinder. These CFD results demonstrated that the
be the fastest marine creature, can swim at a tuna’s drag is relatively low regardless of the body size.
phenomenal 108km/h (68mph). In terms of the body
length speed per second, yellowfin tunas are at 20BL/s Professor Takagi conducted a CFD simulation that
(BodyLengths/s) and the Indo-Pacific sailfishes are at accounted for the movement of the tail (figure 2)
15BL/s, which indicates that tunas are one of the using the moving body capability in scFLOW. He
fastest, medium sized fish species in the world. created a smooth virtual representation of a moving
tuna by recording a video of a real tuna and
Considering their speed and ability to swim long approximated the real world motion of each point on
distances, the fluid drag force on a tuna’s body was the body with periodic functions. This enabled him to
thought to be small. But an unanswered question was: investigate the motion of the bluefin tunas further,
how can a tuna’s drag force be measured or such as identifying its tail thrust and analyzing the
calculated? To test a live tuna in an underwater outward movement of its pectoral fins, which
environment, Professor Takagi would need a tank that effectively function as wings underwater.
was large enough for the fish to swim. Such a tank
would also need the capability to change the fluid he pectoral fin is essential for the swimming ability of
T
velocity and attaching a resistance board to the fish tunas, as it generates the lifting force. Although tunas
would also be needed. Convinced that the results possess swim bladders inside their bodies, the
would be inaccurate, even if the research team did bladders do not fully sustain the upward force needed
manage to conduct such a test, Professor Takagi to keep them buoyant. This is one of the reasons why
explored the application of computational fluid analysis tunas must keep swimming constantly. They use a
tools. Professor Takagi created a virtual model of a tuna similar mechanism underwater as airplanes use to
by scanning a real fish using a 3D scanner. It sounds produce lift in air. Professor Takagi’s CFD simulations
easy, but modeling the fish was a demanding task. It clearly showed that substantial lift can be generated
Bluefin tuna (source: Wikipedia.org) Figure 1: A frozen tuna being scanned on a 3D scanner in
Prof Takagi’s laboratory with resultant geometry and
surface mesh representation

by moving the tuna’s pectoral fins outward. In materials, which unfortunately leads to turtles getting
addition, tunas can streamline their bodies to minimize entangled in mooring lines and cables more and more.
drag by tucking their pectoral fins into the indentions Lately, this phenomenon has been happening more
on the sides of their bodies. The caudal peduncles are frequently, yet little is known about how this occurs.
the bumps attached to the root of the tunas’ tails and Moreover, it is difficult to measure and (reference 2)
they also function as minuscule wings. nearly 4,500 turtles a year are estimated to be part of
‘bycatch’ as they get entangled with mooring lines. The
“For the larger migratory fish such as the Indo-Pacific burning question for MMC was: with the scant
sailfishes, two layers of caudal peduncles are attached information researchers have about entanglement,
to its body just like a biplane. It’s fascinating that the what can they do to remedy this problem and help the
reasons and purposes behind the designs of living turtles with simulation software?
organisms become evident when I look at it from the
fluid-analysis perspective,” comments Professor Takagi. Without proper measurement, simulating a reality
we’re unfamiliar with, that is, humans are rarely there
MSC Adams Helps Save Tangled the moment turtles get entangled, but engineering
Leatherback Turtles simulation software is a great alternative to help us to
understand the physics of what is going on. As
Do you like to go fishing in your spare time? Many of us researchers, MMC turned to MSC Adams, the
do … but the consequences for marine animals other world’s leading multibody dynamics software, to help
than the fish that we want to catch may be harmful. understand what might be happening in this situation
and therefore find a solution. They used Adams to
You’ve probably never even thought about turtles when develop a computer simulation model of a turtle
going on a boat outing in certain locations around the swimming and then its entanglement behavior with a
world, but mooring lines and aquaculture gear can floating mooring line. It accurately mimicked the
affect them to the extent of killing them because they behavior of adult leatherback sea turtles
get caught up in the line and can’t escape. Fishermen (Dermochelys coriacea) using this approach
like to increase their fishing efficiency using synthetic (reference 3-4). Through the successful reproduction
Figure 2: scFLOW CFD analysis prediction of body surface Leatherback Turtle (source: Wikipedia.org)
pressure on a bluefin tuna with the tail in motion
t= t= t=
5 sec 10 sec 14 sec
of the turtle and its movements the MMC team was able to drastically
increase the bending stiffness of the mooring in hopes of preventing future
entanglement. Ultimately, the Adams computer model led to
recommendations for an advanced mooring line which will reduce the
number of entanglement cases. The result MMC hope will be many fewer
turtles getting stuck and more of these beautiful creatures being saved for
posterity. A tool like MSC Adams can therefore assist designers of
advanced mooring and fishing line technology to reduce the number of
leatherback turtle entanglement events (see reference 5 for the full story).
References
1. Bluefin Tuna Case Study: https://www.cradle-cfd.com/casestudy/user_
interview/0000000019
2. “Simulation of marine entanglement a software tool used to predict
entanglement of leatherback turtles” by Michael MacNicoll, Richard Akers and
Clifford Goudey, Oceans 2017 Conference, Anchorage, USA
3. Leatherback Turtle Adams Entanglement simulation: https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=7tlBn_jcl28\
4. Leatherback Turtle Entanglement Webinar:
5. http://www.mscsoftware.com/events_assets/Webcasts/2018_Webinars/
save-marine-life-simulate-entanglement-of-leatherback-sea-turtles-using-
adams-embedded-nonlinearity.html
Figure 3: MSC Adams MBD model of a Leatherback Turtle, an entanglement event

timeline with a mooring line, the predicted entanglement end point after
entanglement and a typical photo of an actual turtle after entanglement
Figure 4: MSC Adams MBD analysis of a Leatherback Turtle entanglement motion

over 19 seconds with a floating mooring line
t= t=
16 sec 19 sec

Efficient
Rotordynamic Analysis
using the Superelement
Approach for an Aircraft Engine
in MSC Nastran
By Yves Fournier, Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp., Canada

“Exploration of new aeroengine
configurations drives unseen and
complex dynamic behavior which
requires advanced simulation
techniques that provide high
levels of accuracy.”
I
n response to an increasing demand for rapid aero-engine configurations drives unseen and
prototyping, aerospace and automotive industry complex dynamic behavior which requires advanced
leaders are taking advantage of new simulation simulation techniques that provide high levels of
techniques to deliver high quality products that are accuracy. As the original and most trusted FEA
safe, reliable, and cost efficient. Simulation plays an solver that has been widely used by major aerospace
important role in product development, helping companies, MSC Nastran provides highly accurate
engineers make early design changes and avoid any and reliable Rotordynamic solutions to examine the
negative surprises down the road. This is especially behavior of rotating machinery.
true for design and analysis of many aerospace and
automotive structures, including those that consist of Due to complexity of the parts, the modeling
rotating components i.e. jet engines, turbo approach chosen for rotating components depends
machinery, centrifuges etc. Exploration of new on various variables such as the computational
resources available, required accuracy, and the type
of elements used for the rotor geometry. Traditional
methods (reference 1) are based on a simplified
representation of the model through use of 1D beam
elements for shafts and point masses for disks (see
Figure 1). While limited in accuracy, capturing the
effects of large flexible disks and the complex
geometry of rotors while properly representing the
models, they are still common in the industry today.
A better approach that has recently been used by
Pratt and Whitney is to analyze large engine models
Figure 1: The four types of Rotordynamic structural

modeling approaches being used today
Figure 2: Explanation of Superelements in the context of an

Aircraft Assembly

with high-fidelity two-dimensional (2D) axisymmetric
harmonic and three-dimensional (3D) shell and solid
elements. In spite of staggering advances in
computation, however, the so-called FE rotor models
are still considered to be quite large. For example,
when transitioning from the traditional 1D to the fully
3D rotor model, model size can increase by three
orders of magnitude. Even with today’s modern
computational systems, the amount of time required
to solve linear Rotordynamic models can stretch to
hours and days (see Table below). Furthermore, a
detailed Rotordynamic study generally covers a
series of analyses to determine stability (complex
eigenvalues), quantify unbalance loads (frequency
response), and also predict the performance of Figure 3: PT-6 Engine, 3D CAD model, Rotor FEA Model and
Engine Casing Model in MSC Nastran
bearings / dampers (nonlinear transient response).
The expense of rotordynamic simulations motivated

us to use model reduction techniques that are
available in MSC Nastran. Particularly the use of linear combination of its dynamic modes. Each
‘External Superelements’. An External SE is a superelement can be viewed as a standalone model
component of the structure that has been reduced and can be processed independently
to its boundary in a separate solution and it can be
attached to any matching nodal interfaces of the MSC Nastran will create matrices for each
assembled model. Generally, these External superelement and reduce the matrices (stiffness,
Superelements are obtained by the Component damping, mass, and loading) to the exterior DOF.
Mode Synthethis method (CMS) to represent a Once all superelements have been processed, their
component by (i) its physical attachment points, (ii) reduced matrices are combined and the assembly
strategically selected interior grid points, and (iii) a solution is performed in the ‘residual structure’ (see
Figure 4: PT-6 Engine results in MSC Nastran for Bending Motions

Figure 2). Taking advantage of the SE technology in high level of accuracy. Both rotor and stator
MSC Nastran leads to reduced computational cost, assemblies were reduced adequately and their
the ability to solve very large problems, the representation error was controlled by the number of
protection of intellectual property, and the dynamic modes specified in the CMS method.
enablement of a modular model description that
promotes parallel processing (through utilization of In this project, the rotor and rotor support were
High Performance Computing, HPC). modeled and analyzed individually as a
straightforward assembly and as a whole engine
In this project (reference 2), engineers at Pratt & system for result validation purposes. We ensured
Whitney Canada and MSC Software worked as a that the bearing node pairs B1R-B1C, B2R-B2C and
team to analyze a realistic aircraft engine in which its B3R-B3C coincide. The complete engine model of
rotating structures are modeled with high-fidelity 3D the Direct approach was reduced to a number of real
solid/shell elements. This was a simplified PT6 modes using Real eigenvalue analysis. These modes
engine model used for FEA Verification & Validation were then used for the subsequent rotordynamic
(see Figure 3). A Rotor is attached to an engine analysis that included damping and skew-symmetric
casing through bearings at B1*, B2* and B3* and rotor speed dependent terms. External SE of the
includes two sets of turbines located at T1 and T2. Rotor and Casing Model were analyzed separately
For this analysis, linear stiffness and viscous and reduced to their physical boundary points and
damping coefficients were prescribed for these three dynamic modes. Assembly of the separate external
bearings. Turbine Blades were not modeled in the Rotor and Casings SEs created earlier were
analysis and the blade assembly was treated as a analyzed. In all cases, the error was less than
point mass. While the rotor model itself was expected (0.1% baseline error of the External SEs).
symmetric, the casing’s assembly which is This approach allowed the team to better understand
connected to ground at the engine mount locations the individual behavior of components as well as the
C1 and C2, was not symmetric. The dynamics of the coupling effects of the whole Rotordynamic system.
engine assembly were solved using modal frequency
response solutions inside MSC Nastran. The ultimate The MSC Nastran model for the complete engine
goal of this project was to reduce wall time for the contained a 3D rotor with 91,979 Degrees of
simulation and improve efficiency while maintaining a Freedom. The time taken to generate the SEs for this
“The time taken to

generate the Super
Elements for this rotor
model with 100 modes
reduced by 3 to 5 orders
of magnitude.”
Figure 5: PT-6 Engine results in MSC Nastran for

Bending Motions

rotor model with 100 modes reduced by 3 to 5 orders of magnitude to
1.5 minutes when using MSC Nastran 2017 on a Linux Machine with 4
GB Ram. We also used a 20 node, 4 core HPC Cluster with 120 GB RAM
for the Casing simulations. In comparison to traditional 1D elements, 3D
elements increase the model size by three to four orders of magnitude.
Solving such large 3D rotor models is not conducive to easy design and
parametric studies, especially when it comes to performing nonlinear
simulations. As an alternative, the External SE approach utilizing CMS
method has been shown to be an effective way to improve performance
without loss of accuracy. Once the External SE for a component is
created, it can be reused in different solutions with very little
computational overhead. A Modal solution with 100 modes produced the
best set of results for this case (see Figure 5).
Summary and Conclusions
In comparison to traditional 1D elements, 3D elements increase model

size by three to four orders of magnitude in aerospace rotordynamics
MSC Nastran simulations. Large computational time associated with 3D
models are not conducive to design and parametric studies or for
nonlinear analysis. An external SE approach utilizing the CMS method has
been shown to be an effective way to improve performance without loss
of accuracy for a PT-6 engine. Once the External SE for a component is
created, it can be reused in different solutions with very little
computational overhead. Simulation results revealed that the baseline
error of the External SEs amounts to less than 0.1% with associated wall
clock time reductions of 3 to 4 orders of magnitude
References
1. “Rapid Reconfiguration of Engines for Dynamics Simulation,” Kumar, D.,

Juethner, K., and Fournier, Y., SAE Technical Paper 2016-01-2017, 2016,
doi:10.4271/2016-01-2017
2. “Efficient Rotordynamic Analysis using the Superelement Approach for an
Aircraft Engine”, Y. Fournier, D. Kumar & K. Juethner, Proceedings of ASME
Turbo Expo 2017: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition, June
26-30, 2017, Charlotte NC, USA

Using scFlow
BoostHEAT Develops
the World’s Most
Efficient Boiler
By Thomas Pedot, R&D Lead, BoostHEAT, France

BoostHEAT.20 20kW Boiler for
domestic applications
T
raditional residential heating & cooling systems the residential market, we could start to reset
are designed and configured with fairly standard expectations for more ecologically minded systems,
systems and components. As a consequence, and significantly differentiate our offerings. In short
most of the systems on the market today have similar we recognized a significant business opportunity for
performance criteria, often well below the sorts of an entirely new way of doing things.
performance expectations required for the future.
BoostHEAT was founded in 2011 when we recognized Traditional heat pumps are composed of four
that this is an industry with huge potential for change. important elements in which there are fluid flows:
Increasing demands for more ecologically friendly
products, accompanying changes in regulations, and • Evaporator: Captures energy in the outside air
the on-going end customer cost pressures means • Compressor: Provides the compression of the gas
change is inevitable we believe. With our recent • Condenser: Transfers energy to the heating circuit
innovations around heat transfer, we are determined to • Regulator: Expansion valve to lower the pressure
revolutionise a traditionally very conservative market
place, reducing customers’ ecological footprint as well In a heat pump, a compressor varies refrigerant
as their utility bills. With over 5 years in the market now, pressure and temperature inside a closed chamber (see
and numerous awards and accolades, we are poised Figure 1). When connected to a heating circuit, and
to make a significant impact in the boiler market. together with condensers and evaporators, it’s possible
to capture the energy contained in the outside air and
At BoostHEAT we realised that by introducing higher then transmit it to the heating circuit, thus heating it up.
performance, more industrial grade, capabilities to The same is true in reverse of course for cooling.
Figure 1: The BoostHEAT heat

pump boiler principle

Figure 2: The BoostHEAT heat pump boiler versus
alternative boiler types
Figure 3: BoostHEAT independent audit by CRIGEN

(GDF SUEZ) in June 2013
BoostHEAT’s innovation in our boiler design, for
which we have multiple patents, is to use the energy
produced by the combustion of gas (natural or
propane) to carry out the work of the compressor. By process because we originally set out to deliver the
combining the use of gas with the heat pump cycle, world’s most efficient boiler system that could
BoostHEAT’s regenerative thermal compressor, optimize heat flux (the transfer of heat energy). New
effectively merges these technologies to achieve up physics, new materials and methods, new designs,
to 200% efficiency when compared to last generation new manufacturing processes, not to mention the
conventional condensation boilers. The result of our pressure of residential compliance regulations meant
research and development is that the boostHEAT.20, we had to gain as much insight as possible in the
our latest product, is the best-performing boiler in its shortest period of time. Without access to CFD, we
class. Its thermal compressor is frictionless (without would not have been able to ascertain the
oil) which makes it almost indestructible. complexity and performance of our new designs…
there’s simply no way we could get the details we
Our patented technology more closely integrates the need. With scFlow you can explore; it’s like we have
idea of a boiler and a heat pump in one unit and is thermocouples everywhere.
based on the Stirling Cycle such that our unique
design of a regenerative thermal compressor can Employing scFlow we worked through 20 key boiler
achieve a high temperature thermal compression design iterations, creating our ‘digital twin’. We then
cycle around 700 °C at a high pressure of 80 Bar validated our CFD predictions against physical tests
while generating very high thermal outputs. linked to our compliance needs. At each stage
Moreover, with no mechanical power transmission, we’ve achieved higher temperatures and higher
our compressors can operate for 50,000 hours pressures, with increasing correlation to physical
without any need to change oil or for maintenance, tests than previously. This momentum is important
contrary to other standard technological solutions for for us as a start-up company. CFD with MSC has
engines and compressors. The net result is a new helped us to achieve that.
generation of heat pump that better utilizes the
complete thermodynamic cycle, and produces a What about the future? If you ask our team you’ll get a
natural gas energy efficiency of up to 200% (see wry smile. We have successfully released our initial
Figure 2). In independent audits our technology has designs and we are taking orders. However, we are not
scored very highly (see Figure 3). done yet. I foresee more simulation, more multiphysics,
more optimization and more innovation is on the cards.
Obviously, innovation is key to our success. We have This is an exciting time for us as a company…
been using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools
from MSC Software in the form of scFlow (see Figure For more information on BoostHEAT the company
4). It has been pivotal in our design exploration and its products: http://www.boostheat.com/en/

Automated Correlation of
Door Sag Simulation
Using MSC Marc
By Sanjay Patil, DGM & Head, Vehicle Structure CAE &
Pranav Kulkarni, Manager CAE, Tata Motors Limited
T
ata Motors Limited is headquartered in 60,000 employees worldwide delivering over
Mumbai, India and is a multinational 9,000,000 vehicles per annum. Tata Motors has auto
automotive manufacturing company as well as manufacturing and assembly plants in six locations
a member of the Tata Group. Its products include across India, as well as in Argentina, South Africa,
passenger cars, trucks, vans, coaches, buses, sports Great Britain and Thailand. It has R&D centres in
cars, construction equipment and military vehicles. India, South Korea, the UK and Spain. Tata Motors
includes the English premium car maker, Jaguar
Tata Motors was established in 1945 and has since Land Rover (JLR), and the South Korean commercial
grown to be a $42 billion a year company with over vehicle manufacturer, Tata Daewoo.

Figure 1: Examples of door sag in automobiles
In any form of car manufacturing, ‘door sag’ (see sealing that leads to water seepage and extra cabin
Figure 1) is the term given to the permanent noise. In order to check for permanent deformation
deformation of door assemblies due to the in car doors, non-linearities need to be considered
manufacturing process not functioning correctly. during FEA simulation and this requires the use of
Door misalignment is an age-old problem that has non-linear solvers for design simulation such as MSC
evolved with time. The automotive industry, for a long Marc. Door sag is both a complex and scalable
time, has witnessed the negative impact of this problem and it needs to be checked for all the
problem on customers. Hence, with increasing underlying causes: geometric non-linearity, material
customer expectations the automotive industry has non-linearity and contact non-linearity.
become proactive in addressing this challenge.
At Tata Motors, we have developed a tried and proven
Door sag challenge leads to two deleterious effects: computer-aided engineering simulation process for
increased door closing effort, and ineffective door predicting door sag that is shown in Figure 2. However,
Figure 2: Door sag simulation process in Tata Motors

with the existing solver the door sag simulation was The Marc template automation approach we devised
taking 1 working day per simulation cycle which was allowed us to create contact bodies, a contact table,
causing delays in our workflows. We decided to use non-linear materials and Load cases with all the
MSC Marc with its preprocessor, Mentat, but we also required parameters; Gravity, Loading and Unloading.
wanted to automate the model building activities to We could therefore create a non-linear Job with all
speed up the design process. Hence, we used our necessary parameters to make the job solvable without
existing Nastran Linear analysis deck to set up the door debugging and convergence errors. This meant that
sag model so there was no need to use any other we were able to do the simulation four times faster (see
pre-processor than the existing one, Hypermesh. We Table 4 and Figure 4) and at least double our existing
defined the loads and boundary conditions in simulation productivity. The predicted results with Marc
Hypermesh and all the boundary conditions in one were also within 1-5% difference to our existing
collector. The point load for Door Sag should have ID approach which was acceptable.
104 and for applying gravity only on the door we
created a dummy force with all the nodes of the door This automated correlation of door sag using MSC
with ID 105. We then specified the Property ID for Marc therefore enables us not to have to learn a new
defining the contacts in a variable input file (see Figure tool, take less solution time and effectively have less
3) and finally we specified the non -linear material ID cost per simulation because Marc is available within
and Table ID to create non-linear materials. our Masterkey tokens. The automated design
Table 1: Door sag simulation times and numerical predictions with our existing solver versus
MSC Marc
Figure 3: HM table for Door Sag and resultant template

verification plan (DVP) execution ensures robustness However, with reduced solution time in Marc,
of our process and the quality of our results. Because program development cycle timelines were met by
this takes less solution time overall, many more leveraging our Masterkey license tokens. The
iterations can be run for optimization of door sag automation of our preprocessing activities eliminated
performance in the same amount of time as before. the need for learning of Mentat in this case and
reduced the burden of defining contact pairs.
Partners in Success
In future for Multi-Disciplinary Optimization of Closure
With MSC team, our equation is more akin to assemblies, the use of Marc will be explored and a
‘work-in-progress’ because they are proactive in similar approach will be extended to simulation of
working with us in sorting out issues and not just other projects including oil canning, denting, control
when there is a problem or a challenge, as such. pedal mounting strength, rubber and suspension
simulations among others using Marc. In so doing
In A Nutshell our FEA Analysts can focus better on result
interpretation and design recommendations instead
Door Sag simulation results with MSC Marc were of spending time on preprocessing activities.
similar to our existing proven solver approach.
Figure 4: Door sag predictions for the existing solver and MSC Marc for loading and unloading

Drilling Simulations
Enhance Well Planning
and Drilling Decisions
MSC Software Partners with Pioneer Natural Resources
to create Adams Drill Platform
By Fred Harvey, MSC Software
E
xploration for oil and gas involves drilling a well fluid is pumped through the drill pipe and up the
with a length of drill pipe attached to a Bottom wellbore to provide lubrication, cooling, and
Hole Assembly (BHA) that includes a variety of evacuation of rock cuttings from the bit. This fluid
specialized drilling tools for boring through rock, provides viscous damping and buoyancy effects to
taking measurements, managing vibrations, and the drill string, but also has a tendency to cake when
steering control. The drill string follows a trajectory left static. Mud motors convert hydraulic energy into
intended to reach a particular oil rich target zone, mechanical energy that provides torque and
often exceeding 15,000 feet from the drill rig itself. additional RPM to the drill bit. Other devices with
Since each well is unique, and the drilling process is varying degrees of sophistication are used to take
incredibly expensive, it is impractical to physically measurements, manage vibrations, and stabilize and
test the design as with traditional prototype testing. maintain directional control of the BHA. All of these
devices must be accounted for in the model in order
The drilling system is complex and includes fluid to capture the correct system behavior. As one can
systems, electrical systems, advanced control imagine, the drilling system as a whole is very
systems, mechanical drives, rig structure, and drill complex, comprised of numerous nonlinear
string in addition to Mother Nature, who contributes subsystems that interact with fluids, geology, control
to the environment with high temperatures and systems, and mechanical structure of the string itself.
pressures and a wide range of geology With such a complicated system, it is no surprise
considerations. The drill string is immersed in drilling that damaging vibrations can occur downhole with
fluid and remains in contact with the wellbore little or no indication at the surface. Physical testing
through many layers of formations, each with is not only prohibitively expensive, but the test data
different physical properties. Rotation and axial are often not available until after the drilling is
motion is controlled at the surface by electric top completed and downhole data is made available.
drive and cable systems; each with their own Even with downhole test data, it is very difficult to
mechanical, hydraulic, and control systems. Drilling comprehend what is actually happening from the

limited information available. Modeling provides an opportunity to study
the drilling system, make sense of available physical data, and estimate
behavior of future designs.
Many approaches have been used to model drilling with various degrees
of success. Finite elements are most common. On one end of the
spectrum, very simple linear structural dynamics models have proven to
be a very useful representation of the string for basic planning purposes.
Advanced nonlinear FEA models used by the major service companies
have been used to study the nonlinear drilling dysfunctions. Although
FEA is appropriate for capturing nonlinear behaviors, such models tend
to be cumbersome, computationally expensive, and are not
commercially available. Systems of equations are on the other end of
the spectrum. Fast enough to be used in real time analytics, but difficult
to capture enough fidelity to account for individual designs or the
complex coupled physics.
A Multi Body Dynamics (MBD) approach with MSC Adams strikes a nice
balance between fidelity and computational efficiency while capturing the
coupled three dimensional nonlinear behaviors of the drilling system and
various subsystems. MSC Software has partnered with Pioneer Natural
Resources to tailor fit Adams to this unique industry vertical application.
“We’re very excited about the potential for Adams Drill,” said Chris
Cheatwood, Chief Technology Officer at Pioneer. “This software allows us
to simulate drilling an entire well from start to finish, monitoring a range of

Figure 1: Comparison of measured and simulated RPM at the Bottom Hole Assembly.
new parameters we’ve never had access to before.” Pioneer is helping

MSC validate the models by collecting physical drilling data with special
measurement subs that are designed to withstand the extreme vibrations
and downhole operating environment during drilling. The team is using
the measured data for comparison with simulation data to verify accuracy
of the models and improve them as necessary. Figure 1 shows a high
level of correlation between the measured and simulated RPM recorded
“This software just above the motor in the Bottom Hole Assembly.
allows us to These recording subs are capable of measuring torque, rpm, axial load,
and bending moments at various locations in the BHA at 50 Hz for long
simulate drilling periods of time. Such downhole data is critical to calibrate and gain trust
an entire well in a comprehensive drilling model such as this. Similarly, the model is
critical to rationalize the nonlinearities observed in the physical data and
from start understand how changes to the BHA design, wellbore trajectory,
to finish, lithology, operating parameters, and control systems, will impact drilling
system dynamics.
monitoring a
range of new
parameters
we’ve never
had access
to before.”
Chris Cheatwood,
Chief Technology
Officer, Pioneer
Figure 2: Comparison of measured and simulated torue at the Bottom Hole Assembly.

Figure 2 compares simulated and measured torque simulation across a wide range of operating
fluctuation in the bottom hole assembly. The conditions and at multiple depths in the wellbore.
efficiency of the Adams solver enables users to Risk severity is assessed by compiling a number of
systematically exercise the model over a wide range factors related to loads, motions, and dynamics
of environmental parameters in order to refine known to cause damage or non-productive time.
estimates of the unknowns and learn why the system Engineers can see how the level of risk is expected
behaves the way it does. Variables like friction, to change under various conditions as drilling
damping, bit/rock interaction, and top drive control progresses. Alternative designs can be compared to
system response are not often well understood or seek further improvement on subsequent wells. And
predicted before drilling so the model is used to the risk associated with any particular factor can be
estimate the unknowns and verify system response weighed more or less heavily depending on the
with test data. particular limiters that are most costly or experienced
most often. “This lets us test multiple designs in
The tuned model now serves as a virtual drill rig that parallel and compare the results side-by-side to
can be used to test various opportunities for quickly hone in on the optimal configuration for each
improvement. Virtual sensors generate dynamic well,” Says Cheatwood.
data along the entire drill string, which provides
much more valuable insights about system behavior Adams Drill captures the real-world nonlinear
than is possible or practical through physical data system behaviors and enables engineers to make
collection alone. A systematic redesign of the BHA sound design and operational decisions that
can be accomplished to reduce severity of vibration improve the drilling process, reduce risk of failures,
in order to manage risk while maximizing drilling increase drilling efficiency, and increase production
efficiency or penetration rates. Validations of a opportunity.
model calibrated with physical measurements in one
well and verified against measurements in the same About Pioneer Natural Resources
formation in a different nearby well are promising.
Specialty downhole tools can be evaluated for their Pioneer is a large independent oil and gas
potential to reduce dynamic dysfunctions. Drilling exploration and production company,
Engineers can optimize the placement of specialty headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with operations in
tools in the BHA and establish best practices and the United States. For more information, visit
choose optimum operating parameters to mitigate Pioneer’s website at www.pxd.com.
risk of dysfunction. Specialty tool vendors can even
explore how the design parameters of their
particular tool influence their customers’ drill string
behavior. Control systems can be tested virtually for
their ability to improve performance over a wide
range of operating conditions. And operators can
study the conditions leading to component failures
in order to learn from and avoid similar
circumstances in the future. All of this can be done
virtually, enabling drilling engineers to explore the
system response and make educated decisions
throughout the design process.
Risk can be defined in a multitude of ways from

exceeding load limits to high stress concentrations,
excessive vibrations, known dangerous conditions,
or well defined dynamic dysfunctions like stick slip or
whirl. Elevated risks can be avoided or managed
through thoughtful consideration of alternatives or
accepted under extreme circumstances. A three Figure 3: Risk assessment at various weight on bit, rotation
dimensional plot is generated by exercising the speeds, and measured depth.

Indo-Pacific Region:
An Opportunity in the
Making for Engineering
R&D
E
ngineering simulation has evolved significantly over the last few
decades. In product research and development (R&D) divisions today
simulation is a ‘must-have’ rather than a ‘nice-to-have’, in contrast to
a couple of decades ago. Historically, developed markets like the US,
Europe and Japan have dominated spending within the engineering R&D
sector. However, in the last eight to ten years the centre of decision-making
in engineering R&D has gradually shifted towards the East in general. For
MSC Software, this shift has led to an acceleration of investments within the
Sridhar Dharmarajan
Indo-Pacific region, consisting of India, ASEAN and ANZ.
is managing director,
Indo-Pacific region,
MSC Software Growing Region with Diversity
The Indo-Pacific region is emerging as one of the fastest growing in the world
for the computer-aided engineering (CAE) industry, with significant potential for
growth. Estimates by consulting bodies and industrial sources suggest that

the current purchasing power of the Indo-Pacific region industry today with the rise of autonomous vehicles.
is in the same range as the US, the EU and China, and Until now, auto manufacturers needed only to consider
is poised to overtake the US and the EU in the next vehicle performance. For example, is it easy to handle,
decade. The Indo-Pacific region as a whole is projected how good are the Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)
to grow at 6.6 per cent (weighted projected growth) on characteristics, are the parts long-lasting, and so on.
a $6.3 trillion combined economy; in other words, Today, the situation is far more complicated. Not only
increasing by a Malaysia or a Thailand every year. do you have to worry about the car, you need to get
inside the brain of the ‘person’ driving it.
Of course, the region is not homogenous and trends
vary. For example, India is fast growing in automotive, In a driverless car, you need to anticipate the various
Tier 1 and 2 suppliers and small and medium scenarios that the vehicle will face and plan for how the
businesses (SMBs), while it also has a broad aerospace, car will behave in each situation. Moreover, there are
defence and machinery market. In the ASEAN region, innumerable scenarios that need to be simulated. We
we have Thailand with its auto supplier companies, need to reproduce and duplicate the entire environment
Malaysia focused on electronics and Singapore focused in which the car will operate and enable it to have the
on advanced technology. In ANZ, mining and defence right responses in real time. Physically prototyping each
are picking up. In short, as you can see, we have a wide scenario is just impossible. So, simulation is the answer.
variety of growth markets driven by different industry
mix, regulations, languages and cultures. The term ‘autonomous’ is relatively broad. There are
five different levels of autonomy defined by the Society
Trends of Automotive Engineers (SAE). India may be ready for
a certain degree of independence, but not for a
Talking about trends globally and relevant to the completely autonomous driverless car, for now at least.
Indo-Pacific region, there are three that stand out: For instance, the concept of active safety could take
autonomous vehicles; additive manufacturing; and off in India and prove very useful in an urban traffic
connected smart factories. scenario. Given the complexities in India, simulating
and designing for all situations is more challenging.
Autonomous Vehicles However, the goal is to get there eventually. There
might be specific scenarios, controlled environments
It is an exciting time to be in the automotive/technology and locations where driverless vehicles can be safely
industry, as it is buzzing with innovation. There is used, for example in airports to deliver people and
considerable disruption happening in the automotive goods to the aircraft. Apart from the automotive sector,

LightHinge+ example pictured
autonomous technologies can provide significant value products enable engineers to improve the reliability
in verticals such as agriculture, mining and similar and accuracy of their virtual prototypes by including
industrial verticals to achieve higher productivity, multi-physics and multidiscipline interactions. So,
visibility and safety. that is a clear trend in the CAE space.
At the same time, in other parts of the Indo-Pacific Beyond CAE and moving into manufacturing,
region such as Singapore and Australia, there are major Hexagon today has the Xalt platform that essentially
government-driven initiatives to move aggressively into fast-tracks our customers’ ability to harness IoT data
a complete autonomous mobility infrastructure, from and extract its full potential and value. Xalt is a
the roads to signals to cars to pedestrians, linking radical new approach to accelerating digital
short-distance travel to long-distance travel with the transformation for our customers. It can be deployed
appropriate transportation modes. to gain efficiencies directly from quality, production,
maintenance, supply chain and field services.
Additive Manufacturing
Hexagon’s disruptive technologies like Xalt move our
The second exciting trend is around additive Customers beyond the data impasse of IoT by
manufacturing. Until very recently, nobody would leveraging the vast potential of data being generated
have imagined that additive manufacturing could be by connected things – integrating AI, Edge-Cloud
possible in a mass production environment. The Orchestration, Mobility, and Data Visualization into
subtraction manufacturing approach was deeply Autonomous Connected Ecosystems.
ingrained. For example, you take a steel block that
you bore, cut and shape into the product that you Nurturing CAE Talent in Indo-Pacific
need. 3D printing machines are turning this entire
process on its head. With additive manufacturing, In the last 20−25 years, the quality of engineers
you can create complex parts that cannot be graduating from colleges in India and SE Asia is
manufactured in a traditional environment. Additive improving steadily. However, education and skill-
manufacturing is giving greater freedom to designers building need a constant focus on the fast-changing
while allowing the manufacture of complex shapes research and business landscapes. The CAE
without joints, providing manifold opportunities. industry has an important role to play in working with
academic institutes to ensure that relevant
Connected Smart Factories technologies are part of the coursework and that
students are preparing for industry’s R&D needs
Across markets, there is an appetite for new CAE through their application and skill-building. The
technologies that integrate disciplines and stand- steadily growing market coupled with the right
alone CAE tools into unified multidiscipline solvers skill-building efforts will ensure that the future looks
and user environments. These ‘next-generation’ bright for the CAE industry in the Indo-Pacific region.

RETHINK PRODUCTIVITY
IN THE SIMULATION PROCESS
MSC Apex transforms by orders of

magnitude the way engineers perform
simulation by reducing critical CAE modeling
& process time from days to hours.
Get Free Trial Today!
www.mscsoftware.com/apexfreetrial

Actran Helps
Reduce Time to
Optimize Design of
Active Pedestrian
Alerting System by 50%
Based on an interview with Jinmo Lee,
Senior Research Engineer,
Hyundai Motor Company

“The simulation results provided
by Actran were much more
comprehensive than information
generated by physical testing, which
helped Hyundai engineers quickly
iterate to an optimized design in
about half the time that would have
been required using traditional
build and test methods.”
Jinmo Lee, Senior Research Engineer,

Hyundai Motor Company

Hyundai active pedestrian alerting system
Industry Challenge
A
t moderate to high speeds, the only external Regulations have been issued in both the United
noises typically generated by electric vehicles States and the European Union requiring that newly
are caused by wind resistance or tire noise. As manufactured electric vehicles make an audible noise
a consequence, electric vehicles present a risk to when traveling at low speeds. These regulations have
pedestrians and cyclists, especially those who are differing requirements for the amplitude and frequency
visually or hearing impaired or listening to headphones. content of the warning sound.
In recent years, Hyundai has developed active

pedestrian alerting system (APAS), which utilize
sound focusing technology for emitting alerting sound
“With physical only to a pedestrian in danger. The present APAS
system allows automatic detection of a pedestrian
testing we can only using ADAS camera and louder sound emission to
measure the amplitude target position without arousing city noise pollution
issue. In designing APAS, Hyundai engineers must be
of the sound at concerned with meeting both regulatory
requirements, providing sufficient pedestrian
various locations” awareness, and avoiding emitting excessive sound
that will reduce the comfort of vehicle passengers.
In the past, when sound played a big role in the design,

Jinmo Lee, Senior Research Engineer Hyundai engineers relied on physical testing to evaluate
at Hyundai Motor Company” alternative design approaches. It was necessary to

MSC Solution
1. APAS Modeling
Hyundai engineers used MSC Actran to model the

speaker using a Thiele/Small(T/S) parameter model
based on specification sheets provided by speaker
manufacturer and coupled with a finite element
model representing both the inside cavity of the
Finite element model of speaker speaker and the sound radiation space.
The acoustic pressure and acoustic impedance in

the area of the vehicle were then computed by
Actran up to 6000 Hz.
2. Use Simulation Results to Optimize

Speaker Design
Influence of speaker enclosure on spectral characteristics

A series of parametric studies were performed with
Actran to investigate the effect of key design
variables on sound emissions. EU and US
regulations require at least one warning sound
frequency to be delivered under 1600 Hz and 800
Hz respectively. APAS speakers have a small driver
unit so low frequency sound emission in the low
frequency range is the most difficult target to
Influence of waveguide on spectral characteristics
Three candidate locations for speaker installation
build a prototype for each potential design, which takes

a month or two. The amount of data provided by
physical testing is also limited. “With physical testing we
can only measure the amplitude of the sound at various
locations so we have to guess at the mechanisms by
which the sound is generated and transmitted,” said
Jinmo Lee, Senior Research Engineer at Hyundai
Motor Company. “This makes it difficult to determine
the best way to improve the design.” Speaker test results vs. simulation results

achieve. At the same time, the experimental analysis
showed that a frequency below 400 Hz transmits
well into the vehicle interior, affecting the passengers’
comfort level. A frequency scan with and without the
enclosure showed that the installation of an
enclosure changes the acoustic impedance from
400 Hz to 490 Hz, which meets regulations while
maintaining passenger comfort.
The waveguide, which protects the speaker from

liquids in the environment, also plays an important role
in acoustic tuning. The waveguide was designed using
Actran acoustic duct feature to enhance mid-frequency
1500 Hz sound transmission and the space between
the speaker inner cover and the driver was optimized
to enhance sound pressure level near 4400 Hz. Actran were much more comprehensive than
information generated by physical testing, which
The vertical location of the speaker on the bumper helped Hyundai engineers quickly iterate to an
was also investigated by including the front surface optimized design in about half the time that would
of the vehicle and the ground in the simulation. The have been required using traditional build and test
simulation results showed that the lowest position methods,” Lee said.
provides the best alerting sound performance by
providing a higher SPL and relatively flat spectral A physical prototype was constructed of the full
behavior. The simulation also showed the lower APAS after it had been optimized with Actran
position minimizes the potential for destruction simulation. The physical testing results showed that
interference by sound reflected from the ground. the design met all design requirements by complying
with regulatory requirements, maximizing sound
Results and Correlation radiation performance with a small speaker and
providing excellent sound focusing performance.
The simulation results were validated by conducting
a 1-volt sine sweep test for both the actual speaker About Hyundai
and the simulations. As shown in the figure above,
the spectral behavior of sound at 1 meter from the The Hyundai Motor Company, along with its 32.8%
speaker predicted by simulation matches the owned subsidiary Kia Motors and its 100% owned
physical measurements nearly perfectly. subsidiary Genesis Motors, is the third largest vehicle
manufacturer in the world. Hyundai operates the
By using Actran to optimize cavity and duct world’s automotive assembly plant in Ulsan, South
resonances, Hyundai engineers were able to design Korea with annual production capacity of 1.6 million
the speaker to handle low, mid and high frequencies vehicles. Employing more than 110,000 employees
as needed to meet both US and EU regulations while worldwide, Hyundai sold more than 4.5 million
at the same time minimizing speaker size and power vehicles globally.
consumption. “The simulation results provided by

MSC Nastran Based
Fatigue Lifecycle Predictions
at Navistar-Tech Mahindra
By Chinmay Pawaskar, Principal CAE Analyst, Tech Mahindra; Pravin
Kulkarni, Lead CAE Analyst, Tech Mahindra, and Stefano Cassara,
Manager - Vehicle Dynamics Simulation, Navistar

N
avistar International Corporation
manufactures and sells commercial and
military trucks, diesel engines, and school
and commercial buses; and provides service parts
for trucks and diesel engines worldwide. Tech
Mahindra offers engineering solutions in design &
styling, product development, validation, testing and
system integration to global automotive players. At
the Navistar-Tech Mahindra Global Engineering
Center, the team applies computer-aided
engineering techniques to the truck product
development process.
With an increasing focus on the safe carriage of

payload & light weighting, the ability to predict the
fatigue life of vehicle components has gained a lot of
importance. Predicting the fatigue life accurately in
the early stages of design and development cycle
enhances product life, reduces testing and prototype Figure 2a: Development of MBD-based Virtual Prototypes
costs and ensures greater speed to market.
Physical tests are used to assess the fatigue life of a

vehicle (see Figure 1). This is done using laboratory
shaker tests or full-vehicle testing on a proving
ground. These tests are costly and time consuming,
so to avoid an iterative design-test-redesign loop, we
Figure 1: The traditional physical process for fatigue need an accurate virtual testing methodology that
life prediction
Figure 2b: Development

of MBD-based Virtual
Prototypes

Figure 3: Virtual Transient Stress Recovery Lifetime Figure 6: Virtual Lifetime Prediction Process using Nastran
prediction process using Adams Embedded Fatigue
In the past, we have used two processes to estimate

fatigue life:
Figure 4: Virtual Static Inertia Relief Lifetime Prediction
Process using Nastran • A transient stress recovery in Adams followed by
cycle counting in Hyper Graph (see Figure 3)
• A Nastran linear-static inertia-relief - This method
uses time-slices of loads corresponding to the
can be used to generate designs that will meet instance of peak-stress identified in the MBD
durability requirements that first time around. simulation (see Figure 4)
Our Adams virtual prototypes models have now Both methods produce comparable results (see
evolved to accurately predict ride and handling Figure 5). Adams accurately predicts the stress for
performance. Correlation studies on strains also the entire duration of the event, but the calculation is
continues to improve. Figure 2 outlines key models in limited to the regions of stress recovery. On the other
the evolution of our Multi-Body Dynamics (MBD) hand, the Nastran method gives us a full picture of
virtual prototypes: the stress in the FE model but only at a few time
instances. One proviso in this process is that for
a. A Virtual Cab Shaker Test Rig where laboratory dynamic events, this method may underestimate the
inputs are used to drive a virtual cab and cab stresses by ~1.2 times for the frame rail and ~2.5
suspension model. The accelerations, forces are times for the chassis mounted components.
used to validate and optimize the cab design.
b. A Virtual Test Track in Adams where a hi-fidelity full We wanted to have a process that uses the entire
vehicle model is driven over realistic rough roads. time-history of loads, calculates the fatigue life, and
Accelerations, force, strains are used to predict the can display results of the entire component. For this,
structural adequacy of the vehicle components. we turned to MSC’s new offering – Nastran
Figure 5: Comparison between the current fatigue life prediction methods. Left: Stress contour from Nastran. White spots indicate
top hot-spots from Adams. Right: Nastran (red curve) and Adams (blue curve) for the same component under test

Figure 7: NEF Fatigue Model SOL 101 and SOL 103/112 approaches
Embedded Fatigue (NEF). This would entail exporting each node. Then the cyclically varying stress
the entire Adams time history of force and moments responses are obtained through a linear superposition.
acting on a component and feed it into NEF (see SOL 112 computes the modal responses
Figure 6). In NEF, we would add fatigue specific automatically. Loads are exported from Adams via
cards into the Nastran bulk data file and reference DAC files, a main script block of the NASTRAN deck
the loads calculated by Adams. With this information, is set up with an appropriate calculation flow. The NEF
we can predict where damage occurs as well as the code is then run to produce output NEF files. This run
lifetime of the components. will produce an OP2, F06, F04, and log files (for large
models, the output may spill over into several files). All
Nastran Embedded Fatigue Procedure files can be viewed in Hyper View.
With NEF, we have two methodologies available to us: Results for the Adams-NEF process are typically
A Quasi-Static Approach (SOL 101) and a Modal presented using two metrics: Contours of Damage
Superposition Approach (SOL 103 & SOL 112) shown and Log Life. Figure 8 shows these metrics plotted
pictorially in Figure 7. Both SOL 103 (modal analysis) for the Cross Member and End Bracket of a Light
and SOL 112 (modal transient analysis) use identical Truck traversing a rough road. Contours of Damage
methods to compute fatigue life. For SOL 103, the represent the total damage to the structure. Damage
modal responses are provided and associated to ranges from 0 to 1.0. When D reaches 1.0, failure
Figure 8: NEF Fatigue Model predictions of damage Figure 9: NEF Fatigue Model predictions of contours of
contours (left) and life prediction (right) to a cross member damage to an old (left) and new (right) cross member and
and end bracket assembly end bracket assembly after testing

Figure 11: NEF
Fatigue Model
predictions of
contours of
damage in a Frame
Rail analysis
Figure 12: NEF Fatigue Model predictions of absolutevon

Mises Stresses in Adams and NEF for a transmission cross
member
occurs. Cases in which the stress range is greater

than the YS or UTS, D may be greater than 1.0. The
log file contains the number of cyclic repeats the
structure can sustain before failure. The life of the
part is inversely proportional to the damage, reported
in log terms. In this case, the chassis was excited at
52 attachment points with 3 DOFs per attachment
point in a free-free inertia relief analysis.
Figure 10 shows the results for damage for two

designs: an old and an optimized cross member & Figure 13: NEF Fatigue Model predictions of von Mises
Stresses in Adams and NEF over time for a transmission
end bracket. cross member
In another case study, we studied the trade-off

between ride clearance and the frame’s structural
durability. We used Adams to compute the loads
acting on a chassis as the vehicle traversed the virtual In Summary
test track. The loads i.e. forces and torques acting in
6 directions at 55 different locations were used to The Virtual Fatigue Life Prediction process at the
compute a NEF-based fatigue analysis of the chassis. Navistar-Tech Mahindra Engineer Centre has been
In this exercise, we used the SOL 101 Quasi-Static outlined above. The NEF process has enabled
Linear Superposition approach. Figure 11 shows the identification of high stress locations more effectively.
contours of Damage for various ride clearances. The We found the overall process to be nearly three times
turn-around time for this study was 1 day. faster than the previous method. With fewer and
smaller intermediate files, the bookkeeping is also
Finally, we compared the NEF-based virtual life much simpler. The load time history (DAC/RPC files)
prediction to our existing virtual life prediction. As can be used directly without any conversion. In
shown in Figure 12, we extract the von Mises addition, fatigue can now be included as a parameter in
elemental stress from NEF (in blue squares) and an optimization study. We have successfully validated
compare them to the transient von Mises nodal stress this methodology based on several parameters and it
prediction from Adams (in red circles). In Figure 12, we has exhibited a good level of correlation with our
see that results from NEF (blue line) approaches the physical test data. The Navistar-Tech Mahindra team
results from the Adams simulation (red line). Thus, see several opportunities in running similar simulations
NEF provides the same accuracy as that of Adams. in the near future. MSC’s new offering has made a
More importantly, it provides a complete picture of the significant difference in simplifying and speeding up our
structural performance of the chassis. fatigue lifecycle predictions.

Use of Simulation in
Additive Manufacturing
Process Chain of Thin-walled
Automotive Parts
By Dr. Maximilian Munsch,
Ampower GmbH & Co KG
For more than 30 years, dozens of Additive Identifying automotive PBF-L applications becomes
Manufacturing (AM) technologies have been used for challenging when taking the industry’s high demands
realizing prototyping applications. Over the past few regarding cost, quality and time into account.
years, AM was increasingly adopted for serial Because of the cost per volume of AM parts,
applications throughout industry, such as medical or currently only high priced, low volume vehicles or
aviation. The process of powder bed fusion with racing sports cars are targeted for application
laser beam (PBF-L) of metals has the largest impact. screening. In automotive production for mass
It offers the highest degree of freedom of design and markets, cost per part dominates the final decision
flexibility as well as excellent material properties. on whether they will be manufactured additively or

Figure 1 Additive Manufacturing process chain
conventionally such as forging or casting. the engine’s performance to the customer’s eye.
Manufacturers of high performance sports cars with Conventionally, those blends are manufactured from
limited quantitities up to approximately 5,000 units stainless steel or titanium alloys. Two metal sheets
per year will be early adopters of AM. Ampower formed by deep drawing are joined by a welding
expects the largest potential in automotive seam. Requirements for the mechanical properties
applications to be in the power and drive train as well are driven by vibration and corrosion which put high
as the suspension system. stress on the welding seam. Additionally, tail pipes
are subject to major design iterations. This leads to
To analyze the status quo, Ampower conducted a remanufacturing of deep drawing tools at extremely
study on Additive Manufacturing of a high-end high cost and typical lead times of over 12 months.
automotive application - a tail pipe blend from a
Porsche GT2 RS sports car and analyzed the AM rarely make sense without exploiting the
complete AM process chain. Tail pipe blends are the potential of redesign. A redesign has to consider
visible part of the engine exhaustsystem. Optical not only specific parts but also all surrounding
requirements are high since the component reflects components, functions and assembly steps. For the
present application, realized redesign advantages
are short time to market due to tool-free
manufacturing, increase of quality due to
homogenous material properties, reduction of
number of parts – and thus less assembly steps
– and potential for customized design.
Figure 2 Re-designed, printed and post-processed tail pipe Figure 3 Results of simulation with Simufact Additive and
blend of sports car Porsche GT2 RS computer tomography measurement of printed part

The AM process chain used for production of the tail
pipe blend is displayed in Figure 1. The final part
manufactured with PBF-L using titanium alloy
Ti-Al6-4V is shown in Figure 2 .
For complex free-form surfaces, optical 3D scanning,

e. g. with Hexagon metrology devices, and computer
tomography (CT) imaging are well suited methods to
accurately measure the resulting geometry. In this
study, the results of CT imaging were used to assess
Figure 4 Detection of shrink lines with the new function the feasibility of simulation tools that allow prediction
inside Simufact Additive
and compensation of stress-induced deformations.
The overall accuracy is mostly affected by distortion
and part shrinkage from residual stress formed
during the PBF-L process, where material cools at
rates of several thousand Kelvin per second.
The simulation of the PBF-L process was

conducted with Simufact Additive using the inherent
strain model. The voxel size for discretizing the CAD
data was set to 2 mm – the range of the wall
thickness of the part. The simulation yielded a
stress distribution and a prediction of the shape
About Ampower: deformation. The comparison of the results of the
simulation and the CT measurement are displayed
Ampower is the leading consultancy in in Figure 3. The conducted simulation shows a
the field of industrial Additive good match of absolute range of distortion, and the
Manufacturing. Ampower advises their deviation is represented quite well.
clients on strategic decisions by
developing and analyzing market Further analysis was done in collaboration with
scenarios as well as compiling technology Simufact headquarters in Hamburg employing a
studies. On operational level, Ampower brandnew function to detect specific part defects -
supports the introduction of Additive so-called ‘shrink lines’. Such shrink lines are formed
Manufacturing through targeted training in layers where manufactured areas grow together,
program as well as identification and shrink during solidification and leave visible marks on
development of components suitable for the surface. These defects were visible at the upper
production. Further services include the region on the tail pipe blend after production as
setup of quality management and support displayed in Figure 4. The part defects were correctly
in qualification of internal and external predicted by the simulation software and will allow
machine capacity. The company is based for future compensation.
in Hamburg, Germany. More about
Ampower at am-power.de. In conclusion, the study revelaed the feasibility for
use of PBF-L process of thin-walled automotive
Contact: parts. However, the relative high cost of the
process will limit the use to high end applications
Ampower GmbH & Co. KG with low volume. Simufact Additive predicted the
ZAL TechCenter deformation and shrinkage correctly and will allow
Hein-Saß-Weg 22
improved process chains by enabling first time
21129 Hamburg, Germany
right production.
Dr. Maximilian Munsch

munsch@am-power.de
+49 175 8787870

Digimat-RP
Helps Reduce Time to
Market for Fiber Reinforced
Plastic Control Arm
Based on an interview with Fabio Pulina, Magneti Marelli
Industry Challenge
M
agneti Marelli’s suspension systems group this material is good for the control arm’s primary
was tasked with redesigning a steel control mechanical requirements, which are strength and
arm into injection molded fiber reinforced endurance. Optimizing the design required predicting
plastics to reduce weight and improve fuel economy. the ultimate strength and failure location for multiple
The function of the control arm is to connect the mass fractions. The manufacturing process also
wheel side to the cross member; this connection is needed to be optimized because of its impact on
made by two elastic bushings, which filter the fiber orientation which in turn affects the mechanical
vibrations that come from the wheel. The subject properties of the part.
matter of this metal replacement project was a steel
control arm belonging to the B-SUV segment; so its Using the traditional build and test method to design
loads, and its design space have been considered. the part would have required a long and expensive
Magneti Marelli engineers selected a polyamide fiber product development schedule. “We needed an
resin with short glass fiber reinforcements because accurate finite element model of the part that we

could use to evaluate different design configurations against a large number of potential
load cases,” said Fabio Pulina, Innovation Composite Engineer from Magneti Marelli.
The failure point predicted in the simplified approach, that is isotropic material plus a
knockdown factor, did not let us able to achieve a correlation with the experimental
results, in terms of either failure location, or collapse load level.
Different configurations have been tested; the material has been considered both dry and
conditioned, and two typologies of constraints have been evaluated (rigid and soft
attachment to the test bench). These results indicated that the original isotropic model
could not be reliably used as a design tool.
“We clearly needed to take the effect of local fiber orientation on the material properties
of the part into account In order to accurately simulate its performance,” Pulina said.
Original steel control arm
Evaluating effects of fiber orientation on material
Failure point predicted by

homogeneous isotropic simulation
for conditioned reinforced plastic
part with bushings did not match
physical testing Determining fiber location and orientation in molded part

“The ability to optimize the design with a software
prototype and manage the entire design process
from within a single software package saved us 20
to 30 percent of the time that would have normally
been required to design the new control arm.”
Fabio Pulina, Innovation Composite Engineer,

Magneti Marelli
MSC Digimat-RP Solution Moldex3D mold simulation software behind the scenes
to simulate the injection molding process, predict the
1. Determining Material Properties with fiber location and orientation and map them onto the
Different Fiber Orientations structural resin model. “The integration of Moldex3D
within the Digimat-RP user interface eliminates the
Pulina began by using Digimat-RP to compute the need to involve people from other departments to get
anisotropic composite properties based on the the necessary molding filling simulation, saving time
properties and microstructure of the underlying during the design,” Pulina said.
constituents in the multi-phase material. The result
was a micro-scale material model capable of 3. Anisotropic Simulation Achieved by Coupling
capturing the effects of different fiber orientations on Digimat-RP and Abaqus FEA Software
material properties. The elastoplastic properties of
the resin were automatically calibrated by loading Pulina then launched a coupled transient analysis
test data provided by the resin manufacturer based between Abaqus and Digimat. At each time step,
on 0-, 30-, 45- and 90-degree fiber orientations. Abaqus provided the deformed material geometry to
Digimat which recalculated the material properties for
2. Simulating the Injection Molding Process to each element in the simulation function of the local
Determine Local Fiber Orientation fiber orientation and other relevant properties such
as the residual stresses calculated in the mold filling
Pulina addressed the local fiber orientations in the part simulation onto the Abaqus finite element model.
produced by the injection molding process. He Beside Abaqus, Digimat-RP also provides similar
entered the current injection molding parameters integration with other leading finite element analysis
including gate location and size, mold temperature, software including MSC Marc, MSC Nastran (SOL
melt temperature and filling time in Digimat-RP. 400&700), ANSYS Mechanical, Samcef, LS-Dyna
Digimat-RP then called the integrated module of Implicit & Explicit, Permas and PAM-Crash.

Results and Correlation
The failure locations predicted by anisotropic

coupled simulation Digimat to Abaqus for dry plastic
with bushings, conditioned plastic material with
bushings, and conditioned plastic without bushings,
all matched the physical testing results. The force at
failure predicted by anisotropic coupled simulation
matched the testing results within 10% for dry
plastic with bushings, 5% for conditioned plastic
with bushings and 5% for conditioned plastic
Workflow for coupled simulation
without bushings.
After validating the accuracy of the simulation,

Pulina went on to use it to optimize the design of the
control arm and the injection molding process. He
evaluated different mass fractions and looked at
various injection molding parameters to determine
their effect on fiber location and orientation. He
found that part material properties were most
sensitive to the location of the injection gate. He
positioned the injection gate so that the fibers were
oriented to best resist the loads applied to the
control arm. The result was a part that fulfills the
static collapse load target. Yet, while the original
steel part weighed 6.4 pounds, the new fiber
Anisotropic Design geometry optimized based on reinforced plastic part weighs only 3.8 pounds, a 40
coupled simulation simulation results percent reduction. “The ability to manage the entire
accurately predicts
failure point
prototype design process from within a single
software package saved 20 to 30 percent of the
time that would have normally been required to
design the new control arm,” Pulina concluded.
About Magneti Marelli
Part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA), Magneti

Marelli is a leading tier one automotive supplier that
produces a wide range of systems and components
including instrument clusters, lighting systems,
engine control systems, suspension systems,
exhaust systems, and many others. Magneti Marelli
supplies all the leading automobile original
equipment manufacturers and has 43,000
employees, 86 manufacturing facilities and 14
research and development centers.

Adams-scFLOW prediction of
dynamic vehicle suspension
movement in a cross flow wind
Co-simulation -
Breaking the Back of
Multiphysics CAE Simulation
By Dr. Keith Hanna, Vice President Marketing, MSC Software
Over the last 20 years or so, one of the ‘holy grails’ of computer-aided
engineering (CAE) has been ‘multiphysics’ simulations, i.e. co-simulations
between different physics simulation types (Ref. 1). Multiphysics, even though
an ill-defined term, kind of feels intuitively right to us engineers from the
perspective of real-world engineering simulation. Fluids don’t usually exist in
isolation from structural effects, or acoustics, or dynamics in the real world
we inhabit, yet for many years past, engineers have simulated these
subdomains of physics as isolated point simulation solutions in CAE. I have
to add a rider here that my Physics teacher at High School, Mr Copeland,
would have taken me to task for using the word ‘multiphysics’ at all because
strictly it is wrong. There is actually only one discipline of physics, as there is
for chemistry and biology. Within physics there are subdisciplines like
Newtownian Laws of Motion (and fluids), Maxwell’s Laws of

Figure 1: MSC’s Unique Multiphysics Co-Simulation Capabilities
Electromagnetics, Structural Stress-Strain laws etc. Methods (best for structures and acoustics) mean that
This ‘multiphysics’ word that was coined in the 1990s for more efficient solver convergence in real world
is actually a consequence of a failure of the CAE engineering problems, one or the other is chosen as
industry to solve the fundamental underlying physics the best methodology. And partly, software vendors
equations in a combined way in my opinion. Partly, this have struggled to grapple with the multiphysics
is due to practical problems that we find because of challenge to deliver usable engineering simulation tools
different mathematical techniques. For instance, Finite because the mathematical approaches don’t tend to
Volume Methods (best for fluids), Finite Element gel well together when combined.
Table 1: A Cross Section of Co-Simulation CAE applications connected to the MSC Software Solution Suite

What was very striking about MSC Software when I actuators, rubber door seals, and full vehicle bush
joined earlier this year, apart from its 50+ year history modeling. I will go into more detail below about the
stretching back to the early NASA moon landing exciting new co-simulation multiphysics capabilities
project, and the desire for accuracy in software that the CFD software acquisition of Software Cradle
solutions, is a largely understated history of by MSC Software in 2016 is now beginning to open
endeavoring to provide world class CAE co- up for CFD and CAE engineers alike. A very complex
simulation solutions to its customers as well as and challenging dynamic co-simulation is shown in
engineers everywhere. Everything from acoustics to Figure 4 where a non-linear bending and twisting
multi body dynamics (MBD), to CFD, to structural metallic flap in a cross flow was simulated in an
analysis, and explicit crash dynamics can be scFLOW - Marc - MSC Nastran toolchain.
connected together in MSC (see Figure 1). I have
gathered together a multiplicity of multiphysics Acoustics Led Co-Simulation
co-simulation applications that can be done with
MSC software tools today, both in two-product Actran is recognized to be the market leader in
couplings, as well as in toolchains of product acoustics simulation with a twenty-year history
simulations that were mere pipe dreams a few years behind it and a blue chip user base worldwide. It has
ago (see Table 1). many multiphysics acoustic applications like the
classic one of coupling with CFD for aeroacoustic
Multi Body Dynamics Led Co-Simulation analysis. Actran provides today a complete end-to-
When one digs down one soon discovers that the

market leading Adams MBD product is being used
extensively for industrial grade co-simulations around
the world today as a matter of course, and is open
to connections with all sorts of commercial and
open-source software (see Figure 2). Some notable
recent innovations are connections to the market
leading Discrete Element Modeling software, EDEM,
from DEM Solutions, as illustrated by Figure 3, VIRES
Virtual Test Drive (VTD) for ADAS and autonomous
vehicle drive simulation (VIRES has been part of
MSC/Hexagon since 2017), and of course MATLAB
& SIMULINK for 0D/1D systems and controls
modeling (from Math Works). Adams coupled with
Marc can solve wiper blade movements, hydraulic
Figure 3: MSC’s Adams MBD Co-Simulation Capability with
EDEM from DEM Solutions
Figure 2: MSC’s Adams MBD Co-Simulation Capability Figure 4: MSC’s Nastran – scFLOW - Marc Co-Simulation of
Ecosystem a flap bending and twisting in a crossflow

Figure 5: MSC’s Adams – Nastran and Actran Conventional Automotive Powertrain Co-Simulation Toolchain (left) and E-Mag –
Nastran – Actran e-Powertrain Toolchain for Acoustics (right)
end solution from mechanical load prediction to acoustics and fluids co-simulation is illustrated in
noise and vibration assessment. In a recent Webinar Figure 6 between Actran and scFLOW from Software
(Ref. 2) my colleagues Romain Baudson and Yijun Cradle where an automotive exhaust and muffler
Fan looked at acoustic predictions for electric system was modeled in CFD and coupled with
vehicles with Actran led toolchains. Figure 5 shows Actran for acoustic noise prediction.
the two toolchains they employed in their co-
simulation analyses. Multibody simulation with CFD Led Co-Simulation
Adams provides the structural loads when the
conventional powertrain is operating, then MSC Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has long been a
Nastran was used for vibration analysis. Finally, noise passion of mine and it is genuinely quite exciting to
radiation is then computed with Actran with high see what is happening in Japan with Software
accuracy in a fully automated process. By Cradle’s co-simulation CFD efforts. They have devised
comparison, for Electric Vehicles, electromagnetic a remarkably robust and open software platform for
simulation results from various third party software co-simulation (see Figure 7). Software Cradle’s CFD
(for example, JMAG, MagNet, Maxwell…) can be products – scFLOW (that employs polyhedral
integrated with MSC’s FEA tools for electric motor meshes), scSTREAM (with Cartesian meshes) and
noise prediction. In so doing Actran provides SC/Tetra (with tetrahedral meshes) have a long history
accurate noise predictions for both the electric motor of use by large OEMs and leading Japanese
and the gear reducer. Finally, a relatively recent companies and come with a strong technical
Figure 6: MSC’s Cradle CFD and Actran Acoustics co-simulation for an Automotive Exhaust and Muffler Aeroacoustics Prediction

Figure 7: Software Cradle’s Open Coupling CFD Platform (Left) and FMI Interfaces (Right)
pedigree. They are technology leading in free surface and overset meshing
techniques with fast, accurate and robust approaches. Physical quantities
can be passed between third party and MSC’s CAE software and Cradle’s
CFD tools using its FMI (Functional Mockup Interface). The FMI supports
Figure 9: Adams - scFLOW
general physical quantity settings, user-defined functions, and script prediction of dynamic sloshing of
languages. With Adams in particular, this co-simulation approach can do liquid in a tank
large particulate flows on free surfaces (Figure 8), vane pumps, washing
machine drum vibration, and MBD fuel tank sloshing (Figure 9) for instance.
A really exciting MBD application is that of a vehicle driving through a large
puddle with suspension effects taken into account by Adams or the same
vehicle’s dynamics in a cross wind (Figure 10). Co-simulation with Marc
means that Cradle CFD couplings can do aircraft fuel tank baffles, liquid
quenching, flexible plates / membranes / valve seals (Figure 11), and
Sirocco fans. When coupled to MSC Nastran, scFLOW can do FSI of ship’s
propeller with cavitation effects included for example (see Figure 12). Figure 10: Adams – scSTREAM
prediction of a dynamic vehicle
suspension movement through a
It’s the really cool co-simulation CFD applications that catch your eye the puddle
most, however. Software Cradle have coupled Adams with scFLOW to
look at dynamic aircraft wing and flap deployment aerodynamic
Figure 11: FSI analysis using Marc

and scFLOW of a Valve with an
Elastic Membrane deformed by flow
Figure 12: MSC Nastran - scFLOW

prediction of propeller with free
Figure 8: Adams – scSTREAM prediction of large logs in a channel free surface flow surface and cavitation

predictions (see Figure 13). Another exciting new
aerodynamic co-simulation application between
scFLOW and MSC Nastran / Marc is non-linear
panel flutter of a supersonic plate (Ref 3), involving a
highly unusual coupled undulating vibration of the flat
plate’s surface at high speeds resulting in moving
shocks on the surface (see Figure 13). It was
accomplished by my colleague Fausto Gill di
Vincenzo in Italy who employed our seamless MSC
Nastran - scFLOW CFD coupling technology for an
efficient and fast solution. The CFD domain
deformation prediction was done with sliding mesh
capabilities and then the FEA was performed by
MSC Nastran and Marc. The CFD elements used
could be tets, hexas, or polyhedral elements.
Finally, another area of interest of mine is thermo-

mechanical stress predictions for electronic
components on chips and PCBs (Printed Circuit
Boards). This application too is quite difficult to do
as a co-simulation by most commercial vendors. In
Figure 14 an electronic chip resistor has been
simulated that undergoes repeated heat generation
by its own on-off actions (Ref. 4). This will eventually
cause the breakage of its solder joints over the
lifetime of the component and ultimately product
failure. Being able to predict it in advance and to
locate high stress areas is very important.
Temperature distribution predictions from
scSTREAM were mapped onto the mesh of the
structural analysis solver (eg MSC Nastran or
ANSYS Mechanical). The stress on the solder
connection was then predicted. This is a very
powerful way of predicting failure mechanisms and
Figure 13: Adams - scFLOW dynamic prediction of wing flap their likely locations in the consumer electronics
deployment aerodynamics (above top) and a vibrating
supersonic plate shock structure co-simulation in MSC
industry and is relatively easy to do in scSTREAM
Nastran – scFLOW CFD (above bottom) as a co-simulation.

grade engineering application (either loose- or closely-
coupled CAE). So, ‘multiphysics’ is still one of the ‘Holy
Grails’ of CAE solution even after 40 to 50 years of
point simulations in all the physics sub-disciplines. MSC
Software has grappled with this co-simulation
conundrum and come up with many usable solutions
and tool chains for real world engineering applications. I
would encourage you to explore what we offer and use
MSC One credits to try them out. Ask your local MSC
account manager or support engineer if you want to
know more. We offer both the technologies and the
professional services that can help you solve your
industry CAE co-simulation challenges.
References
1. “Back to the Future; Trends in Commercial CFD” by

J. Parry & K. Hanna, NAFEMS World Congress,
Figure 14: scSTREAM thermo-mechanical stress prediction
of electronic component solder stresses
Boston, USA, 2011: http://s3.mentor.com/public_
documents/whitepaper/resources/
mentorpaper_90428.pdf
2. “Noise Prediction for Electric Powertrain” Webinar, by
R. Baudson and Y. Fan, August 2018: http://www.
mscsoftware.com/events_assets/Webcasts/2018_
Webinars/noise-prediction-for-electric-vehicle-
Summary powertrain.html
3. “An Efficient Fluid Structural Workflow using the
Seamless Coupling Technology” Webinar, August 2018:
Classical ‘multiphysics’ challenges for CAE include http://www.mscsoftware.com/events_assets/
fluids and structures (FSI, VIV), structures and Webcasts/2018_Webinars/an-efficient-fluid-structural-
acoustics, structures and dynamics, and fluids and workflow-using-the-seamless-coupling-technology-
dynamics. Multiphysics simulation may sound easy in within-msc-nastran-marc-and-sc-tetra.html
4. “Predicting Durability of Junctions for Mounted Parts”
principle yet many commercial CAE vendors have had Cradle CFD Case Study: https://www.cradle-cfd.com/
point physics solutions for decades now but have failed images/applications/electronics/11ST_
to implement usable coupled solutions for industrial MountedPartsDurability_email

Shaping Smarter Simulation
with Artificial Intelligence
By Dr. Horen Kuecuekyan, Director of Product
Development & Artificial Intelligence, MSC Software
S
imulation provides key insights into system AI-model, such as decision trees, random forests,
behavior and performance, especially with fuzzy logic, Markov decision-based artificial neural
design optimization and validation. However, networks DQN (Deep Queue Networks), and various
there are many instances where simulation or design other refinements beyond DQNs. In many instances,
exploration is not applicable because of limited an AI-model is not required to have the same fidelity
computational resources. as an actual simulation model, since most engineers
simply expect the trained AI-model to be better and
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a promising approach to more consistent than the engineering judgement or
help reduce the less important simulation scenarios by simplified (reduced order) models.
studying the existing simulation data. Many different
machine learning algorithms are applied to train an When there is not a sufficient amount of physical
data available, simulation generates the simulation
data to train a reliable AI-model.
Our Artificial Intelligence team at MSC Software

focuses on applying AI technologies both on the
existing simulation data and also on strategies to
generate simulation data in the AI process.
Here are Some of the Key

Application Areas:
Development of AI Sampling: AI Sampling will

generatively create the individual simulations to be
used for multiple purposes, including training the
Figure 1. A typical scenario to test an autonomous driving
AI-models. One application of the AI Sampling is our
system using VTD initiative to create a Smart Testing Environment for

Figure 2. End-to-end cycle for the
variation, simulation, result
evaluation and training of the AI for
the autonomous system
Autonomous Systems (STEAS). The AI Sampling will set and create a feasible and relevant set of test cases,
generate the test plan to perform the relevant and which covers all the different situations that can occur.
important scenario simulations (Figure 1) to validate
either ADAS (advances driver assistant system) or Creating the Predictive Models: We refer to the
fully autonomous systems. predictive models as “AI Twins” (Figure 3). AI Twins
can predict the outcome of simulation studies and
One of the main questions people ask around can be used in the product development lifecycle
autonomous systems is, “how can we generate and when performing the traditional simulation is too
test the millions of scenarios that are needed to costly or takes too much time.
virtually validate an AI Driver?”
Our AI team at MSC Software is working with the goal
With AI-sampling, we are developing a solution to to train AI to learn from simulations, to extend the
handle this huge “event space” (Figure 2). The basis for knowledge over time, and dramatically increase the
AI-sampling is a parametric and modular scenario performance and efficiency in the modeling process.
library, which allows the creation of a broad set of
individual test cases. The simulation results are analyzed Applying AI and machine learning tools in the
and classified on their relevance and diversity, and then technological applications can enhance simulation
used in the AI Sampler as inputs to create a more efficiency, improve product quality and reduce
refined test case set with each iteration. This test case production costs. AI Sampling will automate the
set represents all the different behavior patterns to be simulation generation, sample the constantly growing
tested, verified, and applied to analyze the simulation design space, and help autonomous driving
databases on their relevance. By applying this iterative developers to capture the millions of scenarios that
process, AI Sampling can learn how to optimize the test are needed to achieve level 5 autonomy.
Figure 3. MSC AI Twin

Tips & Tricks
HDF5:
A Very Useful Enhancement for
MSC Nastran and Patran
L
et’s face it, as FEA engineers we’ve all been As a premier FEA solver that is widely used by the
in that situation where the finite element Aerospace and Automotive industries, MSC Nastran
model has been prepared, boundary now takes advantage of the HDF5 file to manage
conditions have been checked and the model has and store your FEA data. This can simplify your post
been solved, but then it comes time to investigate processing tasks and make data management much
the results. It’s not unusual on a large project to easier and simpler (see below).
produce different outputs for different purposes:
an XDB or OP2 for Patran, a Punch file to pass to So what is HDF5? It is an open source file format,
Excel, and the f06 to read the printed output. In data model, and library developed by the HDF Group.
addition, your company may have programs that
read one of these files to perform special purpose HDF5 has three significant advantages compared to
calculations. Managing all these files becomes a previous result file formats: 1) The HDF5 file is
project of its own. smaller than XDB and OP2, 2) accessing results is
significantly faster with HDF5, and 3) the input and
Well let me tell you, there is a better way to do this!! output datablocks are stored in a single, high

Before HDF5 After HDF5
precision file. With input and output in the same file, party extensions are available for Python, .Net, and
you eliminate confusion and potential errors keeping many other languages. MSC provides HDF5
the input BDF with its associated output. In addition, examples in C++, Python and Java. In addition, for
you can minimize output to the f06 file, so it will be those writing DMAP Alters, the new DMAP modules
smaller as you only need warnings and errors. This for writing HDF5 files are documented for your use.
means you gain better traceability in comparison to
using xdb and op2. It’s as simple as it gets! One of the nice things about HDF files is that you
don’t need a lot of documentation to know what’s in
HDF5 is designed for storing and managing large and it … The HDF5 file is self-describing! It’s easy to
complex data. It can be used in any field: biology, figure out what information is stored; just open and
physics, and of course engineering. Note, the HD in view the hierarchy with HDFView. In addition, MSC
HDF does not stand for high definition! it stands for delivers the schema definition with each release.
‘hierarchical data format’. The hierarchical format is
designed to manage all sorts of data objects including Which one would you rather use to manage your
tabular data, graphs, images, and documents. MSC Nastran output data? Whether you deal with
small or large scaled MSC Nastran models, HDF5
Implementing HDF5 in MSC Nastran has been an output within MSC Nastran is the ideal choice for
ongoing project that began with the 2016 release. The analyzing your complex FEA models, so do take
latest release of MSC Nastran and Patran have the advantage of it.
most complete library of output data blocks for HDF5
files. Some examples include: nonlinear results,
optimization results, fatigue life and damage results
and rotordynamics results. MSC continues to extend
HDF5 coverage with each new release of our software.
The HDF5 file produced by MSC Nastran is a binary

file and the fastest way to access results in Patran. It
definitely improves ‘Results Attach’ performance,
especially when using large models with a million
degrees of freedom. Although HDF5 is a binary file,
you can use the HDFView tool to view your MSC
Nastran data in a browser. In addition, you can copy
and paste data from HDFView to other applications
like Excel, or export a data table or a csv format for
plotting purposes.
HDF5 data can be accessed with a variety of

programing languages. The HDF Group provides HDFVIEW showing Nodal Information from the MSC
native bindings for C/C++, Fortran, and Java. Third Nastran Input file.

General News
e-Xstream 15th Anniversary
e-Xstream engineering and Digimat celebrated its 15th anniversary this

year in Prague!
Founded by Dr. Roger Assaker and Issam Doghri, e-Xstream engineering

began with the foundation of nonlinear mean-field homogenization. With
software enhancements released on an average of every six months with
continuous development, e-Xstream has become the leading specialist in
composite materials and plastics for a wide range of industries. e-Xstream
engineering was established in Belgium in 2003 as a spin-off of UCL and
a year later, opened its headquarters in Luxembourg.
Today, Digimat is used by thousands of engineers in hundreds of leading

companies around the world. It is used to engineer new material systems
to characterize them and to optimally use advanced materials to improve
the performance of complex systems such as cars & airplanes.
“Together with our 500+ customers, we have blurred the boundaries

between technologies and scales and have made non-linear multi-scale
modeling accurate, robust, fast and easier to apply for solving the most
challenging engineering problems. Not to mention the savings on
development time, the reduction in the number of prototypes that are
produced, and optimizing the right amount of materials to use.”
– Dr. Roger Assaker, Founder and CEO of e-Xstream engineering.
FFT 20th Anniversary
The FFT Acoustic Simulation Conference was a unique and special time
as CAE engineers of the acoustic simulation community gathered to share
their acoustic achievements and celebrate Free Field Technologies’
20-year anniversary!
This was also an incredible opportunity for attendees to explore and

discuss the new and future technologies from FFT and provided a
platform for our partners to share their technologies and highlight
synergies that exist with Actran.
Over 150 individuals from leading companies attended the three-day event to
learn from industry leaders and innovators with more than 40 presentations
on acoustic, vibro-acoustic and aero-acoustic simulation applications.
We are proud to celebrate 20 years of achievement with you and look

forward to many more years of innovation.

India Development Center Grand Opening
Our India team celebrated the inauguration and grand opening of our new
MSC Development Center located in Pune. The team has been hard at
work transforming a bare shell into a modern office in just 77 days! The
new 40,000 square ft. facility will house MSC product development,
commercial, and IT teams.
The open and modern office environment will allow for a more collaborative
and productive workspace. We are extremely proud to have a total of 220
talented MSC India employees in the beautiful new office space!
Simufact Awards
Simufact Engineering and their project partners EDAG Engineering and

Voestalpine Additive Manufacturing Center received the German
Innovation Award 2018 in Gold for the innovative LightHinge+ project.
LightHinge+ represents the potential of Additive Manufacturing: It is an
additively manufactured lightweight hoodhinge with integegrated
pedestrian protection.
Simufact Engineering won the Gold German Stevie Award in the category
“Best New Product or Service Software - Other” for its simulation
solution Simufact Additive. Simufact Additive helps users simulate and
optimize metal-based additive manufacturing processes - often referred to
as 3D printing. The German Stevie Awards are one of the most renowned
business awards in Germany.
Simufact Additive was nominated for the 2018 Best of Industry Award in
the Additive Manufacturing category. For the third time, the German trade
journal MM Maschinenmarkt by Vogel Business Media praised the
industry award for products, materials, solutions, and processes.
LightHinge+ project won “highly commended” second place at the 2018 TCT
awards in the category of “Automotive Application Award” in Birmingham, UK.
Digimat Awards
Digimat Additive Manufacturing Solution has been announced as winner

of the JEC Innovation Award in Asia and it has been selected as finalist at
the Award of Composites Excellence (ACE) of CAMX 2018.
With solutions for materials development, process simulation, and printed

part performance, Digimat Additive Manufacturing is a completely
innovative solution that’s fully dedicated to reinforced plastics and
composites, allowing its users to “print it right the first time”.
“We’re honored to be recognized as an industry innovator by JEC in Asia

and finalist for the ACE awards, and look forward to continuing our
modeling leadership with Digimat Additive Manufacturing to help address
the global industry’s need to transition from prototyping to actual
manufacturing.” said Roger Assaker, Chief Executive Officer of e-Xstream.

Product Releases
Adams 2018.1 | MSC Adams 2018.1 accelerates real time

autonomous vehicle virtual testing accuracy with connection to VIRES
VTD, expanding its groundbreaking virtual prototyping capabilities with a
number of enhancements. A key highlight of this release is the integration
to VIRES VTD along with additional performance and visualization
enhancements. With this version it is possible to visualize real-time motion
during execution of an Adams car model. This would allow users to
animate the vehicle response to model input changes. Performance
improvements have been added to Adams Solver and Adams Tire in this
version to accelerate solution times.
Actran 19 | Actran 19 is designed to give access to a wider range of numerical acoustic simulations. The introduction of
Virtual SEA analysis enables, based on existing Finite Element models, the generation of reduced energetic vibro-acoustic
models offering a new solution for mid- and high- frequency vibro-acoustic analyses while automated fluid/structure coupling
reduces engineering time and ensures proper vibro-acoustic model definition. Design of complex fan blade geometries in
ActranVI is possible together with the assessment of related fan tonal noise based on steady CFD data or Actran potential
flow results. Numerous additional utilities offer easier use of CFD, experimental or numerical results to enrich Actran models.
Finally, specification of parametric Analyses is integrated inside Actran 19 and combined with dedicated post-processing of
multiple results files.
Digimat 2019 | Digimat’s latest release provides improvements addressing its wide range of material application. Early
design of reinforced plastic parts is made more efficient with the new weld line location estimation in Digimat-RP. Reinforced
plastics crash simulations with LS-DYNA are now both quicker and easier to set up with a novel Digimat/LS-Dyna coupling
solution. High performance fiber reinforced polymers for additive manufacturing are now supported by a streamlined
workflow for both process simulation in Digimat-AM and part performance in Digimat-RP. More physics is added in
Digimat-AM to account for polymer relaxation effects. Composite virtual testing in Digimat-VA is reaching another level of
productivity with the addition of a dedicated parametric study workflow as well as an interface to MaterialCenter for easy
management of large amounts of virtual data. Finally, the Digimat-MX database content has been significantly enhanced,
providing state-of-the-art advanced material models for injection molding and additive manufacturing applications.
MSC CoSim | MSC CoSim is designed to streamline co-simulation between MSC products. Initially, it will
support co-simulation between Marc, Adams and scFLOW. The supported products will expand with future
releases. Adams 2018.1 contains the CoSim plugin to support the upcoming MSC CoSim release.
MSC Apex Iberian Lynx | MSC Apex Iberian Lynx version is the newest version supporting MSC Apex/MSC
Nastran interop, so we are calling it “MSC Apex Modeling and Results processing for Nastran Users.” Along with
MSC Nastran interoperability, this version of MSC Apex also contains new scripting and automation feature for
supporting Aerospace Conceptual Modeling. In addition to many other new features, improvements of CAD-To-
Mesh, in particular Hex Meshing, as well as improvements for support of Large Fabricated Structures have been
added to this release.
MSC Nastran 2019 | MSC Nastran 2019.0 is released to position MSC

Nastran to tackle the biggest and most difficult problems of tomorrow. In order
to support large models with solid elements, MSC Nastran now supports five
or thirteen noded transition Pyramid elements for mesh transition between
different shaped solid elements. In this release, the added new FASTFR
module will perform this operation using SMP-parallel kernels. MSC Nastran
2019.0 also improves its market leading rotordynamics capabilities by
improving convergence characteristics of its nonlinear harmonics solution (SOL
128). We have also focused on improving our output quality for nonlinear
analysis (SOL 400) by introducing Monitor Points for SOL 400, improved
output for composite analysis, and contact model check feature.
Marc 2018.1 | Marc 2018.1 offers the ability to run co-simulation analysis
with MSC CoSim. MSC CoSim Is a program which has been introduced to
couple of MSC programs, enabling users to run co-simulation analysis. In Marc
and Mentat 2018.1, various changes have been made to prepare models for
co-simulation analyses. Supported analysis types are Structural- Fluid (Marc-
scFLOW), Thermal – Fluid )Marc-scFLOW) and Structural-MBD (Marc-Adams).
In addition, several enhancements are added in Marc 2018.1 relating to
General GUI Improvements, Contact Options, Material Behavior, Multi-Physics
Analysis, Ease of Use, Performance as well as Interoperability.
Patran 2019 | Focused to further improve user productivity, this important release offers new and improved
Patran capabilities. Please note starting with this release, Classic Patran is no longer supported. Additionally, the
release offers many other notable improvements such as Maximum/Minimum Load Case Tracking, Support for
SuperGroup, Contact Model Checking, and Enhanced support for Group Mirror and Enhanced support for HDF5
Results. Patran 2019 beta also addresses some of the important defects from previous releases in the area of
Database Management, 3D Mouse Support and HDF5.
Simufact Additive 4 | Simufact, brings to market Simufact Additive 4 – the next generation of its solution for
the simulation of metal additive manufacturing processes. Simufact Additive 4 further strengthens the ease-of-use
approach with new functionalities available in which it efficiently guides the user through the simulation process
workflow and supports with new automation and assistant functionalities. Features also include integrated support
structure capabilities and more interoperability.

Shaping
Smart Change
at HxGN LIVE
Join us at HxGN LIVE, Hexagon’s digital solutions
conference, to experience powerful approaches to
learning, leading and shaping smart change. Be there
in 2019 as we return to Las Vegas, NV, USA, 11-14 June
at the Venetian.
Register now to take part in an electrifying four

days sure to empower your professional growth
and industry knowledge.
Visit HxGNLIVE.com/2019
Join MSC Software’s Global Users Conference at HxGN LIVE

Register now: mscsoftware.com/hxgn-live
© Copyright 2018 Hexagon. Hexagon AB and/or its subsidiaries and affiliates. All rights reserved.

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Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 1

Whether it’s planes, trains, automobiles,

With over 50 years of real world experience in

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 3

4 | Engineering Reality Magazine

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 5

To answer that question, first we need to

6 | Engineering Reality Magazine

Engineers have been using CAE to improve the

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 7

A Comprehensive Strategy for (sensor fusion, object detection, path planning) or to

Through a series of acquisitions with MSC Software B. Vehicle CAE Model

8 | Engineering Reality Magazine

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 9

10 | Engineering Reality Magazine

the consideration of unequipped vehicle are some of

This article focuses on a test framework for CDAS,

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 11

A. Decentralized Decision Making

An example of a merging scenario on a highway is

12 | Engineering Reality Magazine

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 13

14 | Engineering Reality Magazine

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 15

16 | Engineering Reality Magazine

We, at Hexagon, have backed up our ‘Smart

Finally, I believe that three words will encompass the

Responsive. Agile. Connected.

If you want to know more about this exciting

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 17

18 | Engineering Reality Magazine

Figure 2: Noise Prediction in an Internal Combustion Engine Car

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 19

Figure 3. Integrated acoustic toolkit

20 | Engineering Reality Magazine

Car buyers generally have a very high expectation of

1. “Numerical methodologies to address electromagnetic

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 21

22 | Engineering Reality Magazine

Figure 1. Adams-EDEM Co-simulation

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 23

Once the EDEM particles are prepared, the vehicle

With the Adams and EDEM models ready for

24 | Engineering Reality Magazine

Model Definitions Figure 5. HMMWV on flat terrain

A. Adams Wheeled Vehicle Model

An Adams model of a HMMWV (Humvee, see Figure 3) was used for

B. EDEM Ground Material Model

Extensive testing and correlation has been performed by EDEM users to

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 25

Figure 9. HMMWV tire and particle forces

26 | Engineering Reality Magazine

“The process of co-simulating

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 27

A testing procedure has been proposed (reference 1)

The process of co-simulating the Adams MBD

28 | Engineering Reality Magazine

By Bhoomi Gadhia, Product Marketing Manager, MSC Software

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 29

30 | Engineering Reality Magazine

Volume VIII - Winter 2018 | 31

CFD Uncovers the True Nature of Bluefin Tunas,

32 | Engineering Reality Magazine