The developers at MSC Software have been busy this summer. The Newport Beach, CA-based developer of multidiscipline simulation software has made two major product announcements this month, releasing new versions of Marc nonlinear FEA software and Adams multi-body dynamics simulation software.
Let’s start with Marc 2014, which is used by product engineers for nonlinear and multiphysics simulations of engineering parts, ranging from automotive parts to rubber components to medical and consumer electronic devices.
With intensifying safety and performance standards in product design, engineers need virtual test solutions that can accurately predict real-world behaviors to reduce the costly physical testing required.
To address these challenges, the Marc 2014 release introduces a new 3D crack propagation capability to more accurately predict failure in products. The release also delivers enhanced nonlinear contact, improved modeling for electromagnetics, and easier CAD defeaturing and mesh generation, to name a few.
New functionality in this release include:
Improved Accuracy of Crack Propagation Studies. A new capability for high-cycle fatigue helps engineers determine whether cracks will propagate, and reach a critical length after so many cycles. A small number of representative cycles are modeled in Marc, after which Paris’ law is used to calculate the number of cycles before damage. This is critical in safety-related industries, such as aerospace and energy, where it is important to develop maintenance schedules. This release also offers an improved method for scaling the crack growth along a crack front and between separate cracks, which helps improve the accuracy of the solution.
Enhanced Nonlinear Contact. Improved defaults are designed to achieve convergence in fewer iterations with less user intervention when using segment-to-segment contact. Implementation of a friction model is also updated to improve convergence and accuracy of the contact solutions. These capabilities may help achieve faster solutions in contact models like assembly models, seal installation, and manufacturing simulations.
Pressure Cavity. The pressure cavity capability, available for planar, axisymmetric, and 3D, has been expanded so that it supports not only a perfect gas law, but also a nearly incompressible fluid. This helps solve a new class of problems like water-filled bottles, hydromounts, seals, and other containers. Engineers can analyze performance of the fluid-filled containers without explicitly modeling the fluid.
Improved Modeling for Electromagnetics. The Electromagnetic capabilities have been substantially enhanced by introducing the circuit approach so that either current or voltages may be applied to the system. Combining with Marc’s advanced thermal and structural capabilities this facilitates the solution of problems ranging from solenoids to induction heating of rolling processes. The electromagnetic capabilities may be used for other low-frequency applications as well.
User Interface Improvements. Mentat, the user interface of Marc, has been enhanced to improve productivity with the following capabilities: new method has been introduced to allow import of geometry from most CAD packages. Geometric operations may be performed on the native Parasolid geometry. Removal of small features like holes, fillets, chamfers, small surfaces, and small bodies can be achieved with defeaturing, which facilitates mesh generation required for simulation. Features can also be offset or moved after the CAD model has been imported into Mentat.
Automatic meshing capability. Supports the three types of Parasolid bodies (wires, sheets and volumes) has been introduced. Either fully automatic approach or a flexible, user-controlled meshing is available to mesh solids with lower- or higher-order shell or tetrahedral elements. Meshing of complex assemblies can be easily and quickly performed incorporating dimensional and curvature information. The model can be directly used for a contact simulation.
Adams 2014 for Multibody Dynamics
Engineers commonly struggle with efficiently designing and testing mechanical systems because of the lack of integration between system dynamics and FEA software domains. Adams 2014 was designed to address these challenges.
The software introduces a native nonlinear part modeling and analysis, and co-simulation between Adams and Marc nonlinear FEA. Adams also extends popular machinery and automotive industry solutions with the new CAM module in Adams/Machinery and extended vehicle modeling and rollover events in Adams/Car.
New Adams Native Nonlinear Part Modeling and Analysis
The FE Part is a new Adams-native modeling object for very large deformation use cases, and specifically considers geometric nonlinearity. The formulation options are based on MSC adaptations of the Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation (ANCF) and Geometrically Exact Beam Formulation (GEBF). Engineers can more accurately calculate dynamic loads for geometrically nonlinear parts within a multibody dynamic system.
The FE Part offers a 3D Beam formulation option, a three-dimensional, fully geometrically nonlinear representation useful for beam-like structures; a basic two-dimensional option is available as well. Adams/View supports the creation, visualization, and modification of FE Parts, as well as the convenient application of distributed loads via the new FE Load. In some benchmark test cases, modeling time was reduced from 8 hours to 30 minutes.
New Full Co-simulation Support for Adams and Marc
The Adams-Marc co-simulation capability enables users to perform real co-simulation between Adams and Marc nonlinear FEA software. By doing so, multibody dynamics engineers working with Adams can increase model accuracy by including geometrically and materially nonlinear structural behavior, and FEA engineers can study components with realistic boundary conditions.
The co-simulation delivers dramatic time savings for nonlinear FEA users because some of the rigid moving parts can be simulated in Adams instead of the FEA environment; this drives the total solution time down dramatically.
“The Adams-Marc co-simulation capability more than satisfies our guideline of ‘reasonable results in a reasonable time.’ With up to a 90% reduction in computation time, optimization using advanced nonlinear FEA becomes practical. Such development provides a great benefit and is crucial for our product development,” said Dr. Steve Jia, chief engineer, Litens Automotive Group.
New CAM Module in Adams/Machinery
Optimizing cam-follower systems early in the design process is key to saving cost and improving product performance. The new Adams/Machinery CAM module provides easy-to-use modeling of cam-follower systems. These systems may comprise various combinations of cam shapes, follower motions, follower arrangements, and follower geometry. The new feature makes Cam model creation much faster. It is easier to make mechanism motion and Cam profile design changes, and optimize the motion function to minimize or maximize acceleration, for instance.
New Vehicle Modeling Enhancements in Adams/Car include:
New Stability Events in Adams/Car. Rollover accidents can cause fatalities. To provide better occupant protection, the study of rollover motion and vehicle stability is crucial. Adams/Car now provides three new rollover stability test events, including Embankment, Corkscrew, and Sand Bed.
FTire Animation. Higher-fidelity analysis and visualization are needed for vehicle ride events like tires rolling over various surfaces. FTire contact forces and tire deformation forces can now be animated within Adams/PostProcessor.
SmartDriver Enhancements. Vehicle performance and handling tests continue to evolve, and so does the need to virtually model and simulate these events virtually. To address this challenge, a number of enhancements to SmartDriver have been introduced. Improved backwards driving for open loop events is supported for both simple and automatic powertrains. Other noteworthy features include additional speed profile spline interpolation improvements, providing continuous target acceleration and smoother throttle and brake signals.
Learn more about all MSC Software solutions, by clicking here.
