VA One Software Adds OpenFOAM & Pre-Calculation Model Checks

ESI Group updates its vibro-acoustic CAE software and improves HPC performance.


CFD streamlines (Left) and acoustic response of an automotive muffler.

ESI Group has just released the latest version of their vibro-acoustic analysis and design platform, VA One. The software is able to combine vibro-acoustics (over the full frequency range), finite elements, statistical energy analysis (SAE), and boundary elements (BEM) within one model. The current VA One release focuses on improved flexibility as well as incorporating the ability to use advanced aeronautic materials and OpenFOAM CFD software.

Vibro-acoustic analysis requires many models for analysis. VA One’s model checking function will determine if all the required models are available for an analysis so no time is wasted on failing computations.

ESI Group has also included a Distributed Memory Processing (DMP) BEM solver in the release. This solver allows for improved performance in High Performance Computing (HPC) architectures. According to ESI Group, the solver has been able to reduce large computational times by a factor of 10.

VA One has also seen improvements in automated user assistance when assigning multiple load cases. This could significantly reduce the time needed to import models as seen in the setup of powertrain run-up simulations.

ESI Group has also made a lot of changes to VA One which will increase the accessibility of CFD calculations to non-specialists. Having VA One automatically couple with OpenFOAM allows engineers to quickly predict the performance of their models with stationary flow components. Standard OpenFoam meshes are generated automatically and local fluid dynamic properties, like Mach vectors, are kept up to date. Additionally, VA One fully automates the post-processing of the simulation.

“The introduction of flow effects into FEA acoustics models enables GLSV (Great Lakes Sound & Vibration) to evaluate the installed performance of engine silencing systems more accurately and with a higher level of confidence.  Because the CFD is integrated into the workflow, it allows us to perform multiple design iterations, including flow effects, in a short time frame. VA One 2014.5 provides a significant capability increase with the added functionality of flow effects,” said Steven G. Mattson, GLSV President.

SEA modeling of complex plates was also updated in VA One. Newer formulas are included which better model the new materials used in the aerospace industry. This update includes the use of composite, sandwich and laminated visco-elastic panels. These formulas allow the program to assess the turbulent boundary layers of these panels, regardless of thickness or structure.

Finally, the new release of VA One includes cloud computing access through the cloud service Rescale. Users will be able to submit their calculations to the pay-as-you-go cloud service to reduce the analysis time and temporarily increase HPC capacity. To learn more about Rescale, read this previous article.

Source ESI Group.

Written by

Shawn Wasserman

For over 10 years, Shawn Wasserman has informed, inspired and engaged the engineering community through online content. As a senior writer at WTWH media, he produces branded content to help engineers streamline their operations via new tools, technologies and software. While a senior editor at Engineering.com, Shawn wrote stories about CAE, simulation, PLM, CAD, IoT, AI and more. During his time as the blog manager at Ansys, Shawn produced content featuring stories, tips, tricks and interesting use cases for CAE technologies. Shawn holds a master’s degree in Bioengineering from the University of Guelph and an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo.