SIMTEQ Newsletter August 2024

Introduction

events

Product of the month

The art of engineering

New releases

Tips & Training

Innovation, Collaboration and Growth at SIMTEQ Engineering.

As we step into September, we’re thrilled to reflect on the incredible achievements of the past month and set our sights on what’s ahead. July marked a milestone for SIMTEQ Engineering with the resounding success of our 5th Annual Users’ Conference. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who attended, our esteemed presenters and special guests who made this event truly unforgettable. Your contributions have once again demonstrated why our community is at the forefront of engineering innovation.

We also had the pleasure of hosting Mitch Muncy for an exceptional MSC Apex and Nastran Workshop.

The insights shared during this session provided immense value to all participants and we’re pleased to inform those who couldn’t attend that a recording is now available. Looking forward, the month of September brings exciting opportunities for professional development.

We’re offering two CPD-accredited courses: the Structural Mechanics Course on the 6th and 7th and the Finite Element Analysis Fundamentals Course from the 19th to the 23rd. These courses are designed to help you expand your knowledge and stay at the cutting edge of your field.

Finally, we’re gearing up for another significant event: Electra Mining, taking place from the 2nd to the 6th of September.

Make sure to register now and join us for what promises to be an incredible showcase of industry advancements.

Here’s to another month of innovation, growth and success!

Regards

Managing Director

September Highlights and What's Ahead at SIMTEQ Engineering!

Exciting Events Coming Up.

This month is set to be packed with exciting developments at SIMTEQ Engineering! We will be kicking off with the Electra Mining Expo, where our team will showcase the latest in engineering simulation technology. The event is sure to be a huge success and we’re thrilled to connect with many industry professionals and innovators.

Following this, we will be hosting a Structural Mechanics Course on the 6th and 7th of September, providing participants with hands-on training and valuable insights into the latest tools and techniques. This will be followed by our Finite Element Analysis Fundamentals Course from the 19th to the 23rd, where attendees will deepen their understanding of FEA and its applications.

As we look ahead, we’re excited to announce our upcoming events:

October Training Programs: Get ready for our advanced training sessions, including specialized courses in nonlinear analysis and composite materials.
End-of-Year User's Conference Prep: We will be gearing up for our annual User's Conference, which promises to be bigger and better than ever. Keep an eye out for early registration details!

We’re looking forward to seeing everyone participate in our events next month and continuing this journey of innovation and collaboration together.

Stay connected for more updates and opportunities to enhance your engineering expertise with SIMTEQ Engineering!

SIMTEQ Training and Workshops

As we move into September and October, SIMTEQ Engineering has an exciting lineup of events and training opportunities designed to enhance your engineering expertise.

Here’s what you can look forward to:

DYT101 - Introduction to Dytran (5 Days)
Dates: 9th - 13th September
Dive into the world of Dytran with this comprehensive 5-day course. Perfect for those looking to understand the fundamentals and applications of this powerful tool in dynamic analysis.
African Aerospace and Defense Event
Dates: 18th - 20th September
Join us at this prestigious event, where the latest innovations in aerospace and defense will be on display. This is an excellent opportunity to connect with industry leaders and explore cutting-edge technology.
CRA251, 301 - Introduction to scFlow and scStream Training (3 Days)
Dates: 1st - 3rd October
Get hands-on experience with scFlow and scStream in this essential training course. Learn the basics and advanced techniques to elevate your computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations.
ADM701 - Complete Multibody Dynamics Analysis with Adams (5 Days)
Dates: 7th - 11th October
Master multibody dynamics with Adams in this in-depth 5-day course. This training will cover everything you need to know to perform advanced dynamic simulations.
CAEFatigue - Theory and Practical Fatigue Analysis using CAEFatigue (3 Days)
Dates: 14th - 16th October
Explore the intricacies of fatigue analysis in this specialized course. Learn both the theoretical background and practical applications using CAEFatigue to predict and analyze fatigue life in engineering components.
MAR101 & 102 - Nonlinear Analysis using Marc and Mentat (2 of 6 Days)
Dates: 28th October - 1st November
Delve into nonlinear analysis with this 6-day intensive course. Gain insights into the capabilities of Marc and Mentat, focusing on advanced simulation techniques for complex engineering problems.

These events and courses are designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to stay at the forefront of engineering technology.

We encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities to enhance your professional development.

Don't miss out—register now and secure your spot in these valuable sessions!

ODYSSEE CAE

ODYSSEE CAE allows engineers to use Machine Learning (ML) on CAE models for rapid Design Optimization and exploration. Artificial intelligence/machine learning for enhanced engineering. Real-time solutions for engineering, manufacturing and quality.

ODYSSEE – Optimal Decision Support System for Engineering and Expertise

Want to reduce two months of work to just one week? This is the power of AI/ML applied to CAE simulation and production.

Hexagon's AI/ML solution, specifically designed for engineers, employs predictive techniques that can work effectively with small datasets (which make up about 10% of the data typically needed for traditional ML). As a result, engineers can avoid the challenges of generating large amounts of data, which is time-consuming and expensive. But we won't stop there - ODYSSEE is improving continuously as more techniques are incorporated into the learning models over time.

ODYSSEE CAE is a unique and powerful CAE-centric innovation platform that allows engineers to apply Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Reduced Order Modeling (ROM) and Design Optimisation to workflows. It enables you to benefit from modern data science technology by creating cost-efficient digital twins through real-time predictive modelling and optimisation for CAE simulation and physical test data.

Challenges tackled with AI/ML

Inefficient processes -

Manual processes that are time-consuming and error-prone that lead to lower efficiency and productivity.

Higher costs -

Expensive manual processes that result in higher operational costs.

Limited scalability -

Difficulty scaling operations, handling large datasets and complex processes.

Inaccurate decision-making -

Limited data available to make informed decisions, leading to inaccurate or suboptimal outcomes.

Lower quality -

Lower quality products or services that lack capabilities to optimise processes and identify areas for improvement.

Overcome your challenges with ODYSSEE solutions

Reduce costs by optimising processes, predicting maintenance needs, and minimising waste

Better decision-making and faster predictive analysis & optimisation through AI/ML algorithms

Identify patterns and trends in data that allow faster predictions and forecasts

Adaptive learning with continuous improvement

Scalability to handle large and complex data sets and processes

ODYSSEE Capabilities

Solving problems in real-time & optimising product design

ODYSSEE CAE can predict historical curves and complete field data at all nodes and elements (stress, strain, ...) in a way that is completely data-driven and CAE solver independent.

ODYSSEE can deploy different machine learning and reduced order modeling techniques to extract important features from your data. This enables the creation of highly accurate data-based surrogate models.

ODYSSEE ROM-based optimisers can perform...

Parsers - Data-driven and CAE solver independent

To be more efficient during data preperation and preprocessing, ODYSSEE CAE proposes dedicated parsers (MSC Nastran, Adams and LS-DYNA ) and a multi-purpose generic parser adaptable for any software. The parsers dedicated for Marc, CradleCFD, and MSC Apex are respectively integrated into Mentat ScFlow and MSC Apex.

Adaptive DOE methods

Different algorithms are available for DOE sampling. These algorithms allow adding new sample points to improve space-filling. They also allow reducing the sample points to effectively handle larg datasets. ODYSSEE enables adaptive sampling that generates results in real-time when new points are added.

Embed ODYSSEE models in CAE through FMU and smart superelements

Parametric superelement (for MSC Nastran or Marc), parametric FMUs (for Adams and electronic devices) can be generated with ease in ODYSSEE representative element for quick parametric studies and faster computation times.

Directly use images and CAD (step, stl) files for modeling and parametric design.

Process images (JPEG and PNG formats) and CAD files (STEP and STL formats) directly in A-Eye.

Easily associate these with these scalars, curves and labels. Images can be geometry design views, manufactured parts snapshots or simulation field data.

The capability can be implemented for quality inspection, manufacturing fault detection and forecasting.

Scripting with Quasar or Python

ODYSSEE Solver is built on an object-oriented laguage called Quasar. But it also supports Python.

Easy to automate any process or integrate into internal software. Quasar is a powerful language, but engineers are familiar with Python.

They can access ODYSSEE libraries with maintenance and support.

Built-in AI/ML, ROM, STATS, OPTIMISATION, RELIABILITY, FORECASTING and process monitoring libraries.

Custom-designed virtual experiment in fracture mechanics in Mechanical Engineering

This case study describes the development and use of a custom-designed virtual experiment in Mechanical Engineering which partially simulates the concept of metal fatigue to help students engage with a complex practical application. It then explores some of the enabling or constraining structures, policies and practices at a national, institutional and personal level that appear to have an impact on making such a simulation available as an Open educational resource (OER).

According to Nickerson, Corter, Esche and Chassapis, economic pressures on universities and the emergence of new technologies have spurred the creation of new systems for delivering engineering laboratories in education, in particular simulations and remote-access laboratory systems‟ (2007: 708). There is still some debate around the relative benefits of performing mechanical engineering experiments hands-on in a physical laboratory or in some type of remote laboratory (Greene, Issa, Smyth, Brabazon and McLoughlin 2007).

Figure 1: Process of ultrasonic testing

(from Reed, Deacon & Jaffer 2006: 20)

Pedagogical challenges

In a short article, the lecturer and the educational technologist explain that the third-year Mechanical Engineering students who need to understand ultrasonic NDE „needed to experience a practical application of the theory before many things would start making sense‟ (Reed, Deacon and Jaffer 2006: 20). To fully engage with the complex theory, students need to have opportunities to explore materials and relate their findings to the theory.

The lecturer explained that the key challenge that this pose is that there is no way of doing actual ultrasonic testing in the lab‟ as the „cost of ultrasonic probes is prohibitive and the difficulties in designing an experiment with “interesting” flaws for students to find are almost insurmountable‟ (Reed et al. 2006: 20). Moreover, the time allocated to this section of the curriculum is quite restricted and the practical tutorial session is only one hour long.

These challenges and the opportunity provided by CET to support lecturers to develop digital course materials resulted in the development of a computer-based tutorial that requires students to engage with a simulation of an ultrasonic probe and use this information along with the theory to make judgements about the nature of flaws detected in specific materials.

The virtual experiment

The lecturer and the educational technologists from CET devised a three-part virtual experiment for third-year Mechanical Engineering students using a combination of Adobe Flash, MSExcel and MSWord. The virtual experiment was contextualized within a real-life situation – the sinking of the Alexandros 7, the 299-metre bulk carrier, about 300 nautical miles off the Eastern Cape Coast of South Africa. Students are required to undertake three associated tasks as the ship's engineer:

1. Use the ultrasonic probe to locate the flaw in the hull of the ship.

2. Process the data collected with an oscilloscope.

3. Write a report on an assessment of the flaws and recommend whether the ship

should be repaired immediately or be allowed to sail.

In the first part of the virtual experiment, students are required to move the virtual ultrasonic probe across the hull of the ship and note the representation of the output of what a real oscilloscope reading would have shown. As the educational technologist created a set of randomly generated flaws (within set parameters), each student has their own "flaw" of different lengths and orientations to detect, thereby ensuring that each student has a "unique" problem. The students move the virtual probe over the hull of the ship and note the oscilloscope outputs when the flaw is detected

(Figure 3).

Figure 2: Hull of the ship with virtual probe and associated oscilloscope outputs

Once the "flaw" is detected, the information is then exported to an MSExcel spreadsheet. Each student is presented with a personalised spreadsheet and is then required to calculate the depth, length and orientation of the flaw (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Simulated oscilloscope outputs

Having completed the analysis on the spreadsheet, students are then required to open up a MSWord document that has assembled their earlier calculations and interpretations in a report form (Figure 4). The students are then asked to justify their assessment and make a recommendation to the captain of the ship. This exercise requires students to make a qualitative judgment from a series of quantitative data that draws on the underlying theory of fracture mechanics.

Figure 4: Report on flaws found in the hull of bulk carrier

The lecturer's assessment focused on „the accuracy of the analysis of the data as well as the quality of the interpretation made as to whether the ship could continue in active service or "not" (Reed et al. 2006: 20).

FormingSuite 2024.2

FormingSuite 2024.2 is now available at the Software Download Center.

*Please distribute to users of the software*

Some of the FTI FormingSuite 2024.2 highlights include the following:

Geometry Export from Process Planner

What is it? Improved geometry export function in Line Die Plan and Prog Die Process.
What is in it for you? The exported geometry can be used as the basis for the transfer/tandem and progressive die design.

Improved Scrap Distribution

What is it? Improved scrap distribution for center carriers in Prog Die Process.
What is in it for you? This option lets users quickly and efficiently generate process plans with center carriers.

Improvements to double attached with unfolded flanges

What is it? Improvements to separation distance in the double attach function.
What is in it for you? Improves accuracy for process planning and costing by improving the users’ ability to efficiently model the true manufacturing process.

Click here to learn about What’s New in FormingSuite 2024.2.

Cradle CFD 2024.1 ARM Edition

We are pleased to announce that Cradle CFD 2024.1 ARM Edition is now available on the Software Download Center.

Cradle CFD 2024.1 for ARM supports only scFLOW Solver and Meshing function of Preprocessor for Linux. Please refer to the Readme for information on the supported operating environments.

Sincerely,

Customer Support
Manufacturing Intelligence division, Hexagon

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Adams Modeler 2024.1

Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence is pleased to announce the availability of Adams Modeler 2024.1 for download.

The Adams Modeler 2024.1 release includes the following features:

Machinery Read Only Support

First phase of supporting bearings, gears and motors in read only mode

Native Data Spline

Support for creation/modification of 2D/3D spline. These can be used in Motion/Force objects (currently limited to function expression manual reference method). Can also edit data splines from imported Adams Models and successful run the models.

Improved Shell geometry support

Convert shell geometry to Parasolid.

Ability to select facetted geometry for geometric references in Modeler.

Proper location of constraints and joints in model browser

Nest constraints and forces into subassembly structure when there are no references outside the subassembly

Additional read-only supported objects

Following objects are promoted to “Read Only” support, meaning that they can been seen within the Modeler interface

Field
General Motion
Friction

MSC Apex Tip

Geometry creation and CAD clean-up tools

Did you know? The geometry creation and CAD clean-up tools in MSC Apex are multi-purpose. You can use the offset split tool on solids and surfaces and therefore use it to quickly define weld areas to easily apply different material properties to, for structural and fatigue analyses.