MSC Software Corporation

MSC Software helps Thai Steel Cable apply Multibody Dynamics & Finite Element simulations to design the structure of a Robotic Arm with Polyamide

From load simulation via generative design to manufacturing and verification – optimisation of a wheel carrier for FormulaStudent with MSC Software

Using MSC Nastran and Actran – engineers at Avio were able to accurately predict the effect of noise vibrations on the structural integrity of its launchers.

Lacking a productive tool for taking advantage of hex mesh in product development missions, engineers reviewed and benchmarked MSC Apex versus their legacy workflow and tools, and found quite a few benefits from using the new workflow.

Regulators are continually increasing the performance standards required of automobile manufacturers. An example is FMVSS 105 and 121 which define the performance of braking systems and are intended to ensure safe braking performance under normal and emergency conditions for heavy trucks and trailers. A typical change in these regulations is to reduce the distance required to stop the truck under emergency conditions. This can be achieved by designing bigger, heavier, more expensive brakes. Ragnar Ledesma, Principal Engineer for Meritor, took a different approach by addressing the algorithms used to control anti-lock braking systems used in nearly all mediumand heavy-duty trucks.

The simulation showed the proposed control system brings the vehicle to a complete stop in less than 4 seconds in a stopping distance of 177 feet (54 meters), demonstrating a way to meet the requirements of a tougher regulation without major changes to braking hardware. The results show a nearly constant deceleration response at the driver seat as opposed to the cyclical response with conventional ABS braking. The explanation for the improved performance is explained by the simulation results. The wheel angular velocities and tire slip ratios do not fluctuate from their desired values; hence the new ABS control system can sustain maximum braking forces almost over the entire braking cycle.

• Leveraged Adams-Controls Integration to provide virtual testing of the new braking algorithms used in the ABS system
• Achieved a reduction in truck stopping distance by over 30% using current disc braking systems
• Evaluated the truck braking performance without many expensive prototypes iterations
• On-demand access to the Adams Controls module via the MSC One token licensing system

The aerospace industry is one of the most demanding industries in terms of quality and reliability. There is an enormous potential for the use of additive manufacturing as this technology gives the opportunity to create function-oriented part designs for a highly purpose-oriented geometry.

In a research project of the Direct Manufacturing Research Center in combination with an industrial partner, such a function-oriented component optimisation was developed using MSC Apex Generative Design. A fixture has been identified and selected for redesign which is installed less than 100 times per year. The previous design consists of a two-part assembly in which the individual components are milled from a solid aluminum block and then connected to each other by several rivets. This produces a correspondingly high amount of waste in the production process.

Tyvak considered and evaluated MSC Apex because of its “smart” nature, ease of use, and seamless compatibility with MSC Nastran. When utilizing MSC Apex for pre-/post-processing an FE model, engineers conveniently achieved firstrun- success in simulations.

The collector box ground cable retention feature was improved over the earlier design further for better performance. An economical and reliable feature was to be redesigned to meet the requirements of the intended retention force which ensures that the feature is always under pre-stressed condition. In the process of design modification of this existing feature, several parameters like length of the arm, width and thickness at the root, etc. were considered. The retention forces were estimated through a structural simulation using non-linear isotropic material properties (glass-filled Polybutylene Terephthalate material). The extracted retention force for this redesigned feature was found to be exceeding the intended force value which in turn caused the failure of the feature. However, the physical test results showed that the features were safe, and the retention forces measured were also in the acceptable range. Hence to understand the influence of fibre orientation in such glass-filled components; extended FEA studies were carried out using Digimat software.

Composites Technology Research Malaysia Sdn Bhd (CTRM) is part of the global supply chain in Composites Aero structures for major commercial and military aircraft manufacturers in the world. The company plays a strategic role in the Aerospace and Composites industries and has also diversified its business into composites aircraft interiors, aircraft seats and transportations.

As part of the production process, the company is required to run thorough physical tests on each of the components that it manufactures to ensure that they meet the stringent standards. This is especially true in the case of components made of composite materials. In order to guarantee that the testing process is extremely meticulous and accurate, each component needs to undergo the required scans/tests from all possible angles. This means that each component needs to be flipped over by 180 degrees, rotated etc. to ensure that each portion of this component is accessible to the scanning machines and also to guarantee that all data and measurements are physically captured and recorded.

Flipping these components can be quite a challenging process, especially since some of them such as the aircraft fan cowl can weigh upwards of 70 kilograms. Flipping these is not easy even if there are 5 persons deployed to physically flip each part.

Doing it manually can damage the product since there is a possibility that it might get dropped or might touch or scratch some surface thereby damaging the part. Since these parts are not ergonomically designed to be held or flipped, they can be quite unwieldy. Yet, testing and certification of each component before it is sent to the OEM is extremely important.

The company was keen to mechanise the process by designing a ‘flipper’ device that could be used to physically flip the components as required for testing.

Simusolve Australia was tasked with the structural evaluation of the preliminary design of a fabricated “road registered” supercar. The structural system involved various vehicle sub-assemblies, comprised of over 100 individual components made from metallic, carbon composite and elastomeric materials. The data was supplied as a single structured Parasolid assembly file – generated from SolidWorks. Simusolve was required to do internal load and stress surveys, torsion and beaming stiffness assessment, as well as modal response and confirmation of internal load paths.

The assignment was quite challenging due to several factors. First, the sheer scale of the mesh creation activity would have been sufficiently challenging on its own. However, when combined with the need to manage and organise such a large number of components and subassemblies, their structural interfaces and properties, and the problem became even more difficult. Traditional pre-processors struggle to handle problems of this magnitude. In addition, the team needed to make rapid changes to the geometry in order to assess design changes arising from analysis insights.

Indian motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield holds the distinction of being the oldest global motorcycle brand in continuous production. In production since 1901, the company is well known for its iconic Royal Enfield Bullet and other single-cylinder motorcycles.

As part of its growth drive, the company was in the midst of expanding its portfolio across the overseas markets. To achieve this, the company was keen to launch multiple variants of their bikes to cater to newer markets. The company was not only exploring bikes in newer styles, it was also keen to launch bikes across different capacities and price points. At the same time, it was looking to launch bikes in niche categories such as electric bikes.

One of the standout characteristics of Royal Enfield bikes is the distinctive engine noise that its ardent fans swear by. However, newer noise regulations such as Euro 4 R41 and ISO 9028 on pass by noise require that each bike manufacturer needs to meet the standard in order to launch their products into the market.

The iconic engine noise of Royal Enfield is one of its Unique Selling Points (USPs). The challenge therefore was to ensure that the signature sound would remain while meeting the required noise standards. The company needed to find a way to record noise levels for each part of the engine even before the manufacturing process started.

Team Predators is a student team of D.Y. Patil College of Engineering, Akurdi, that has participated in several national automotive competitions and events since 2009. The team participates regularly in BAJA SAE India and BAJA SAE International competitions and has won several accolades in the past.

The team specializes in single seater All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV) and has been on a quest to manufacture the lightest and most durable All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV).

While preparing for its entry for 2019, the team was facing some challenges with respect to the design of dynamics of the vehicle. The vehicle that the team had showcased in the previous year (2018) was facing an understeering issue, which affected its manoeuvrability. In the year before that, the vehicle that was showcased had a tendency towards excessive rolling, which compromised the stability of the vehicle. This resulted in the driver of the vehicle being underconfident during the 4-hour endurance race of the competition. The team was keen to address all these issues in its 2019 entry.

Numerous cities around the world are facing changes in the way urban transportation is considered. The need for lower particle emissions and for a safer and quieter environment are key concepts shaping the future of mobility. Among sustainable transport system enablers, recent technological progresses in electric and autonomous vehicles are accelerating user adoption.

Designing electric and autonomous vehicles is a challenge for the NVH design and engineering teams that need to cope with increasing acoustic comfort expectations while dealing with new noise sources and structural designs.

For Scania, a world-leading provider of transport solutions, the acoustic comfort of drivers and passengers has always been of great importance in the design engineering process. Not only is a pleasant drive critical for buyers or commuters, but it also impacts health and productivity. Scania is focused on getting their vehicles up to speed with today’s acoustic expectations by addressing the level and quality of vehicle interior noise. The development of increasingly optimized NVH properties is supported by extensive testing and by the introduction of new methods based on vibroacoustic simulations. In this endeavor, the calculation team at Scania Bus decided to use the new capabilities of Actran Virtual SEA approach to assess the vibro-acoustic performances of their design at mid- and high frequencies.