CAE Blog

Webinar: Introduction to ESAComp 4.1 New Capabilities
Learn how to speed up design process with the new ESAComp features, such as analyses for curved plates and hat stiffened panels, cylindrical shell add-on, and interfaces with ANSYS Composite PrepPost.

(9) Thursday, September 2, 2010 at 08:00 UTC
(10:00 Central Europe; 13:30 India; 17:00 Japan)
(10) Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at 12:00 UTC
(08:00am New York; 09:00 Brazil; 14:00 Central Europe; 17:30 India)

The webinar is free of charge to attend. The presentation takes appr. 45 minutes including an interactive questions & answers session. Sign up by sending email to esacomp@componeering.com. Please mention the number of the webinar you want to attend.

ESAComp is software for the analysis and design of composite laminates and laminated structural elements.

The development work was initiated by the European Space Agency (ESA/ESTEC), who envisioned open software which would combine all necessary composites analysis and design capabilities under one unified user interface. ESAComp 1.0 was released in 1998. Although it originated in the aerospace field, ESAComp has been developed as a general tool for people dealing with composites, both in industry and in research.

ESAComp has a vast set of analysis and design capabilities for solid/sandwich laminates and for micromechanical analyses. It further includes analysis tools for structural elements: plates, stiffened panels, beams and columns, bonded and mechanical joints. Thanks to its ability to interface with widely used finite element software packages, ESAComp fits seamlessly into the design process.

附加一个新模块：ComPoLyX原本是瑞士一家叫EVEN的公司开发针对F1赛车和游艇设计的内部工具，现被整合到ESAComp软件中作为一个附加工具模块，主要作用是增强了ESAComp的复合材料失效分析功能。ESAComp其实本身也有失效分析功能，但ComPolyX在这方面更专业功能更强大。两者可以双向进行数据交换，具体的说就是，ComPolyX可以读取ESAComp的材料数据库，进行高级的失效分析，ESAComp也可以根据ComPolyX的失效分析结果进行修正和设计（有点类似LT和LAP）。

ComPolyX提出了一个名词叫Inverse reserve factors（简称IRFs），可以翻译成逆保留因子，类似失效因子，安全系数之类的参数。ComPolyX可以提供更丰富更先进的复合材料失效判据，特色有二个：
专门针对“三明治结构”的失效判据
计算层合板厚度方向上的层间法向应力，从而进行3D失效分析
ComPolyX可以根据多种失效判据，计算复合材料结构各处的IRFs，然后以图形化的方式显示各处最大的IRF值及响应的失效判据，总得意思就是失效结果显示功能很强大。比较值得一提的是，支持32位/64位的windows系统或Linux系统，支持ABAQUS, ANSYS和NASTRAN数据借口，支持多核计算等。详细咨询：caeda@vip.sina.com

V2010.0 BETA is Ready!
ESI is proud to announce the BETA Release of the V2010.0 ACE+ Suite of CFD and Multiphysics software. The final version or the Official Release is scheduled for the last week of August 2010. This release comes just eight months after our last release, and includes many new features that our customers have requested. We welcome and encourage all of our customers to download and use the latest version of our software.

Included in the V2010.0 release are significant updates to:

CFD-ACE+ – Advanced CFD and Multiphysics Solver
CFD-FASTRAN – CFD Physics Solver
CFD-GEOM – Geometry Modeler and Mesh Generator
CFD-VisCART – Cartesian Mesh Generator
CFD-VIEW – Solution Analysis and Visualization Tool
Enhancements have been made to increase usability, robustness and accuracy, and we are sure that this new version will make for a worthwhile upgrade to your CFD/Multiphysics toolset. In addition, V2010.0 marks the beginning of ACE+ Suite suppport on Windows 7 platform.

The remainder of this note gives you some information about the V2010.0 software release. Please read on to learn more about the updates and let us know if you have any comments or questions.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are running V2009.x or earlier software versions, then you may require a new license to run V2010.x versions! ESI licensing policy requires licensing to the version of the software. This means that if you currently have a V2009.x (or earlier) license, you will need to replace it with a V2010.x license. These are available upon request from your ESI license or sales representative. If you are not sure who that is, you should contact support.cfd@esi-group.com. Please include your existing V2009.x license file for the quickest service. Note that if you already have a V2010.x license, no action is required.

V2010.0 Release Highlights

As with previous releases, there are many improvements to features, performance, and robustness. Below is a short bullet list of some of the top reasons why you should consider upgrading to V2010.0. For a more detailed description of the new and improved features, please consult the Release Notes document, which is included in the BETA package download files and can also be found in the Knowledge Base section of the ESI CFD Portal (login required).

CFD-ACE+ V2010.0
Radiation DOM Methodology – SnDOM and CAFVM
Plasma Coupled with External Circuit
Improved Stochastic Heating Model
More Efficient STS Radiation Restart Capability
Additional Correlation Forms for the Fan Curve Model
New Local Slip Wall BC Specification
New Inviscid Wall Boundary Condition
Improved Mass and Energy Flow Balance Summary Output
Enhanced Output Controls
Marangoni Effects of Surface Tension for VOF
Improved Parallel VOF Capability
New Parallel Domain Decomposition
Parallel Processing improvements
CFD-FASTRAN V2010.0
HP-MPI for Polyhedral Solver on All Supported Platforms
Parallel Script Improvements for Structured Grid Solver
CFD-GEOM V2010.0
Faster Boundary Layer meshing

Faster and more robust Advancing Front Surface Meshing
Improved CAD/IGES import
New two points and radius circle tool
CFD-VisCART V2010.0
Improved Baffle (Thin-Wall) Treatment
Improved Multi-Domain Algorithm to Capture Features
More efficient Solution Adaptation process

Faster Boundary Layer generation
New Sphere and Cylindrical Sources
New Local Cell Size Specification for Patches
CFD-VIEW V2010.0
New Cell-Center Data Visualization

Additionally, several enhancements have been made to the Database Manager.

V2010.0 Installation
In V2009.4 and earlier versions, the application directories were placed directly under $ESI_HOME, and had names of the form _; for example, GEOM_2009.4. Starting with this V2010.0 Release, there will be a new 2010.0 directory under $ESI_HOME that will contain all the V2010.0 application directories. These application directories will have names of the form ; for example, GEOM.

Thus, the location of the CFD-GEOM application directory
in V2009.4 was: $ESI_HOME/GEOM_2009.4
in V2010.0 is: $ESI_HOME/2010.0/GEOM

Moving forward, this new version-specific directory structure will be used. This new directory structure will not cause any problems if V2010.0 is installed with existing 2009.4 or earlier software directories. You will continue to be able to use old and new versions of the software, which will allow as much time as needed for transition. However, as only V2010.0 will be supported going forward, you should use V2010.0 to get access to future software issue resolutions and feature improvements. Step-by-step instructions for the download and installation of V2010.0 software can be found in the Getting Started Guide (located in the Knowledge Base – login required).

Release TOSCA Structre 7.0.2
The new TOSCA Structure Version 7.0.2 is now available for download on http://www.fe-design.de/login.html.

Release TOSCA Structure 7.0.1
The new TOSCA Structure Version 7.0.1 is now available for download on http://www.fe-design.de/login.html.

The main enhancements:
- Update to Version 13.0.3 of TOSCA ANSA environment
- Improved mesh smooth algorithm
- Improvements of manufacturing constraints for sensitivity based topology
optimization

For more detailed information please see the release and platform notes.

Seminar dates 2010 for TOSCA Structure, TOSCA Fluid and OPTIMUS online:

http://www.fe-design.de/en/events.html

FE-DESIGN and BETA CAE Systems S.A. announce the result of a successful technological partnership – TOSCA ANSA environment – a new powerful graphical user interface for the leading optimization software TOSCA Structure
Press Release of June 10th, 2009

Shipflow PRODUCTS:

1. SHIPFLOW FRIENDSHIP Design Package
Advanced Design Package by FLOWTECH and FRIENDSHIP SYSTEMS

The SHIPFLOW FRIENDSHIP Design Package is a suite of computer programs to be used by naval architects for advanced hydrodynamic design and optimization of hull forms, appendages, energy saving devices etc. The package provides new possibilities to ship designers at the crucial design stage of hull form development by closely coupling state-of-the-art CFD analysis and parametric CAD and formal optimization capability. The package includes the powerful CFD program SHIPFLOW and the CAE environment FRIENDSHIP-Framework. The SHIPFLOW FRIENDSHIP Design Package brings together the excellence of the SHIPFLOW Design Package and the full suite of the FRIENDSHIP-Framework.

2. SHIPFLOW Design Package
Advanced Design Package by FLOWTECH

The SHIPFLOW Design Package is a suite of computer programs to be used by ship designers for
the flow analysis of ships and appendages. The package includes SHIPFLOW for CFD analysis and a subset of the FRIENDSHIP-Framework that offers a graphical user interface with import
and export, for instance as offsets or IGES-files, easy configuration of SHIPFLOW modules XPAN,
XBOUND and XCHAP as well as conventional geometric modelling capability. In addition, it
features basic geometry variation and optimization modules. Interesting applications are forebody optimization by Lackenby shift with respect to wave resistance as well as optimum vortex generator and stator configurations with respect to wake flow quality.

Software by FLOWTECH
SHIPFLOW
Advanced CFD software by FLOWTECH

SHIPFLOW is fully capable of investigating the flow, resistance and propulsion characteristics of ships
and other marine structure. SHIPFLOW provides full functionality with overlapping grid algorithm which
can handle more complex overlapping grid topologies as shaft, rudder, shaft brackets and other
appendages. SHIPFLOW provides full functionality with the following flow analysis modules:
• XMESH: A module for generating surface mesh for potential flow solver (XPAN)
• XPAN: A model for computing nonlinear free surface potential flow
• XBOUND: A module for computing thin boundary layer
• XGRID: A module for generating volume grid for RANS solver (XCHAP)
• XVISC: A module for RANS solver
• XCHAP: A module for RANSE solver with overlapping grid algorithm which can handle more complex overlapping grid topologies for shaft, rudder, shaft brackets and other appendages.
• SPOST: A module for flow visualization for analysis of computed results.
Software by FRIENDSHIP SYSTEMS
FRIENDSHIP-Framework
CAD/Optimization software by FRIENDSHIP SYSTEMS

The FRIENDSHIP-Framework provides comprehensive CAD functionality for conventional, partially parametric and fully parametric modelling along with formal optimization techniques for the generation, investigation and monitoring of variants.
The Standard Edition of the FRIENDSHIP-Framework includes:
- Computer aided design (CAD) kernel
- Advanced parametrization technology
- Conventional (for instance NURBS) and parametric modeling techniques (partially and fully parametric modeling, shift transformations, curve suite including, for instance, FSpline)
- MetaSurfaces technology for fully parametric surfaces of exceptional high fairness based on your own curve descriptions
- Comprehensive image technology including transformations like, for example, CartesianShift and DeltaShift
- Import, management and processing of surface models or offset data
- Feature technology supports the set-up of user-defined design entities, which encapsulate complex processes for either transient execution or persistent creation
- Variant generation and variant management: creation of hundreds of design variants in overnight studies and systematic exploration of the design space through embedded algorithms, for instance Sobol, Ensemble Investigation, Simplex, T-Search. Definition and management of variables, constraints and objective functions. Graphical display of results for comprehensive assessment and fast selection of most suitable design candidate
- Optimization technology (single objective)
- Full scale of practical solutions for data management and exchange (for instance, conversion of your 3D geometries into lines plans), visualization and project management

Important add-ons to the Standard Edition are:
Add-on SHIPFLOW interface: CAD-CFD integration
Add-on MultiObjective: Advanced formal optimization algorithms, including multi-objective optimization

IOSO Global Optimization Software was used to find the best efficiency of the new engine fan and to optimize the stress characteristics of the fan blades.

June 23 2010 The Powerjet SaM146 received its EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) certification. This new engine was built by joint venture PowerJet: Snecma of France and Russia’s NPO Saturn.

Throughout the certification test program, the engine’s performance has fully met or exceeded expectations. The SaM146 has logged 7,100 hr. of testing, including 3,500 hr. in the air.

Chairman and CEO Jean-Paul Ebanga said, “PowerJet will provide a state-of-the-art engine right from service entry of the Sukhoi Superjet 100. This is also a landmark in relations between the European and Russian aerospace industries. We are now looking forward to seeing the SaM146 enter revenue service in the next few months.”

Microfluidics, chemical processing, environmental research, and biological and clinical analysis involving multiphase flows require modeling of a variety of macro particle shapes namely, cylinder-like (or rod), equant (nearly spherical), flake-like, plate-like, prism (or slab), etc.

CFD-ACE+ allows the user to work with particles of pre-defined shapes like sphere, spheroid, cube, cuboid, cylinder and cap cylinder (i.e. capsule) quite easily from built-in macro particle geometries available in CFD-ACE-GUI. For such built-in regularly shaped macro particles, CFD-ACE+ will assign Surface Marker points based on the Marker point density specified by the user (either from the GUI, an input file, or a user subroutine).

Additionally, CFD-ACE+ allows modeling of closed and open macro particles of arbitrary shape. An example of an open arbitrary macro particle would be a beaded string of point-mass particles of say colloids, macro-molecules and cells where there are gaps between two point-masses through which flow may pass. Please refer to CFD-ACE+ User manual for more details of Macro Particles. The shape of such arbitrary particles is entirely defined by the marker points position, which are fed to the solver through either an external input data file (*.dat file) or the user subroutine ‘upoint_init’.

This tip explains as how to define an arbitrary macro particle in CFD-ACE+ from the input data file.

First, you need to create the data file that contains:

The macro particle name.
The number of initial condition variables.
The variables list for macro particle initial conditions.
The number of marker points.
The marker points specification. Each line corresponds to one marker point, and lists the variables value one by one separated by a ‘tab’.
A section of the input file format for a closed wedge (or prism) shaped macro particle is given below.

Then, this file (or its path) should be specified in the GUI, as shown in figure 1 below:

Figure 1. Reading the input file for an arbitrary Macro Particle in CFD-ACE-GUI

You can view the simulation results animation by clicking on figure 2.

Figure 2. Wedge Macro Particle falling under gravity forces

You can download the files used in this 3D example by clicking here.

Note that:

In the data file, there should be a space between the Hash sign (#) and the next character.
The Particle name in the data file should match the particle name in CFD-ACE-GUI (“Arb_mac” in this case).
When defining an open arbitrary macro particle using Marker Points, the diameter of the Marker points should not be zero, or the mass of the macro particle would be zero.
When defining an arbitrary macro particle, the user should make sure that the marker points are non-collinear (do not lie on a straight line). At least one marker point should deviate slightly.
Contrary to pre-defined macro particles, arbitrary macro particle cannot be displayed in CFD-ACE-GUI. Therefore, users will be able to see what the particle looks like only in CFD-VIEW.

RTM设计咨询服务
树脂模注工艺模拟软件——RTM-Worx，是荷兰Polyworx公司的主打软件产品，其在领域内具有世界领先地位，占全球市场份额的65%。
主要应用领域:
航空，风力发电机，航海，军工，游艇，材料加工以及建筑等各个行业，备受用户好评。

软件特点:
 充分支持各向异性增强材料，使您能模拟任何一种增强材料；
 快速模拟树脂传输流动路径，使您能迅速判断产品设计合理性；
 成熟的预处理、后处理系统，稳定、精确、快速的算法，使您能够得到准确可靠的计算结果；
 兼容STL, DXF以及PATRAN格式模型输入文件，大大节省建模时间，提高模拟效率；
 支持非等温反应过程模拟扩展，适应更多种类的树脂体系；
 内置分级文档系统，充分保护模拟计算结果；
 支持国际单位制和英制单位体系，方便不同习惯的用户；
 支持多参数联合显示(速度、渗透性、流动前锋、压力等)，使结果一目了然；
 好用易学，短时间的培训就可也产生效益。
在RTM-Worx软件的基础上，我们提供技术咨询服务, 其中包括：
 RTM-Worx软件使用方法咨询
 利用RTM-Worx软件进行产品工艺性验证
 利用RTM-Worx软件进行模具辅助设计
 利用RTM-Worx软件进行生产周期估算
 评估工艺参数影响，确定工艺窗口

如果您有其它CAE设计计算方面的问题，我们的“CAE专家银行”可以给您提供更全面的帮助。CAE专家银行的网址: www.caeda.com.cn

以下信息可传真回我公司：010-8257 0138，或发邮件和我们联系: caeda@vip.sina.com

我们对 RTMWorx 软件咨询服务很感兴趣, 我们的联系方法是: 电话 ____________, 找_________,Email:______________

我们欲将其应用在 ________________________________________________________________ 方面。

我们对CAE专家银行很感兴趣，请给我们定期发相关产品最新信息, 和培训信息：
• 用 EMAIL 发到以下地址 :__________________________
• 用信件寄到以下地址 :______________________________

a couple of video examples that could be used for training. These examples cover the basic capabilities of our software IOSO 2.0， share these examples with who has interest in our optimization software.

download them from here: http://www.iosotech.com/download/IOSO_video_example1and2.zip

tutorial about IOSO – SolidWorks integration is available: http://www.iosotech.com/download/IOSO_video_example3_eng.zip

Basically, SALT is a programming language that comes with a set of libraries for general purpose programming and modules that give it access to the internals of RTM-Worx. Those libraries, called the Application Programming Interface, or API for short, allow you to develop your own simulation tools, or even customize the calculation itself!

The possibilities are endless, here is a short list of examples:

Model based control (the goal in COMPROME);
Generate parametric models;
Implement dynamic boundary conditions: complex pressure or temperature boundary conditions at a gate, possibly controlled by ‘virtual sensors’, e.g. by checking the flow front, pressure in a specific spot or any other condition that may exist and adjusting the conditions at the inlets, vents, the mould temperature etc.
Automate a parameter study, calculate statistics in SALT;
Write a script to demonstrate your results in RTM-Worx. Add fancy zooming, panning, load several models and animate them individually etc.
Connect SALT to your injection machine.
This list is by definition not complete: someone will come up with some use for SALT that we never thought of. At least, that is the idea.

Nowadays there are many technologies that people call Robust Design Optimization. Among them one can encounter for example such popular methods like six-sigma. But despite the absence of common terminology for RDO, one can agree that methods and technologies like six-sigma may be called as sensitivity analysis other than Robust Design Optimization. Real-life RDO technologies could be classified by the deepness and thoroughness of the development of their theory and their practical realization.

From our side we offer different concepts of fully elaborated Robust Design Optimization schemes with the introduction of the realization probability criteria (that means RDO always is a multiobjective optimization task) and with the direct solution of RDO problem in stochastic statement a) without b) with the usage of metamodels being built during the process of optimization.

Avoiding various theoretical details (which anyone can find in the full paper, referenced below) here let us offer you the description of some practical RDO task solution without the usage of metamodels. Let us consider the example of the multiobjective robust design optimization of the multistage axial flow compressor.

Purpose: To insure the maximum efficiency and maximum implementation probability of multistage axialflow compressor under preset level of production technology. Setting features: 140 independent design variables (flowpath geometry); two objectives; three nonlinear constraints (mass flow, pressure ratio, surge margin). Optimization process features: Object under study – quasi-3D mathematical model. Implementation probability was calculated as the probability of assuring the preset constraints. IOSO optimization software was used as optimizer. Fig. 1 shows the main results of this problem. One can see that there is a compromise area (Pareto-front) between the compressor efficiency and the implementation probability. In general, designer can select any solution from the obtained set. Design No 10 has the best compressor efficiency but unsatisfactory realization probability, design No 1 has the best realization probability but poor efficiency. In this case the design No 4 was selected as the final design.

Fig. 1 Results of compressor multicriteria robust design optimization.

While solving this problem we used only 50 calls of mathematical model to approximately evaluate the probability criterion at each iteration. After 400 iterations optimization process was halted. Then we used 5000 additional calls of mathematical model to refine probability criteria for Pareto set found. Thus, total number of mathematical model calls was 25000. This is a not enormous value for the RDO stochastic problem taking into account 140 independent variables.

Full paper link: http://www.iosotech.com/text/aiaa_4328.pdf (.pdf, 395Kb), 9th AIAA/ISSMO Symposium on Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization, 04 – 06 Sep. 2002, Atlanta, Georgia.

In the next issue of our news we will show on real-life example how we use metamodels in addition to high-fidelity mathematical model to dramatically decrease the number of direct calls of high-fidelity model. Metamodels in our case are automatically built by Approx software (designed by Sigma Technology as a part of IOSO RM technology) and from our point of view could not be built in one shot; during the solution of RDO problem our metamodels are gradually verified, rebuilt and improved.

The simplified scheme of work for the multilevel optimization procedure can be represented as follows.

I) Building of low-fidelity (surrogate or meta) model on the basis of data set previously obtained.

II) Solving the multi-objective optimization problem based upon a metamodel.

III) For the obtained Pareto-set the objectives and constrained parameters are updated using the high-fidelity analysis tool.

IV) The refinement of the metamodel is performed.

V) Replacement of the metamodel and the return to step II).