APPLICATIONS

Integration slashes simulation time to improve the vibration performance of products: Altair Engineering today announced that OptiStruct/Analysis, Altair's next-generation finite-element (FE) solver technology for linear statics and dynamics applications, has been integrated with the Automated MultiLevel Substructuring (AMLS) commercial technology. AMLS is a new simulation method that significantly reduces the computation time required to perform frequency response analyses on complex structures such as automobiles, submarines and airplanes. "As manufacturers push for higher-fidelity models to improve quality and shorten design cycles, model sizes continue to grow exponentially to capture more detail," said Harold Thomas, director of solver technology at Altair. "This trend negatively impacts computation time and the ability to solve system-level noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) problems. With the AMLS integration, OptiStruct/Analysis easily handles models with millions of degrees-of-freedom, allowing more time for trade-off studies and multi- disciplinary optimization." Part of Altair's popular HyperWorks computer-aided engineering (CAE) technology suite, OptiStruct/Analysis is a robust FE solver for linear and nonlinear contact analysis solutions. Leveraging the power of today's sparse matrix and Lanczos solver technologies, OptiStruct/Analysis includes the most popular solution sequences for linear statics, eigenvalue, buckling and frequency response. Commercially developed by Dr. Jeffrey K. Bennighof at the University of Texas at Austin and distributed by Germany-based CDH AG, AMLS dramatically reduces the simulation time to perform frequency response and eigenvalue analyses on large FE models. In AMLS, the FE model is automatically subdivided into thousands of substructures in a tree topology. Calculated substructure modes, which run very quickly, are used rather than global modes to accurately represent vibration. Highly parallelized, AMLS quickly solves large frequency response problems that were previously impossible using conventional methods. "We are very pleased to see the growing adoption of AMLS technology, and are working closely with Altair to support OptiStruct/Analysis and AMLS deployments," said Leo Dunne, co-founder and president of CDH AG. "As a HyperWorks customer ourselves, we look forward to leveraging this integration throughout our consulting operations worldwide." HyperWorks and AMLS technologies have significant penetration within the global automotive industry, including OEMs such as BMW, Daihatsu, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Saab, Subaru and Toyota Motor Company. In addition to the automotive market, Altair sees growth opportunities in the aerospace, heavy machinery and consumer products industries. Company sites with both HyperWorks and AMLS installed can take immediate advantage of this integration, which requires no additional end-user effort or licensing. For more information on OptiStruct/Analysis and AMLS, please visit its Web site.