New Programmable Interface expands EDEM Capability to Couple with Structural Mechanics Software to include coupling with Multibody Dynamics Codes

DEM Solutions has released EDEM 2.5.1 software with a new programmable interface to enable bi-directional coupling with Multibody Dynamics (MBD) simulation. The enhanced interfacing capability extends the EDEM simulation environment for customers using other computer-aided-engineering (CAE) tools, particularly those using structural mechanics simulation software such as structural finite element analysis (FEA) and MBD in the design of heavy equipment and machinery critical to industries such as mining, off-road construction, forestry and agriculture.

“The Multibody Dynamics Coupling Interface is important to customers who design machinery that handles or processes bulk materials, particularly where the dynamic loading from bulk materials is important in the design of the equipment components and/or the hydraulic control system,” stated Dr John Favier, CEO of DEM Solutions. “The use of structural mechanics software such as FEA and MBD is essential for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) for effective design of their equipment. Simulation of the interaction of equipment with the material it is designed to handle in real world conditions significantly enhances the capability of these CAE tools and enables engineers to design equipment with higher performance over the equipment service life. Employing coupled DEM-MDB simulation can also significantly reduce development costs and time-to-market by reducing reliance on field testing and use of empirical design rules when simulating transient loads from bulk materials.”

EDEM already allows coupling to structural FEA software through sharing of common surface meshes, enabling simulation of the structural dynamics of equipment subject to transient loading from bulk materials. These coupled models are implemented using EDEM APIs and enable the structural response to transient surface loads to be computed using both static or dynamic FEA models.

As well as enabling the development of couplings between EDEM and 3rd party MBD software, the Multibody Dynamics Coupling Interface also provides a dedicated, programmable interface that can be used to implement user-defined equipment kinematics or rigid-body dynamics models of equipment responding to dynamic loading from contacting bulk material.

Dr Favier noted: “We see demand for this enhanced capability from OEMs designing capital intensive machinery, including Mining equipment such as long-wall shearers, continuous miners, and drag line excavators, Off-road Construction, Forestry and Agricultural equipment such as back-hoes, graders, diggers, bucket loaders and grain harvesters and comminution equipment such as crushers and HPGR mills used in Cement and Mineral Processing as well as attrition and media mills used in size reduction and processing of particulates.”

“With the addition of the Multibody Dynamics Coupling Interface, EDEM now has the interfaces and functionality to couple with all of the major CAE technologies, such as Structural FEA, MBD, CFD and EMAG - enabling a more integrated and seamless multi-physics simulation capability for engineering design and analysis in equipment manufacturing. Essentially, DEM Solutions can provide EDEM software for use on its own and for co-simulation with the majority of other commonly used CAE tools,” added Dr Favier.

More information about EDEM 2.5.1 and the Multibody Dynamics Coupling Interface can be found on DEM Solutions Software web pages, and an extensive video library of bulk particle physics modeled using EDEM and Industrial Application of EDEM Simulation is available for viewing from the EDEM Video Gallery. Additional related material for EDEM customers are also available for viewing and download from the DEM Solutions website.