“To meet product performance requirements with ever-shorter product development timelines, it’s imperative that we perform physically accurate design simulations as fast as possible. With the improved implicit dynamic capabilities in Abaqus 6.9-EF, we are able to simulate the realistic performance of our engine component and system designs 30% faster while enhancing our product’s overall performance,” says Kirk Siefker, senior analytical engineer for engine components at Schaeffler Group USA.

That’s a fairly compelling testimonial about the update to Dassault Systemes’ Simulia (simulia.com) Abaqus finite element analysis (FEA) software, which is now at rev 6.9 and tagged “Extended Functionality.” They’ve improved simulation data accuracy, thus reducing product development times. Additionally, the new software includes the ability to use a geometry repair tool to systematically adjust the geometry of a model in preparation for meshing. Another key upgrade in this area is the ability to define direct cyclic and low-cycle fatigue analysis procedures to better predict joining fatigue. Definition of spatial variations on curved geometries such as car bodies and aircraft panels are accommodated through discrete orientations, while viscoelastic behavior can now be modeled with orthotropic/anisotropic elasticity. Improvements to the implicit dynamics procedure helps to resolve unstable problems involving contact, buckling and material failure.

In terms of performance, a new iterative solver provides performance gains of up to 20x or more, improving the ability to conduct very large simulation problems that are typical in development of powertrains and material microstructures. High-quality surface meshes using mapped meshing have been improved with performance gains of up to 40x possible.