Simulation Solutions: Autodesk® Inventor® and Autodesk® Algor

What is all this talk about simulation? Is simulation something I should consider? Is simulation something I need? Why does Autodesk offer different simulation choices? This article is intended to answer some of these questions.

Most companies today have implemented some form of 3D model or models into their design process. These 3D models, commonly known as digital prototypes, have given manufacturers the ability to create, design, and visualize their products at every stage of product development, from conceptual design and engineering, through manufacturing and marketing. These digital prototypes have improved our ability to answer these common design questions: Do the parts fit together? Do the parts move well together? Is there interference? Do the parts follow the right path? Although the answers to these questions could be solved in the past, you have to admit, the use of a 3D digital prototype makes the process much easier and faster. A digital prototype allows us to virtually explore a complete product or design before it becomes real.

Ok, so what about simulation? Where does simulation fit in?

While most of the common design questions can be addressed through the use of a digital prototype, there are still other questions that cannot. For example, designers may need to know the machinery cycle time. Is the actuator powerful enough? Is the link robust enough? Can we reduce weight? Can an alternate material be just as strong? These types of questions have traditionally been answered by building a working physical prototype or even a series of prototypes. This has always been a time-consuming and very costly proposition. A more cost-effective alternative today is to leverage your existing digital prototype by using simulation software.

Simulation software provides a broad range of testing that can be performed on these digital prototypes. These tests range from simple stress analysis, to more advanced functions such as fatigue, impact, vibration, thermal, electrical, and fluid flow analysis. Consider the recent trend of parts being overdesigned to ensure safety, which results in wasted material and increased cost to the company. Alternatively, a good simulation package can provide insight into a product early in the design phase to help maximize design efficiency and reduce material costs. Design concepts can be quickly validated before resources are invested in significant design changes or new products.

Let’s take a look at the Autodesk simulation software offerings…

Every company that is currently enjoying the benefits of digital prototyping should at least be considering the Autodesk Inventor Simulation Suite. The Autodesk Inventor Simulation Suite combines a simulator for motion dynamics with a powerful, linear finite element stress analysis application.

To understand the performance of a proposed design, a designer starts by running the dynamic simulation tool to calculate the dynamic performance. The results of the simulation represent the positions, velocities, and accelerations of the mechanism throughout its operation cycle.

It also includes the reaction forces at each joint. These forces are then used as the input parameters for the second phase in which finite element stress analysis is used to compute the internal stresses in those highly loaded parts.

Autodesk Inventor Simulation Suite addresses the shortcomings of traditional, dedicated, FEA and motion analysis solutions by providing easy to use tools that work directly with the Inventor 3D model. Since the simulation tools are “built in” the dimensional parameters used to construct the 3D model can be changed directly within the simulation environment to test multiple configurations, materials or thicknesses. The resulting ease of use gives designers a true digital prototype that can be used to experiment with different design options. At the same time, it can increase confidence that the performance of the final design will meet the customer’s expectations. The ability to predict and transfer reaction forces to the stress analysis environment allows designers to leverage the digital prototype to optimize part geometry while reducing the need to build costly physical prototypes.

Sometimes the need for a higher-end simulation product is required. Autodesk Algor has been around for over two decades, and was recently acquired by Autodesk. Standalone FEA tools, like Algor, offer significantly more features and benefits than the basic tools found in the Inventor Simulation Suite.

Four different Algor products (simulation, mechanical event simulation (MES), computational fluid dynamics (CFD),and multiphysics) provide tools that can run simulations for non-linear stress models (like rubber or silicone), fluid flow analysis, permanent material deformation, and electrostatic analysis—all of which can be coupled with thermal analysis to combine multiple simulations for more complex design scenarios.

The following paragraphs summarize the Algor simulation products.

Algor Simulation includes tools for finite element models and meshes, including solid models, thin-walled models, surface models, and line element models. Wizards automate finite element modeling and meshing tasks, boosting your productivity. Algor Simulation also includes features for static stress and linear dynamic analysis. Study stress, strain, displacement, shear, and axial forces resulting from structural loading.

Algor Mechanical Event Simulation (MES) takes you to the next level. With MES you can use multi-body dynamics with support for large scale motion, large deformation, and large strain with body-to-body contact to enhance design decisions. Analyze models subject to dynamic loads and inertial effects involved in motion, drop tests, and impact. Study stress, strain, displacement, shear, and axial forces due to motion. Mechanical event simulation with linear and nonlinear materials automatically calculates loads and time-stepping based on physical data, helping you avoid costly, inaccurate assumptions.

Algor Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) allows for the study of thermal characteristics of designs and simulates accurate, detailed fluid flow behavior. Analyze linear and nonlinear thermal designs by considering conduction, convection, heat flux, heat generation, radiation, and thermal contact. With fluid flow you can analyze patterns in multiple independent fluids by calculating velocity and pressure that occurs within incompressible, viscous 2D and 3D flows.

Algor Multiphysics is used to study the result of multiple physical factors acting simultaneously by combining results from the previously discussed analysis types to predict a product’s real-world performance. The following chart provides a comparison of the Autodesk simulation offerings.

	Autodesk	Autodesk	Autodesk	Autodesk	Autodesk
	Inventor	Algor	Algor	Algor	Algor
	Simulation	Simulation	Simulation	Simulation	Simulation
	Suite		CFD	MES	Professional
Linear Static Stress	X	X	X	X	X
Linear Contact	X	X	X	X	X
Parametric / Optimization	X	X	X	X	X
Natural Frequency (Modal)	X	X	X	X	X
Motion Dynamics	X			X	X
Response Spectrum		X	X	X	X
Random Vibration		X	X	X	X
Frequency Response		X	X	X	X
Transient Stress		X	X	X	X
Critical Buckling Load		X	X	X	X
Dynamic Design Analysis Method					X
Rigid-Body Motion				X	X
Flexible-Body Motion				X	X
Nonlinear Contact				X	X
Nonlinear Materials				X	X
Geometric Nonlinearities				X	X
Nonlinear Buckling				X	X
Steady-State Heat Transfer		X	X	X	X
Transient Heat Transfer		X	X	X	X
Steady Fluid Flow			X		X
Unsteady Fluid Flow			X		X
Flow Through Porous Media			X		X
Open-Channel Flow			X		X
Mass Transfer			X		X
Fluid and Thermal Analysis			X		X
Thermal Stress		X	X	X	X
Fluid and Structural Analysis			X		X
Electrostatics					X
Joule Heating					X
Electromechanical					X

The benefits of using simulation products are enormous. Simulation enables critical engineering decisions to be made earlier in the design process. A rough simulation performed early in the design process can be more beneficial than a detailed analysis at the end.

If you would like more information about any of these simulation options… please contact your local Hagerman & Company, Inc. sales representative.

This page last edited on Monday, February 14, 2011