INSIGHTS - Abaqus · Welcome to the first issue of ABAQUS Insights since our company formally became part of Dassault Systèmes (DS). I would like to share some thoughts and information

February 2006

INSIGHTS 1

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Vol. VVII

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BMW Advances Crash Simulation

Medical Applications LeverageDistributed Memory Platforms

Pressure Seal-Valve Criticalfor Nuclear Safety

2006 ABAQUS Users’ Conference

February/March 2006

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IInn tthhiiss iissssuuee::1 ABAQUS Training and Web Seminars2 Building on Our Achievements3 ABAQUS “In the News”4 FSI Update, Japanese Version of ABAQUS for CATIA V5 5 Technology Briefs, Extensions for ABAQUS6 BMW and ABAQUS Collaborate to Advance

Crashworthiness Simulation7 Pressure Seal-Valve Critical for Nuclear Safety

KB Engineering, Inc.9 Medical Applications Leverage Distributed

Memory Platforms - Ethicon Endo-Surgery11 Students and Professors Meet Today’s Challenges

and Prepare for the Future with ABAQUS13 ABAQUS Services Spotlight15 ABAQUS Partner Day16 Nokia Presents Benefits of ABAQUS

Integrated with Moldflow17 ABAQUS Users’ Conference 2006

ABAQUS INSIGHTS is published by

Rising Sun Mills166 Valley Street

Providence, RI 02909-2499Tel. +1 401 276-4400 Fax. +1 401 276-4408

[email protected]

WWW.ABAQUS.COMCopyright 2006 ABAQUS, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Editor:Tim Webb

Contributors:Dale BerryWinston BorreroJan DemoneKaren DonovanKevin HarperAsif KhanDr. Sanjeev KulkarniMark MonaghanSteve MorseDavid PalmerSubham SettKen ShortDavid SmithJim VandermillenJon Wiening

Project Manager:Stacy Hart

Production Manager:Laura Wistow

The following are trademarks or registered trademarks of ABAQUS, Inc., or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries: ABAQUS, ABAQUS/Standard, ABAQUS/Explicit, ABAQUS/CAE,

ABAQUS/Viewer, ABAQUS/Aqua, ABAQUS/Design, ABAQUS/Foundation, ABAQUS/AMS, ABAQUS for CATIA V5,VCCT for ABAQUS, DDAM for ABAQUS, Unified FEA, and the ABAQUS logo.

Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.

ABAQUS Training Schedule January-June 2006

ABAQUS offers a variety of training seminars to help our customers use our products successfully. These seminars range from introductory to advanced analysis, covering specific topics and applications. To view the worldwide course schedule and to register for a course, visitwww.abaqus.com/support/sup_training_sched.html.

ABAQUS Web Seminars

Occupant Safety SimulationTuesday, March 28 4:00 p.m. ESTThursday, March 30 To register for these free web seminars, visit www.abaqus.com/events.

Download Replays of Past Webinars:Updated Capabilities in Brake SquealAircraft and Airframe Analysis Using ABAQUSMigrating to ABAQUS/CAE from Your Existing Pre- and Postprocessing Environmentand many more at www.abaqus.com/news/seminar_reply_request.html.Stay tuned for additional web seminars to be posted online soon!

North America Schedule of ClassesJanuary–June 2006

ABAQUS TRAININ

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Welcome to the first issue of ABAQUS Insights since our company formally became part of Dassault Systèmes (DS). I would like to share some thoughts and information about what this change of ownership means to the industry, our partners, our organization, and you, our valued customers.

The purchase of ABAQUS by DS was a strategic move to acquire the technology and, more importantly, the people needed to achieve the vision of a comprehensive and open platform for engineering and scientific simulation. The positive forward momentum we attained in delivering superior FEA technology and increasing industry usage were significant factors in DS selecting ABAQUS as the foundation for this vision.

Simultaneously with the acquisition, DS announced the creation of SIMULIA, which is the brand encompassing all DS simulation solutions including ABAQUS and CATIA analysis applications. The long-term vision for SIMULIA is to be more than just a brand. Over the years, the CAE industry has grown into a fragmented and disconnected landscape of applications and data. With SIMULIA, it is our goal to overcome this industry challenge by developing an open platform for multiphysics simulation. This platform will make simulation more accessible and beneficial, not only to traditional manufacturers in automotive, aerospace, electronics, and general machinery, but also to industries dealing with complex physics such as pharmaceuticals and molecular sciences, among others.

The ABAQUS vision for Unified FEA is a key component of this open platform strategy. While there is much work to be done, rapidprogress is being made in leveraging a common simulation model as evidenced by our advances in automotive crashworthiness andoccupant safety achieved in collaboration with BMW. We are also making progress in the development of the SIMULIA architectureand data model that will strengthen current simulation capabilities, improve performance, and ensure an open simulation environment.This development will also enable tighter integration of solutions from our partners.

In the short term most ABAQUS users will see minimal change. You will continue to be supported by the same professionals in our field organizations, and you will be able to take advantage of significant improvements in both performance and functionality withABAQUS Version 6.6, which is planned to ship in the second quarter of 2006. Plus, adhering to our traditions, you will be able to learn more about this release and network with your peers at the upcoming 19th annual ABAQUS Users’ Conference.

Two areas of recent development focus include linear dynamics and multiphysics. In ABAQUS Version 6.6 we will introduce the firstphase of a new linear dynamics capability that will ultimately provide componentized, high-performance, and open tools for structuraldynamics simulation. In multiphysics there is considerable customer interest and adoption occurring with the coupling of ABAQUS and CFD software for applications requiring advanced fluid-structure interaction capabilities. This type of integrated simulation will continue to evolve rapidly. These two areas of technology focus are clear examples of the synergy between the needs of ABAQUS users today and the essential requirements for achieving the SIMULIA vision of tomorrow.

The SIMULIA organization is also taking shape by leveraging the trusted leadership and respected technical expertise of ABAQUS. Mark Goldstein is now the CEO of both ABAQUS, Inc. and SIMULIA. Our R&D organization now includes more than 50 engineers and scientists located at DS headquarters in Suresnes, France. This addition increases our workforce to more than 550 people worldwide.Moving forward, our organization will deliver open, scalable, enterprise-wide simulation solutions for users ranging from mechanical simulation experts to design engineers to research scientists in a broader range of industries.

In the long term I am confident that the continuity of our technology-focused senior management combined with the talent and hard work of our technical teams and ongoing feedback from our partners and customers will enable us to build on the notable achievements of the past. Our goal is to create an exciting future in which simulation is more accessible, more powerful, and more important to the way engineering and science contributes to the overall product lifecycle.

I look forward to meeting with you this May at the 2006 ABAQUS Users’ Conference in Boston to discuss how we can continue to meet your requirements as we begin the next stage in creating the future of simulation.

Sincerely,

Ken ShortVice President of Marketing

Building On Our Achievements to Create the Future of Simulation

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Aviation MaintenanceAugust 2005, p. 30ABAQUS Composite Failure and Fracture Prediction Software AvailableFor this extended news article,technology editor Vicki McConnellcomments on the commercialavailability of VCCT for ABAQUSsoftware. She singles out severalfeatures of the software and quotes Dale Berry, Director ofIndustry Solutions for ABAQUS,on the importance of accuracy infracture and failure prediction.“When a structural componentcracks,” he points out, “does it fail immediately or does itexhibit residual strength, and over what time period?”

DesignfaxSeptember 2005, pp. 28-31Before Rubber Meets the Road: Applying FEA to Tire DesignThis nicely illustrated cover feature on tire analysis describes a streamlined, integrated approach to simulating the transientrolling of tires using ABAQUS/Standard and ABAQUS/Explicit.Author Harish Surendranath of ABAQUS explains the process ofaxisymmetric rim mounting and inflation and then steps through3D footprint analysis, steady-state rolling, and transient rolling.The study utilizes tire models developed at Hankook Tire Co.

Design NewsSeptember 5, 2005, p. 48Software Predicts Composite CrackingEditor Joseph Ogando opens his monthly Materials column with a challenging question for engineers: “How do laminatedcomposites crack and lose their strength?” He outlines some of the drawbacks that have made analyzing crack propagationdifficult in the past and quotes Dale Berry of ABAQUS on the benefits of VCCT for ABAQUS software. The article emphasizes the value of using VCCT in the context of a complete structural analysis with ABAQUS, especially for nonlinear applications.

Desktop EngineeringNovember 2005, pp. 16-17Low Stress Welding SimulationsWelded structures undergo steep temperature gradients. As a welded joint cools, residual stresses may cause an entire structureto distort. In this article senior ABAQUS engineers Fred Arnoldand Murali Pandheeradi explain how ABAQUS/Standard helpspredict residual stresses and final shapes in welded components.Accompanying graphics illustrate the results of thermal and structural analyses.

NASA Tech BriefsNovember 2005, pp. 20-26Industry Update: Analysis & Simulation Software

For an annual review of analysis and simulation, editor Linda Bell interviews executives from leading software companies about where the market is heading. This year Linda noted a growing interest in multiphysics and

gathered a number of opinions on the acquisitionof ABAQUS, Inc., by Dassault Systèmes. Dale Berry of ABAQUS joined the discussion.

“Within the Dassault PLM environment,” he comments, “we now have the ability todeploy ABAQUS technology to a much wider audience.”

Automotive Design & ProductionJanuary 2006, p. 26BMW Standardizes Its FEAIn this issue the editors complement a special featurecalled “Inside BMW” with news coverage of BMW’s

decision to help advance the crash capabilities in ABAQUS software. The article describes several highlights from the development program, including the 2004 pilot production project, and mentions collaborations with other BMW vendorssuch as First Technology Safety Systems for crash dummy models and Autoliv for airbag modeling.

Machine DesignJanuary 12, 2006, p. 130Working on a More Accurate CrashThis news feature about the collaboration between ABAQUS and BMW on vehicle crashworthiness quotes Marc Schrank,Director of Product Management for ABAQUS. In crash simulation today, he notes, “it is important to accurately accountfor the energy-absorption characteristics of the vehicle, includingthe steel and aluminum components in the body and chassis, andothers made of foam, plastics, and composites.” Accompanyinggraphics show simulation and physical test results for quasi-staticand dynamic loading of an extruded-aluminum column.

ABAQUS “In the News”

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Recently, several ABAQUS customers and employees were featured in a range of engineering publications.

To read the full stories highlighted within this article,please visit www.abaqus.com/news and click “In the News.”

For More Information

If you would like to share your success story, send ane-mail with a brief description of your application [email protected].


capability allows a customer to link existing structural and fluids codes together through MpCCI. Our strategy builds on this premise and allows customers to establish FSI as a reliable core simulation requirement that supplements theirexisting competency in structures and fluids.

Customers are responding positively to our FSI initiative. ABAQUS engineers are actively supporting customers to solve real-world FSI problems. Several lead projects havealready been completed.

At least three of our early adopters have submitted FSI-related papers to the 2006 ABAQUS Users’ Conference. One submission is from Vernay Laboratories. The paper discusses the FSI analysis and performance of the Vernay®VernaFlo® flow control fluid flow management devices.Elastomeric rubber components in these devices deform underthe influence of upstream variations in fluid pressure. Thesedeformations adjust the orifice diameter and help maintain aconstant down-stream flow rate. In the fluid domain, cavitationeffects and turbulence have now been accounted for. In thestructural domain, geometric and material nonlinearities areconsidered. Compared to experimental data, the results of theFSI simulation are accurate over the entire inlet pressure range, providing Vernay with a new capability for design validationand improvement.

In March 2005, ABAQUS announced the availability of a fullycoupled Fluid-Structure Interaction capability. The release wasthe outcome of a year long collaborative effort by the marketand technology leaders in FEA and CFD. The FSI softwaresuite provides an open best-in-class solution for co-simulation supported by MpCCI.

We have chosen to take a multi-product approach to FSI for the simple reason that our customers have asked for this. With today’s push toward code consolidation, customers nolonger want expensive special-purpose products to solve FSIproblems. As opposed to closed, single-vendor solutions, our

Fluid-Structure Interaction Update

Unified postprocessingof the fully coupledresults for a givenupstream pressure.Streamlines in the flow path colored byvelocity show the fluid behavior while the structure part shows a contour plot of the stresses in the correspondingdeformed state.

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Japanese Version of ABAQUS for CATIA V5 Now Available

ABAQUS for CATIA V5 allows you to analyze your design within the CATIA V5 environment using the advanced nonlinear capabilities of ABAQUS. It is proving to be an effective tool for deploying proven workflows across the enterprise so that nonlinear analysis can be performed routinely throughout the design process.

To make the benefits of the product more widely available, ABAQUS for CATIA V5 is now available in Japanese. The localized version, Version 2.1-3R14-JA, includes the user interface and the documentation in both HTML and PDF formats. This release is in high demand by our Japanese customers, who will now be able to learn about the ABAQUS capabilities combined with CATIA V5 in their native language and familiar Japanese user environment. To learn more, visit www.abaqus.com/products/products_afc_v5.html.

ABAQUS for CATIA V5 Japanese user interface.

ABAQUS for CATIA V5 documentation translated into Japanese.


Buckling and Fracture Analysis of Composite Skin-Stringer Panel Using ABAQUS and VCCTThe Boeing 787 will be the first airliner to use composite materials in the majority of the aircraft construction. Analysis tools that can simulate the behavior of composite materials accurately are critical to the successful design and use of composite structures. Through the Composites Affordability Initiative (CAI), Boeing developed a finite element implementation of the Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT).

The Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) is a well-known method for analyzing brittle interfacial crack propagation due to delamination and debonding. VCCT has been used extensively to study the damage tolerance of laminated composite materials. With therelease of VCCT for ABAQUS, the effect of delamination and debonding can now be included in the analysis of composite structures.

ABAQUS, Inc., has teamed with Boeing to provide this technology as an add-on feature to ABAQUS/Standard. ABAQUS TechnologyBrief TB-05-VCCT-1 examines the behavior of a stringer-stiffened composite panel subjected to in-plane shear loading. Using the VCCTfracture analysis capability in ABAQUS Version 6.5, the panel test is simulated and the results compared to experimental data.

ABAQUS Technology Briefs offer application summaries that demonstrate how ABAQUS is used in real-world analyses. In November, there were close to 10,000 Tech Brief downloads on various applications including:

• Aerospace• Automotive/Ground Vehicles• Biomedical and Civil Engineering• Consumer Products and Packaging

ABAQUS customers (with current technical support agreements) can login to MY ABAQUS to download a zip archive that containsthe ABAQUS model and/or input file. To download a Technical Brief, visit www.abaqus.com/solutions/tech_briefs.html.

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Extensions for ABAQUS Broaden Your Analysis Capabilities

• Electronics and Electronic Packaging• Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis• Manufacturing

ABAQUS Technology Briefs

Buckled shape of stringer stiffened panel

under in-plane shear loading.

“Extensions for ABAQUS” are developed to allow users to extend the functionality of ABAQUS. Extensions are additional software components that integrate with ABAQUS products and include:

• Macros and plug-ins• Web-based applications• ABAQUS/CAE-based applications

Extensions for ABAQUS are developed by engineers at our ABAQUSregional offices, ABAQUS representatives, ABAQUS alliance partners,and ABAQUS end-users.

Extensions for ABAQUS are available through the ABAQUS ProcessAutomation Portal at www.abaqus.com/PAPortal.

Some of the extensions can be downloaded from the portal at no charge;others can be downloaded or purchased from web sites that are listed onthe portal. Most of the extensions are described in detail on the portal.

The Extensions for ABAQUS that have been developed by ABAQUSregional offices are described at www.abaqus.com/extensions. For more details on these extensions, contact your local office or visit the portal. Additional extensions will be listed on the portal as they become available.

Extensions for ABAQUS Developedby ABAQUS Regional Offices

FormingFXFormingFX can be run as a stand-alone application or fromABAQUS/CAE. It maps sheet forming effects from a forminganalysis (such as thickness variation and plastic strains) onto an ABAQUS finite element model.Developed and submitted by ABAQUS Great Lakes

Wound CompositeWound Composite is an ABAQUS/CAE plug-in. It analyzes a pressure vessel that was formed by winding a composite filamentand allows for the continually varying orientation of the filaments.

You can read more about Wound Composite on page 13 of this issue of INSIGHTS. There is also an updated Technical Brief with a usage example and further technical information at www.abaqus.com/solutions/tech_briefs.html.Developed and submitted by ABAQUS South

• User subroutines• Python scripts

Buckling and Fracture Analysis of Composite Skin-Stringer Panel Using ABAQUS and VCCT

Tech Briefs on the Web


Strategic customer initiatives are an important motivating forcebehind new development advancements in ABAQUS software.Collaboration on end-user requirements ensures that newcapabilities are implemented that have a real benefit to customers.Two examples of customer-driven development include agreementswith Boeing on the commercialization of their Virtual CrackClosure Technique (VCCT) and the ongoing collaboration withthe BMW Group to develop advanced simulation technology for automotive crashworthiness.

As with several major customers, BMW’s relationship with ABAQUS extends more than 20 years. ABAQUS was initially used to determine thermo-mechanical creep effects on engine components and nonlinear static analysis of chassis components.Today, all nonlinear static analyses throughout powertrain, chassis,and body-in-white design are carried out using ABAQUS/Standard.

This proven track record motivated BMW to investigate the capabilities of ABAQUS for crash simulation. The initial trial began in 1999 on the development of a simulation model for crushable foams that are used in automotive interiors to absorb energy in the event of occupant head impacts. This initial project led to the development of a new ABAQUS crushable foam plasticity model that BMW currently uses for headform impact simulation across a number of vehicle programs.

Following the success of this development, BMW’s confidence in ABAQUS was established and the company began a formal project to investigate using ABAQUS for complete crashworthinesssimulation. Engineers from BMW and ABAQUS worked together to specify the technical requirements, schedules, and target milestones.

A target vehicle model, the current 5 Series sedan, which utilized themost current simulation modeling practices at BMW, was chosen asthe basis for testing the vehicle’s structural crashworthiness.

The engineering teams jointly cataloged the existing full vehicleBMW 5 Series model, decomposing it into its various subsystemsand components and documenting it in detail. This catalogingprocess provided the basis for constructing the equivalent car crash model in ABAQUS.

Component, subsystem, and system models were built; and eachmodel type had to be run successfully before progressing to the next level. For example, body-in-white (BIW) impact against a rigid barrier had to run successfully before moving on to trimmed

BIW against a rigid barrier. This process also spawned the benefit of providing the basis for specification and testing of a translator tomove models from BMW’s present crash software to ABAQUS.

Regular communication between ABAQUS and BMW engineeringteams, including daily e-mail contact, weekly teleconferences, andperiodic face-to-face meetings, kept the intensive collaboration on schedule.

This systematic progression and joint engineering effort resulted in achieving successful milestones. In 2002, ABAQUS softwareaccurately simulated the frontal impact of a BMW 5 Series full vehicle model against a rigid barrier, in accordance with USNCAPstandards. In 2003, the project team met EuroNCAP regulations foraccurately simulating frontal and side impact full vehicle load cases.

In September 2004, BMW began a pilot production project to use the software for crashworthiness simulation for all new vehiclesunder development. Production usage introduced the challenge ofmaking sure ABAQUS would interface well with existing BMWsimulation infrastructure, including their standard pre- and postprocessing software and finite-element-based crash dummymodels from First Technology Safety Systems. ABAQUS also hadto meet the airbag simulation requirements of BMW’s suppliers,such as Autoliv, that participate in the pilot production program.

In October 2005, BMW reported that they had successfully performed over 1500 simulation runs for all relevant load cases and that ABAQUS was demonstrating the accuracy, robustness, and reliability required for production use. Today, teams ofengineers from both companies continue to work together to advance ABAQUS crashworthiness capabilities and to widen deployment of the software for other BMW vehicle programs to meet regulatory, market, and business demands.

BMW and ABAQUS Collaborate to Advance Crashworthiness Simulation

Highlights of ABAQUS Capabilities forCrashworthiness Simulation

- A truly generalized contact algorithm automatically handles all types of contact interactions that occur in a full vehicle crash simulation.

- A new mesh-independent fastener capability accurately characterizes the progressive damage and eventual failure of spotwelds during a crash event.

- A family of cohesive elements predict how automotive structural adhesives fail under crash loading conditions.

- Robustness of ABAQUS software solves productivity issues related to numerical stability of analyses involving complex contact conditions and structural failure.

Full frontal impact simulation of a BMW 5 Series vehicleaccording to USNCAP requirements. Image courtesy of BMW.

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This article was compiled from the AUC 2005 paper, “Occupant Safety Simulation with SubmodelTechnique” by M. Meister, BMW Group, A. Theobald and J. Hülsmann, EDAG, and M. Klein, Autoliv.


BackgroundThe Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) locatednear Phoenix, AZ, operates three huge reactors that produceover 30,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually. This is thelargest capacity of any nuclear power plant in the United States,and it serves approximately 4 million people in Arizona, Texas,California, and New Mexico. This behemoth facility has beenonline since June 1, 1985; and the newest of the three hugereactors is licensed to generate power through March 25, 2027.

Under the watchful eye of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,regular maintenance and upgrades are required to maintain safe operation of the mechanical components and assemblies.One such mechanical system is the Bonnet Check Valve. Thekey portion of this assembly, the Graphite Seal Subassembly,maintains seal pressure in the check valve. The reliable performance of the seal subassembly is important for the safe operation of the nuclear facility.

Recently, PVNGS changed the vendor that supplies the GraphiteSeal Subassembly. During the course of routine maintenance, this new subassembly was installed. The installation requires amulti-step process, in which increasing pressures are applied tothe bolts. During the installation process the seal caps failed and a significant amount of the graphite material extruded out of theassembly. Fortunately, the pressure boundary was maintained and the safety of the installation was not compromised. However, the potential loss of the graphite material in the pressure seal and the possible effect on its ability to maintain the pressure boundary in the long-term were a major concern.Winston Borrero, Senior Consultant Engineer of PVNGS, enlisted the services of KB Engineering, to perform a finite element analysis of the Bonnet Check Valve and Graphite SealSubassembly. The objectives of the analysis were to simulate the current configuration and installation to evaluate alternatedesign parameters and installation procedures with the goal of solving the seal extrusion problem.

ABAQUS was a natural choice to analyze the pressure seal due to its ability to perform accurate nonlinear analysis contact,including plasticity, thermal, and large deformation of structuralbehavior. In addition, ABAQUS is able to solve multiple-stepproblems and modify properties as the analysis progresses, which was a requirement for this analysis.

The Graphite Seal Subassembly maintains the seal integrity and the pressure boundary. The graphite seal is soft and relatively porous. The stainless steel seal caps help in maintaining the shape of the graphite and prevent extrusion.The other components of the assembly include the bonnet,spacer ring, bonnet retainer, valve neck, clamp ring, and bolts.

During the installation, the pressure boundary and sealintegrity of the system are maintained by applying an initialpreload on the bolts, which, in turn, crushes the wedge configuration graphite seal between the bonnet and the spacerring and maintains a radial contact seal with the valve neck.

There are several challenges to be addressed during the seal crush step, including:

- Application of the preload results in frictional contact between components in the model

- The crushing process consolidates the graphite, and the properties of the graphite keep changing throughout the crushing process

- The seal cap material behaves in an elastic-plastic manner- Significant temperature gradients exist within the entire

assembly, with a peak temperature of 610º F accompanying a 2250 psi pressure on the bonnet surface

Pressure Seal InstallationAs the unit is brought into operation, pressure is generatedon the bottom of the bonnet surface topping off at 2250 psi.The pressure is applied in increments of 500 psi becauseapplication of any pressure results in a loss of preload of the bolts. A further complication is that the loss of preload is nonsymmetric and any applied pressure also acts on the disk surface. This can cause the right-hand corner of the bonnet to act as a hinge point, tilting the bonnet andresulting in nonuniform displacement. To overcome this nonuniform loss in preload, repeated re-extensioning of the bolts is required to maintain the pressure seal boundary.

Pressure Seal-Valve Critical for Nuclear Safety

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by Dr. Sanjeev Kulkarni, KB Engineering, Inc. and Winston Borrero, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station

Extrusion of graphite material during check valve installation.

The Bonnet Check Valve Assembly is shown above. A closeup of theGraphite Seal Subassembly is shown at right. The graphite is shown in blue, and the steel sealcaps are shown in red.

The Challenge

The Pressure Seal Assembly


surge in the graphite seal pre-crush. Due to the high boltstresses associated with the increased preload, the bolts need to be monitored and replaced, if necessary, during each maintenance operation.

ConclusionFinite Element Analysis allowed several design parameters to be studied quickly and cost-effectively. The analysis indicatedthat modifying two parameters, Seal Cap Thickness and InitialPreload/Bolt, resulted in the most improvement of the designperformance. Changes to other design parameters resultedin only minor performance improvements. Based on theanalysis results, PVNGS has implemented both design change recommendations as standard Design and Operational Updates.KB Engineering is currently applying this methodology toanalyze the performance of other valve assemblies at PVNGS.By using simulation, KB Engineering is helping PVNGS togain greater knowledge of how to design and install checkvalves and pressure seals to maintain safe operation of theirnuclear power facility.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Dr. Sanjeev Kulkarni, a 21-year user of ABAQUS and President of KB Engineering, Inc., has been a qualified supplier for the Nuclear Utility industry since 2003. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University in 1989. From 1990 to 1996, Dr. Kulkarni was Principal Engineer, CAE with TRW - Air Bag Design. His company supports customers in areas such as aerospace, automotive, consumer products, and microelectronics, with a recent focus on biomedical devices and nuclear power plants.You may contact Dr. Kulkarni at [email protected].

Winston Borrero earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan. He has 24 years of experience in thedesign, analysis, and construction of nuclear power plant components and is a member of the Pressure Vessel Research Council(PVRC) Subcommittee on bolted joints. Currently, Winston serves as a Senior Consultant Engineer at the Palo Verde Nuclear GeneratingStation (PVNGS).

The need to apply pressure evenly on the seal assembly requires the actual installation operation to consist of 12 steps; 6 pressure steps are applied incrementally from 500 psi to 2250 psi and 6 bolt preload steps that are applied after every pressure step. For analysis purposes the sequence was simplified into a total of 6 steps, a combination of preload and pressure steps.

Analysis Identifies Design ImprovementsThe analysis followed the installation steps and stress results were calculated for the pressure steps, the preload steps, the toppressure of 2250 psi, and the final bolt preload step.

The analysis correctly predicted the tilting of the bonnet and nonuniform unloading of the bolts when pressure is applied on the bonnet surface. This effect was significantly pronounced forthe final (2250 psi) pressurization, where Stud 1 unloads by over70%. Comparing this variation with the 0.025" seal cap results, it was observed that the 0.05" configuration maintained a 20%higher level of preload during the pressurization process. Thehigher level of residual preload is a clear indication of animproved sealing action. Additionally, changing the seal cap thickness from .025 inches to 0.50 inches, a 40% decrease in the peak stress and a 95% decrease in the peak plastic strain.

The parameter changes to the preload pressures also resulted in performance improvements. The Initial Bolt Preload was raised from 125 lbf to 250 lbf, and the Operational Preload was raised from 125 lbf to 300 lbf. This increase in preload pressure provided an immediate improvement in the sealing

Non-uniform stresses in the bolts at peak 2250 psi loading.

The analysis accurately predicted that applying the final bolt preloadresults in uniform stresses.

At 2250 psi this stress history plot indicates that there are nonuniformstresses occurring in the bolts.


BackgroundThe medical device industry includes a vast array of technologiesand applications. The need to interact with the human body, its systems, and organs introduces unique complexities. Along withthese complexities, the highly regulated nature of medical productsintroduces standards and requirements that dictate companies spend a lot of time running tests to ensure product integrity, safety, and effectiveness.

Testing is time consuming and expensive; and while it can never be eliminated, it can be significantly reduced via the proper use of analytical techniques, software tools, and computer systems. Any reduction in early testing provides a sizable return later in the product development cycle. The goal is to move closer to the idealproduct development cycle curve, where the early knowledge paysoff in reduction of the costs of stabilization.

Product Development Cycle Curve.

Beyond the reduction of testing, virtual prototyping providesunique opportunities for innovation and knowledge creation. There is a depth of understanding, “X-ray” vision if you will, that simulations can provide that is not possible with testing alone.Not all things can be seen or measured via testing, and importantinformation needed to get critical knowledge might be missed.Virtual prototypes can provide that information where we can lookat any point in the model, observe the phenomena from any angle,and combine information in unique ways to provide knowledgeabout a system and its behavior. That knowledge can be leveragedmany times over in the product development cycle to further reduce time to market and/or lead to breakthrough innovations.

To deal with the constraints involved in medical device productdevelopment, it is imperative that companies have an effectivestrategy for the use of simulation software, and computingresources.

At Ethicon Endo-Surgery we seek to understand the behavior of the physics of any event related to our products function and itsinteraction with biological systems. We seek to control the physicswithin the constraints of the most realistic conditions possible. We call this “Physics is-as Physics Does” modeling, to paraphrase one great thinker!

These modeling conditions often involve free body dynamicswhere contact is the only constraint. Examples include a surgeon’shand grasping an instrument and squeezing the handle to actuatethe device or large assemblies where the fully assembled device is held together and performs like the real thing without simplifications and assumptions that can lead to errors. Manyapplications also include complex manufacturing steps that must be modeled in order to assemble a device and then actuate it toinvestigate its function. These factors are critical to understandingthe function of these devices.

The requirements involved in medical device modeling dictate that the tools used provide this capability. We apply ABAQUS on distributed memory, high-performance compute clusters toachieve the goal of minimization of assumptions and maximizationof knowledge creation when using simulation. We also employ techniques such as quasi-static simulation using variable mass scaling along with real mass modeling where required to supportour analytical needs.

Simulating Part InteractionThe following are quick overviews of some of the applications thatwe model and design challenges that each application presents.

One of our primary products is the Trocar, a device used to provide an access point into the abdominal cavity during surgery.All other laparoscopic instruments are passed through the Trocarduring surgery.

Trocar placement begins with penetration of the abdominal wall.Some Trocars make use of a blade to aid in penetration. It is critical that this blade be shielded immediately following penetration to prevent damage to internal organs. The successfuloperation of the mechanism that controls blade availability andshielding depends on the precise timing of the interactions between several floating parts. As such, there is little opportunityfor simplifying boundary conditions.

In this type of application mass scaling must be kept to a minimum,as artificially increased inertial effects can drastically skew the timing of how the parts interact in the simulation. Both these criteria, compounded with the relatively long event time associated with the arming and firing of the device as compared to an impact event, make for large run times.

Complex internal structure ofthe Trocar shield mechanism.

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Medical Applications for Distributed Memory Platformsby Kevin Harper and David Smith, Ethicon Endo-Surgery


continued on next page

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External view of completeEndocutter Closure System.

Realistic Loading Conditions Another Ethicon product that is widely used in surgical proceduresis the Endocutter. An Endocutter is a device that has a jaw at the distal end that allows the surgeon to grasp, cut, and staple tissuessuch as stomach, bowel, or others to transect the tissue while leaving the cut ends hemostatic (not bleeding). The jaw contains a cartridge with several rows of staples that provide compression to achieve hemostasis.

To use an Endocutter, the surgeon grasps the pistol grip handle and trigger, inserts the device through a Trocar, orients the jaw around the tissue to be transected, and then squeezes the closure trigger to close the jaw and clamp the tissue. After tissue compression is complete, the surgeon will close the firing triggerto perform the transection and stapling of the tissue.

There are two separate mechanisms inside the handle-the closuremechanism to clamp the tissue and the staple-cut mechanism thatforms the staples and cuts the tissue in one motion. Both mechanismsinvolve complex assemblies of parts, where tolerances and clearances are critical to the proper function of the device.

Several key factors need to be addressed to provide the assessment of the Endocutter design under “real world” operating conditions. First, the effects of the loading due to the tissue in the jaw were accounted for via the use of a nonlinear spring that captured the nonlinear forcing function of the jaw on tissue. The nonlinear spring coupled the internal mechanism of the closure system to the closure tube that actuates the jaw. Also considered in the model is the simulation of the surgeon’s handgrasping the handle of the device, which is treated as rigid surfaces and provide only contact as a means of securing the device. This provided the proper boundary conditions for the model so that the entire system would behave properly and not have any artificially induced constraints that could affect the results.Outside of three rigid surfaces the rest of the model including the handle shrouds and all internal mechanism components were modeled as deformable bodies that were assembled and constrained only through contact between the parts. In essence, the model was simply a digital replication of the actual device without any use of artificial constraints.

This closure system model provided a large amount of informationin just one analysis run. Every component is being studiedsimultaneously under as close to actual use conditions as possible.

Model of the Endocutter jaw clamping on a rigid tube

This modeling technique allows us to see how the device functions,highlight areas of concern, and easily determine whether the systemwill work well under the necessary performance requirements.This reduces the number of single component models requiredand provides system assembly tolerance insights as the deformingbodies can show not only static clearances between parts but alsoclearances throughout the actuation cycle under load. This in turnreduces the requirement for system stack-up analyses that are doneeither by hand or on rigid bodies via CAD.

Modeling Fine DetailsAnother type of modeling issue we frequently face is very fine detail in components while running component and/or assembly models. Fine details require very large scale meshing to capture the behavior properly and accurately. These typicallyshow up in components that are thin or have complex features that are integral to the function of the component and cannot be simplified for the analysis or, both issues simultaneously, as is the case with the Endocutter jaw model.

The jaw portion of an Endocutter device model was used as part of the closure mechanism modeling described earlier. It provided a worst-case condition for jaw load where the surgeon clamps the jaw on a hard tube that represents another device the surgeonmight be using.

In models such as the Endocutter jaw we must make use of thequasi-static modeling process to be able to run the model in a reasonable time. Every component in this model is made of steel,and there are very small elements requiring a very small time step in ABAQUS/Explicit. In this case, however, the deformation is quite small (i.e., quasi-static); as the plate pushes the tube forward, it loads the jaw against the rigid tube. Very little motion is requiredas primarily only the deflection of the components under load isoccurring after small amounts of clearance are taken up. Though this model had only contact as the primary constraint outside theprescribed motion of the rigid plate, we can make use of variablemass scaling and increase the mass of the model significantly toreduce the run time of the simulation.


Our current system is a 10-node Red Hat Linux 9 cluster (2.8 Gh x86-based processors) with gigabit interconnect. As with our first system, these machines were previouslydeployed as CAD stations throughout the company. This new system runs about 2.5 times faster than its predecessor.Overall, in the last three years we have been able to increasethe processing power by a factor of 40x. This accomplishmentis a testament to a promising new model. For those whosebudgets do not allow for even the smallest amount of investment in computational infrastructure, the recycling and utilization of company business machines that havereached their end of life can be very effective. “Whenconfigured for DMP processing, recycled machines thatmany companies discard or sell for a fraction of their potentialvalue, could be a hidden gold mine of computational power.”

ConclusionsAlong with the enhancements we have made to our computer systems, ABAQUS has continuously improved its code withincreased support for parallelization with features like general contact, rigid bodies, and fluid-filled cavities to name a few.Even the new licensing structure in ABAQUS embraces theuse of compute clusters, so that it becomes a cost-effectivemeans of doing these advanced models.

As the trend in computational modeling continues toward more physically realistic simulations at the assembly level,rather than at the component level, models are getting larger,system requirements more demanding, and run times longer.Computational requirements are growing at an exponential rate and show no signs of slowing. Future advancements in computer and hardware systems along with software systems that run on them are key to continuing on the path of “Physics is-as Physics Does” modeling and reaping the benefits it provides.

Computational DemandsThe simulations described earlier in this article pose many chal-lenges including, very large models, minimization of assumptionsand boundary conditions, and “real physics” type events. These arefrequently combined within a single model and are associated withenormous computational cost. Advanced modeling techniques andcomputing systems capable of providing accurate solutions in acost-effective time frame are now critical. Fortunately, with theintroduction of distributed memory parallel (DMP) processingcapabilities in ABAQUS, computational power is available toABAQUS users like never before. It is now possible to mitigatequickly rising computational costs at a fraction of the expenseassociated with high-performance symmetric multiprocessing(SMP) systems. Our system began as a proof-of-concept built from machines that had originally been deployed throughout thecompany as individual CAD stations for designers and engineers.We connected 10 HP Visualize Workstations (64-bit PA-RISC, 400MHz processors) running HP-UX 11i on a private 100 Mb LAN.The compute nodes had no more than 512 Mb of RAM along witha modest internal 9 Gb hard drive for local scratch space. The headnode, used for processing and distributing the job to the computenodes and functions to consolidate the fragmented results files, had 1.5 Gb of memory and a 74 Gb hard drive to satisfy these additional requirements.

Early performance benchmarks on this system showed anywhere from 6x to 8x speed up factor (depending on the model) on 10CPUs. Analyses that would take a week could now be done in oneday. In addition, we were now able to run cases with very largemodels that were impossible previously on a single machine. Thisresult was very promising, especially considering the very realiz-able amounts of disk space and memory allocated per computenode. We subsequently expanded this HP-UX cluster to 21 CPUs,increasing our performance boost to around 15x, and have used thatsystem to do a wide array of modeling over the years.

Medical Applications for Distributed Memory Platforms continued

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Kevin Harper, left, earned his BS degree in MechanicalEngineering from Michigan State University and his MS inEngineering Mechanics/Biomechanics from the University of Cincinnati. He has spent 21 years in the industry withboth large and small companies, including seven years in consulting. He has been with Ethicon Endo-Surgery for thepast seven years and is currently team leader for theAdvanced Analytics Team at Ethicon Endo-Surgery.

David Smith, right, earned a BS in Mechanical Engineeringfrom Penn State University, a MS in Biomedical Engineeringfrom the University of Miami, and a Ph.D. in Bioengineeringwith a specialization in the mechanics of soft tissues fromthe University of Pittsburgh. He has been with EthiconEndo-Surgery and the Advanced Analytics Team since 2003 and is the lead architect for the development of theAAT high-performance computing cluster.

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A Star Cluster is Born.

by Ethicon Endo-Surgery


by introducing state-of-the-art industrial finite element software.They are presently collaborating in the development of lecturenotes and tutorials based on the ABAQUS Teaching Edition. Their objective is to focus on concepts of stress analysis not treated in elementary mechanics of materials. “Industry is interested in graduates that have a background and understandingof FEA,” remarked Dr. Ted Shugar, a lecturer in the Mechanicaland Aerospace Engineering Department at UCLA. “We havefound that ABAQUS academic editions are ideal for acquaintingstudents with high-end capabilities in a user-friendly interface.”

Solving Real-World Problems At Cornell University Professor Wilkins Aquino challenges his students to discover their own problems for ABAQUS analyses.“It’s amazing how excited and involvedthe students becomewhen they deal withareas that interestthem,” he says. “They really came up with some great projects.” Among the topics his groupsselected to investigatelast semester werewave propagation in a cracked rod, blastloads on a dam, and the question ofwhether the humanvoice can actually shatter a wine glass.Their conclusions? The human voice cannot produce the decibelsrequired to cause failure in flawless glass. However, while it isunlikely, failure could be possible in an imperfect glass.

Students and Professors Meet Today’s Challenges and Prepare for the Future with ABAQUS

Award-Winning Student ABAQUS, Inc., and NAFEMS, the International Association for the Engineering Analysis Community, recently announced that Paul Chester, an undergraduate engineering student usingABAQUS software received the “Most Innovative Use of FEA”prize in the 2005 NAFEMS Student Award competition. TheNAFEMS competition, in its inaugural year, recognizes the importance of higher education to the advancement of finite element modeling and computational fluid dynamics and encourages undergraduate students to work in these fields.

Chester, an engineering student at the University of Surrey, wonthis year’s award for his project titled “Investigation into theBehavior of Grouted Connections in Offshore Wind Turbines in Response to Boat Impacts.” Chester’s project required the integrated use of ABAQUS/Standard and ABAQUS/Explicit.

Chester used several advanced analysis tools, including continuumshells, concrete damaged plasticity, and tied and sliding contact. For modeling and visualization, he accomplished the majority ofhis work using ABAQUS/CAE. “Using ABAQUS for my realisticsimulation analysis method proved highly efficient and productive,”he says. He adds that the competition, a joint effort by industry andacademia, “offers valuable opportunities for students to utilize professional resources and to complement and enhance our instructional experience.”

ABAQUS in the Classroom Engineering professors are also making better use of ABAQUSsoftware. For example, at the University of California, SantaBarbara and Los Angeles campuses, instructors have a mandate to provide students with finite element theory and background

Using ABAQUS/Explicit, Cornell students performed a dynamic analysis of a wine glassloaded with sound waves with frequencies close to those produced by the human voice.Pictured is mode shape at 396.16 Hz chosen for ABAQUS/Explicit dynamic analysis.

Paul Chester (left), receives congratulations from Alan Prior, General Manager of ABAQUS UK Ltd. Chester won a NAFEMS Student Award for “Most Innovative Use of FEA.”

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Once reserved for only the most difficult research issues, ABAQUShas become a mainstream tool for engineering students who wishto gain experience with FEA. With the ABAQUS Student Editioninstalled on their personal computers, students can supplementclassroom and research work and explore more problems on their own.

ABAQUS academic products range from the complete version ofABAQUS for sophisticated research problems to a more limitedteaching version that is ideal for classroom use. To learn more, visit www.abaqus.com/products/products_academic.html.

University Program


Extensions for ABAQUS are software components that perform specific tasks within the ABAQUS environment. They can include user-defined subroutines, Python scripts, and macros or plug-ins to ABAQUS/CAE. Extensions for ABAQUS are written by our users, alliance partners, and field offices.

This article highlights Wound Composite, an extension forABAQUS/CAE written by engineers at ABAQUS South. It allows the user to create, run, and postprocess a wide variety of axisymmetric, filament wound composite structures.Filament WindingFilament winding has become a popular construction technique in a wide variety of industries for creating composite structures with high stiffness-to-weight ratios. Aerospace industry applicationsof the process include rocket propellant tanks and solid rocket motorcasings. Automotive industry applications include high pressure fuelstorage tanks for hydrogen powered automobiles. The difficulty in accurately analyzing the structural behavior of a filament wound body derives from the continually varying orientation of the filaments. The standard capabilities of commercial finite element codes are inadequate to model the spatial variation of fiber orientation in a practical way.

The construction of filament wound pressure vessels begins with the selection of the underlying liner, which consists of the cylinderand end domes. A polar boss, which is usually constructed of ametal material, is included at the apex of one or both of the domesand is used to mount end plates, rocket nozzles, valves, or other components to the pressure vessel.

Bands of filaments wetted with resin are then wound over the liner in a helical pattern to create layers. After the layers have beenwound and cured, the liner is sometimes removed leaving only thefilament wound composite structure; in other cases, the liner remains as part of the pressure vessel. In some designs a rubbershear-ply is placed over the liner near the polar boss region to better accommodate the relatively high shear strains that occurbetween the composite material and the polar boss.

As the bands of filaments are wound from the cylinder onto thedome, their meridional orientation angle changes from that at thecylinder tangent line to 90º as the bands wrap around the polar bossand return back up the dome. To model this within ABAQUS, aunique orientation and material property must be defined for everyelement within each helical layer. The Wound Composite plug-inhas been developed to automate the entire process of modeling filament wound pressure vessels in ABAQUS/CAE.Winding LayoutConstruction of the model begins with the definition of the dome and cylinder geometry. The dome geometry of the pressurevessel can be defined several ways. The plug-in allows the user to define elliptical, spherical, or geodesic shapes, or to enter a table of individual points. The geometry can also be created from a part instance.

After specifying the vessel geometry, the winding layout is defined.The winding layout dialog box is shown below. Each layer isassigned a material, wind angle, thickness, and bandwidth. Two additional properties, the end type and thickness fraction, control the geometry of the layer at the turnaround point on the dome. The Wound Composite plug-in accounts for the thickness buildup as the helical layers approach the turnaround point on the dome.

In this example, the tank is constructed of three primary helical layers. Interspersed between the helical layers are high-angle (hoop) layers, which terminate just past the dome-cylinder transition point. Finally, two rubber shear-ply and cloth reinforcement layers are also specified for the region near the polar boss.

ABAQUS Services Spotlight - Composite Filament Winding Extension

by David Gray, ABAQUS South

Winding layout dialog box.

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A tank that was qualified for 2 different NASA missions. Image courtesy of Carleton Technologies, Inc., Pressure Vessel Technology Division.


The helical layers in a pressure vessel are typically wound in such a manner as to produce an axisymmetric lay-up. In other words, for every helical band oriented at +θ, there is a corresponding band at -θ to cause the overall laminate to have a balanced angle-ply (+/-θ) lay-up. This assumption is implicit in an axisymmetric model.

Therefore, only a single orientation angle, defined with respect to the cylinder tangent line needs to be specified foreach layer; the plug-in will calculate the angle-ply laminatematerial properties for each element within each helical layer.

Mesh and Section CreationThe finite element mesh is created automatically by the Wound Composite plug-in. Meshing options are available forseed constraints, element type, element order, and so on, just as they would be in the Mesh Module of ABAQUS/CAE.

For example, a mesh of a polar boss region is shown below.The layers in blue represent the three primary helical layersautomatically generated by the Wound Composite plug-in. Thebeige colored mesh represents the polar boss and liner. The redlayer of elements represents the rubber shear ply doily, whichwas generated by the plug-in. The cloth doily layers are shownin cyan. The void regions, where layers bridge across ends ofhelical layers or doilies, are meshed and assigned resin materialproperties and are shown in yellow.

The mesh near the dome tangent to the cylinder isshown at left. The blue layersrepresent the filament woundlayers with wind angles of 7º, 8º, and 9º, respectively. The red layers represent the interspersed hoop layers that wrap around the cylindrical portion of the structure. As before, the voidregions are shown in yellow.

Contour plot of wind angle.

Cylindrical region detail.

Mesh of polar boss region.

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To read more on Wound Composite, download the updated Technical Brief atwww.abaqus.com/solutions/tech_briefs.html. Further information resides on the ABAQUS ProcessAutomation Portal under the Extensions for ABAQUS tab at www.abaqus.com/PAPortal.

Loading, Analysis, and PostprocessingAppropriate thermal and pressure loads are applied to the model through the Load Creation tab on the WoundComposite dialog box. The analysis job is then created by the plug-in, and the job is submitted using theABAQUS/CAE job manager.

While creating the model in the Wound Composite plug-in,the user is given the option of requesting output generatedfrom user subroutine UVARM. User subroutine UVARMis used for creating user-defined output variables at the material integration points. By default, Wound Compositeautomatically creates three output variables; the wind angle(UVARM1), the strain along the fiber direction (UVARM2), and the strain transverse to the fiber direction (UVARM3). By modifying UVARM, additional user-defined output variablescan be created. Because the logarithmic strain is available in the pressure vessel coordinate reference frame and the windangle is known at each point along the dome, these strains can be transformed into the fiber direction.

Processing the results from Wound Composite begins with theexamination of the wind angle throughout the layout to verifythat the model was generated properly. An example of a contourplot of the wind angle is shown below. This plot shows theexpected wind angle layout; specifically, that the angle of each layer sharply approaches 90º as the layer approaches theturnaround point (the contour changes from blue to red). Inaddition, the outermost hoop layer on the cylindrical sectionclearly shows a wind angle near 90º (shown in red).

ConclusionsThe customization capabilities within ABAQUS/CAE and the solver capabilities within ABAQUS/Standard combine to provide the flexibility needed to create custom applications that can fully automate the analyses of filament wound composite pressure vessels. The full integration betweenthe GUI, the model, and the output database provides a solidfoundation for the development of all custom applications.

For More Information


The annual ABAQUS Partner Day has become recognized as ahighly effective vehicle for ABAQUS and its alliance partners to exchange information, strengthen relationships, and developideas to better serve the needs of mutual customers. The expandedagenda included a series of presentations by ABAQUS coveringrecent developments and future directions of our company andproducts. Participants also took advantage of the venue to offertheir perceptions of trends and challenges in the CAE world.

The event included a new discussion forum related specifically to computer platform and performance issues. One of the issues discussed in this forum was the “industrial strength” applicationbenchmark problems that were added to ABAQUS Version 6.5.These larger and more complex problems, were designed specificallyto provide customers and vendors with a morerealistic means to measurethe performance of theABAQUS analysis products on various computer platforms.

ABAQUS plans to build on this suite of problems for ABAQUSVersion 6.6. Problem descriptions and performance data for thebenchmark problems can be found atwww.abaqus.com/products/performance65.html.

Attendees also offered suggestions regarding how ABAQUS could more effectively present the performance data on the web to make it easier for customers and prospects to use the information. If you have suggestions regarding the presentation of this data, we encourage you to submit feedback to [email protected].

The feedback from alliance partners was very positive. “ABAQUSis clearly at the forefront of partnering in the simulation market, as is evident from this unique event,” commented Joe Cieslak,Marketing Manager for Platform Computing. “ABAQUS’s commitment to building effective and meaningful alliances withcompanies like Platform is critical to ensuring that our mutual customers have access to a full range of interoperable products needed to be competitive.” Michael Rex, Developer RelationsManager at Intel, said, “This was a very worthwhile event for us.The in-depth technical and business exchanges with key staff

at ABAQUS help Intelunderstand where theABAQUS technologyand customers are headed. Interaction with the ABAQUSecosystem also helps Intel align our plans on high-performancecomputing to meet the market segmentdemands.”

ABAQUS hosted over 40 representatives from the followingcompanies: Altair Engineering, Inc.; AMD; AVH List GmbH; BlueRidge Numerics; CD-adapco; CEI; CoreTech System Co., Ltd.;Coventor, Inc.; Elysium Inc.; e-Xstream Engineering SA; FluentInc.; Fujitsu Computer Systems Corporation; Fujitsu SystemsEurope; Hewlett Packard Corporation; IBM Corporation; IntelCorporation; Matereality, LLC; Maya Heat Transfer Technologies,Ltd.; nCode International; NEC; Orion Multisystems; PlatformComputing; Process Optimization Corporation; Safe TechnologyLtd.; SGI; Simmetrix Inc.; Spatial Corporation; UGS Corporation;United Devices, Inc.; Voltaire, Inc.; and Zentech International, Ltd.

“Once again, Partner Day was successful in helping us to maintain and further develop relationships with our alliance partners,” observed Tom Battisti, Director of Alliances at ABAQUS. “The direct feedback we received from our partners is invaluable, and we will utilize the information to continue enhancing the Alliances Program, individual relationships with our Alliances partners, and our joint solutions for customers.”

ABAQUS Partner Day

From left to right: Ian Godfrey, Fujitsu SystemsEurope; Chad Laird, Spatial Corporation; andGilles Deghilage, Fujitsu Systems Europe.

Left to right: Venny Yang,CoreTech Systems,Co. Ltd; and Hubert Lobo,Matereality, LLC.

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About the ABAQUS Alliances ProgramThrough our alliances with independent software and hardware vendors, we increase customer productivity and enable them to leverage their ABAQUS software investment by deliveringtechnology that ensures interoperability and robustness with leading MCAE and MCAD tools and computer platforms.ABAQUS presently works with over 95 Alliance partners toprovide best-in-class solutions for your design, simulation, and product development needs. To learn more, please visitwww.abaqus.com/alliances.

Above from left to right:Omar Ibrahim, ProcessOptimization Corporation;Dorothy Remoquillo andEdward Yang, FujitsuSystems Corporation.

From left to right: Lee Fisher, Hewlett Packard; Barbara Hutchings, Fluent Inc.; Diane Stokes, Voltaire, Inc.


In his presentation, “Use of Advanced Structural SimulationSoftware to supplement MPI/3D,” Niels Lerke of Nokia Phoneshighlighted the application of ABAQUS with Moldflow. He citedseveral benefits such as improved accuracy of structural analysis by including material orientation in fiber filled parts and achievingrealistic optimization by taking manufacturing into account.

The results from the three-dimensional moldfilling simulation aretranslated using the ABAQUS Interface for MOLDFLOW. The ABAQUS input file written by the translator is then modified toinclude the structural analysis definition and run using ABAQUS/Standard.

Lerke’s presentation included several examples of application studies done at Nokia including theeffect of gate location and injection time on part stiffness and the influence on assembly stresses taking warpage into account.

ABAQUS, Inc., was also a sponsor of the 2005international Moldflow User Group (iMUG). The event,hosted annually by Moldflow Corporation, is an opportunityfor Moldflow customers, partners, and those interested inlearning about Moldflow’s products to share ideas andinformation.

Several user presentations highlighted the ABAQUS Interface for MOLDFLOW to run advanced structural simulations based on data from mold-filling simulations. About 50 people attendedthe ‘Interface to Structural Analyses’ session indicating a significantinterest in the ABAQUS Interface for MOLDFLOW.

Developers from MOLDFLOW and ABAQUS are workingtogether to enhance future releases of the interface and to includeadditional features for a wide range of structural and mold-fillingapplications.

Nokia Presents Benefits of ABAQUS Integrated with Moldflow at iMUG ‘05

Moldflow Plastics Insight™

Case Nokia 6230 Primary stiffening cover, essential for the entire phone stiffness.

Restraints

Vertical Force

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ABAQUS is used to perform structural analysis of a moldedcomponent. Images courtesy of Nokia Phones.

Moldflow Plastics Insight™ (MPI) is anadvanced injection molding process

simulation tool for predicting and eliminatingpotential manufacturing problems and

optimizing part design, mold design, and theinjection molding process itself. The results

of a Moldflow simulation can includecalculations of material properties and

residual stresses in the plastic part.

The ABAQUS Interface forMOLDFLOW provides an interface

between MPI and ABAQUS by translating finite element model

information, including materialproperty, fiber orientation, and

residual stress data, from aMoldflow analysis into a partial

ABAQUS input file. ABAQUS can then beused to perform subsequent structural and/or

thermal analyses of the pre-stressedmolded component for which accurate,

spatially varying material properties are defined.

In addition to MPI, Moldflow has a range ofsoftware products for the design and

manufacture of injection molded parts. Formore information, visit www.moldflow.com.

Gate location Fiber orientation

Good yy-orientation in this area

ABAQUS analysis taking into account gate location and fiber orientation.Images courtesy of Nokia Phones.


Make plans now to attend the 19th annual international ABAQUSUsers’ Conference, May 23-25, 2006, at The Charles Hotel inBoston, Massachusetts. This conference provides a unique forum for ABAQUS users to learn how experts in engineering and academia are applying the latest simulation technology and methodsto accelerate and improve product development. Attendees will alsobe able to discover new capabilities and future strategies ofABAQUS and SIMULIA, provide input on future software enhancements, explore complementary partner solutions, and network with colleagues to share experiences and new ideas.

Outstanding Technical AgendaAttendees will gain knowledge during the technical sessions consisting of invited and contributed lectures by ABAQUS userscovering applications in a wide range of industries. The conferencefeatures Invited Lectures by Frank Popielas, Manager, AdvancedEngineering, Sealing Products Division for Dana Corporation and Steve Engelstad, Technical Fellow, Structural Methods and Analysis for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company.

Dozens of technical abstracts have been received from experts at leading companies, such as Boeing, BMW, DuPont, ExxonMobil, NASA Glenn, Procter and Gamble, and many others. This year’s presentations have been carefully selected to advance the conference’s reputation. In addition, ABAQUS professionals will deliver in-depth presentations covering new and advanced features available only in ABAQUS.

Advanced SeminarsSpace is limited, so sign up now for the Advanced Seminars to be held on Monday, May 22. The lectures, intended for experienced ABAQUS users, provide in-depth instruction on the theory and application of the latest ABAQUS capabilities.Seminar fees are in addition to conference fees and include seminar attendance, lecture notes, and lunch. A discount is available for presenters. Seminar fees and descriptions are available at www.abaqus.com/news/adv_seminars06.html.

Alliance Partner PavilionAn important feature of the conference is ourAlliance Partner Pavilion.Take time to explore complimentary solutions to help you streamline your overall engineeringprocess. Visit theconference web site for a complete listing of partner exhibits and presentations.

Networking EventsRelax and enjoy the Welcome Reception on Monday, May 22 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Charles Hotel - Upper Courtyard. On Tuesday from 6:30-8:00 p.m. network and discover the latest technologies during the Alliance Partner Reception in The Charles Hotel Exhibition Hall. A glittering highlight of the conference will be the Closing Banquet at 6:30 p.m. onWednesday. Enjoy a wonderful dinner and breathtaking views of Boston from the 33rd floor of the State Room in Cambridge.Additional tickets are available for your spouse or guest to attend these networking events.

ABAQUS Users' ConferenceMay 23-25, 2006 - Boston, Massachusetts, USA

1. Gain valuable knowledge from fellow expert ABAQUS users

2. Learn about new and advanced capabilities and future strategies of ABAQUS

3. Network with your peers to discover new opportunities and share experiences

4. Discover the benefits of complementary solutions from ABAQUS Alliance Partners

5. Provide your input on software enhancements and discuss yourengineering challenges one-on-one with ABAQUS professionals

Top 5 Reasons to Attend the 2006 AUC

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Full-Day SeminarsFD1 - Effective Contact Modeling in ABAQUSFD2 - Adaptive Remeshing in ABAQUSMorning Half-Day SeminarsAM1 - ABAQUS Interactive Products:

Customizing and Extending FunctionalityAM2 - ABAQUS Analysis Products:

Optimizing PerformanceAfternoon Half-Day SeminarsPM1 - ABAQUS Interactive Products:

Optimizing Performance PM2 - ABAQUS Analysis Products:

Customizing and Extending Functionality

ADVANCED SEMINARS


NEW - Image and Animation ContestEnter the first annual ABAQUS Image and Animation Contest. Winners will receive a free AdvancedSeminar registration ($375 value) plus an award winning Space Pilot (3D input device, valued at$499) from our contest sponsor, 3Dconnexion, a Logitech Company. More details on the contest can be found on the conference web site.

AccommodationsThe conference will be held at the stylish Charles Hotel. The hotel is close to the Charles River and lively Harvard Square, with its eclectic cafés and shops. The conference venue offers contemporary décor, in a historic yet energetic setting, that provides a warm and thoughtful atmosphere for the detailed exchange of technical information and ideas.

The week of this year’s conference is a popular time for visitors to Cambridgeand the Boston area, due to comfortable spring weather and graduation events at the universities. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you book youraccommodations early.

Conference FeesThe conference registration fee includes access to all conference sessionsand lunches, a bound book and CD-Rom of the Conference Proceedings,Networking Events, and the Closing Banquet. Conference fees do not includeAdvanced Seminars, hotel accommodations, or travel. Please visit the conferenceweb site for additional details and to register for the conference today!

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Non-Linear Internal Loads Modeling Methods Boeing Rotorcraft

Modelling of Self-Piercing Rivets Using Fasteners in Crash AnalysisBMW Group

Non-Linear Finite Analysis of Typical Connector and Terminal Assembly DELPHI

Using ABAQUS Cohesive Elements to Model the Peeling of an Epoxy Bonded Aluminum Strip

DuPont

Modeling Hydraulic Fractures with Cohesive Elements ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company

Simulation Technique for Element Stress of Metal Pushing V-Belt Under CVT Operating Condition

Honda R&D Co., Ltd. Tochigi R&D Center

Advanced Method of Contact FEA with Severe Friction United Technologies Research Center

Implementation of a Pressure Sensitive Plasticity Model of DRA Composites Modine Manufacturing Company

A Framework for Performing Multiscale Stochastic Progressive Failure Analysis of Composite Structures

NASA Glenn Research Center

Surrogate Human Thorax Modal Frequency Response Naval Research Laboratory

Fatigue Analysis and Optimization of Flexible Printed Circuits Nokia Research Center

Dispensing Simulations Through Fluid-Structure Interactions The Procter & Gamble Company

For a complete list of contributed abstracts, please visitwww.abaqus.com/auc2006.

Selected Contributed Abstracts(subject to change)


IAbout ABAQUS, Inc.Founded in 1978, ABAQUS, Inc. is the world's leading provider of advanced Finite Element Analysis software andservices that are used to solve real-world engineering problems. The ABAQUS software suite has an unsurpassedreputation for technology, quality, and reliability and provides a powerful and complete solution for both routine andsophisticated linear and nonlinear engineering problems. ABAQUS delivers a Unified FEA environment that is a compelling alternative to implementations involving multiple products and vendors. In October 2005 ABAQUSbecame a wholly owned subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes, the world leader in 3-D and Product LifecycleManagement (PLM) solutions. ABAQUS, Inc. is headquartered in Providence, RI, USA, with worldwide R&D centers, offices, and distributors for development, technical support, sales, and services.For more information, visit www.abaqus.com.

About SIMULIAIn 2005 Dassault Systèmes announced SIMULIA, the brand that encompasses DS simulation solutions, including ABAQUS and CATIA analysis applications. SIMULIA is the open platform for multi-physics simulation that can be used not only by automotive, aerospace, consumer products, and general machinery customers toexplore their products’ performance, but also by biomedical, molecular sciences, geophysics, pharmaceuticals, and electronics businesses to solve complex problems. By building on established technology, respected quality, and superior customer service, SIMULIA makes realistic simulation an integral business practice that enables engineers and scientists to improve product performance, reduce the number of physical prototypes, and drive innovation. For more information, visit www.simulia.com.

ABAQUS and the ABAQUS logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of ABAQUS, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes.The 3DS logo and SIMULIA are trademarks or registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes. © 2006 ABAQUS, Inc.

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Documents

INSIGHTS - Abaqus · Welcome to the first issue of ABAQUS Insights since our company formally became part of Dassault Systèmes (DS). I would like to share some thoughts and information