Bringing the Future Faster Through Innovation and Analysis, by American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM)
AAM has been providing mechanical drivelines to automotive customers for more than 25 years. As the automobile transitions to electrification, so too must the driveline. AAM has developed a suite of innovative, lightweight, compact and cost-optimized electric drive units and electric beam axles to meet the growing global technology demand as electric vehicles continue to expand over the next decade. Engineering simulation, optimization and validation tools were significant enablers to increase the validation confidence and reduce the time to market for these new products.
Future.Industry 2021
Panel Discussion: Trends in Design and Manufacturing Simulations
The goal for any design, structural and manufacturing simulation is to predict and fix defects early in the product development. This panel will discuss how design and simulation tools are helping engineers to be efficient. Experts will share their thoughts on current and future trends in manufacturing, focusing on how designs evolve using manufacturing simulations.
Future.Industry 2021
New Method for Evaluation of Adhesive Joint Failure Under Cyclic Loads
In vehicle bodies, bonding has become established for joining a wide variety of materials. However, to date there is no generally applicable method for analyzing the adhesive joint fatigue. In tests performed, a pronounced cohesive crack propagation phase was observed in epoxy layers with high local stress, resulting in high fatigue life differences between crack initiation and total failure. In order, to take this into account, the failure criterion was extended from initiation of technical crack to a local cracked zone.
A new method for determining the utilization degree of cracked zones was developed and calibrated based on experimental S/N curves. Recently, the stand-alone application ClaRP has enabled automatic damage assessment and thus the analysis of adhesive layers in complex finite element models.
Presenter: Manuel Frank | Engineer, Magna Powertrain
Featuring FEMFAT by Magna Powertrain, available through the Altair Partner Alliance
Webinars
FEMFAT Showcase Video 2021
Showcase video for FEMFAT, a comprehensive fatigue analysis tool that provides quick and reliable answers concerning the safe operation of components.
Product Overview Videos
Improving the Lightweight Design of an Electric Drive System Using Fatigue Analysis
Innovative lightweight design is the key to reducing consumption and pollutant emissions. Especially the paradigm shift currently underway towards more electrification demands new possibilities for saving weight to be explored. Thus the aim of this webinar is to show how a fatigue life analysis can be carried out for a modern electric drive system. Since vibration phenomena play an essential role here, a modal fatigue analysis is carried out. We present all the necessary steps to set up the modal fatigue analysis in FEMFAT channelmax and the fatigue results. The e-drive system will be subjected to an engine run-up simulation. The add-on tool HARMONIC is used for the data preparation.
Webinars
Hitachi Lightweight Mining Haulers Optimized
Truck dynamics, control system, thermal, and fatigue analyses all need to be completed when designing a new truck design. Using Altair HyperWorks, Hitachi achieves a 10% weight reduction in the main frame and rigid body, while maintaining product quality.
Customer Stories
The Future of Fatigue Life Prediction
Klaus Hofwimmer from Magna Powertrain, an APA partner, discusses the future of fatigue life prediction.
Testimonial
Multidisciplinary Workflow to Assess Modal Fatigue Results of a 4-Cylinder Crankshaft Using AVL EXCITE, OptiStruct and FEMFAT
The crankshaft of an engine is a highly dynamically loaded component that is continuously optimized and optimized in terms of design and production technology. In order to be able to reproduce this in the simulation, the essential influences must be considered. This includes the dynamically behaviour in combination with the engine, the material properties and the application of the loads and their transfer to other parts (bearings).
The modal approach has established itself as a proven method here, whereby a modal basis is determined in the FEM so that the crankshaft is integrated as a flexible body in the MKS model of the engine, and so that an entire engine run-up can be simulated. The modal participation factors are obtained from the MBS simulation, which are used together with the modal stresses for the safety factor calculation.
This workflow requires the combination of different simulation tools. The challenge is to organize the data transfer between the tools efficient and correct. In this example, the workflow is realized using OptiStruct from Altair for FEM calculation, EXCITE from AVL as MKS tool and FEMFAT from Magna Powertrain ECS as Fatigue solver.
This makes it possible to simulate a complex engine run-up with consideration of the ignition bearing forces and to calculate the fatigue life of the crankshaft in FEMFAT.
This webinar, details of the simulation workflow of the 4-cylinder crankshaft will be presented and the effects of several influencing variables on the fatigue life will be studied.
Webinars
MAGNA Showcase Video
A short video by Axel Werkhausen showcasing FEMFAT as a comprehensive fatigue analysis tool.
Product Overview Videos
Durability Testing / Loads, Fatigue Curces and Material Datasets
Presentation by Axel Werkhausen, Manager FEMFAT Support and Sales at Magna Powertrain ECS.
Conference Presentations
Efficient Solid Meshing and Fatigue Assessment of Welds Using SimLab and FEMFAT
Typically, in the automotive industry, the numerical fatigue life analysis of seam welds is based on shell models. Determining the local stiffness and the fatigue life of weld details with those models is a challenging task; especially for closely spaced welds as well as for the connection of metal sheets to thick walled or solid components...
Webinars
2 Years of FEMFAT User Meetings - More than 60 Presentations About FEMFAT
FEMFAT headquarters in Austria holds an International user meeting every 2-years, and in spring and autumn, five distributors organize in Shanghai, Tokyo, Michigan, Seoul and Pune regional user meetings with presentations according to the fatigue analysis of their customers. The webinar will show a short summary of four of the presentations which have aroused the interest of the audience. Some have made the “best lecture award.”
Webinars
Top Use Cases: FEMFAT
Presentation introducing a few of the top use cases for the durability analysis software, FEMFAT.
Use Cases
FEMFAT Tip: Save Time By Reusing Scratch Files
See how to save time in FEMFAT max analyses by considering the right time for generating scratch files.
Tips & Tricks
Partner Spotlight: ECS/Magna - FEMFAT
Axel Werkhausen, Manager of Sales & Support at ECS, discusses durability analysis software, FEMFAT, available through the Altair Partner Alliance.
Brochures
Simulation Powers Development of Professional Power Tools
CAE is a core element in developing high-end, long-lasting professional power tools at DeWalt, a Stanley Black & Decker brand.
Customer Stories
Frequency Response using FEMFAT Spectral Module
Learn about the frequency response capabilities available in FEMFAT's Spectral Module.
Webinars
Basic Intro to FEMFAT - Webinar Slides
Basic introductory slides to durability and fatigue software, FEMFAT.
Webinars
Success Story: Mahindra Two Wheelers
Two-Wheeler Designer-Manufacturer Cuts New Component Time to Market and Optimizes Component Design with the Altair Partner Alliance
Customer Stories
FEMFAT Showcase Video 2020
Video introduction to durability and fatigue tool, FEMFAT.
Product Overview Videos
Success Story: Dana Holding Corporation Increases Flexibility while Reducing Software Costs
Dana engineers increased their productivity and efficiency by gaining access to the APA suite of applications.
Customer Stories