DIGIMAT

CAE tool for nonlinear plastics and composites modeling

OVERVIEW

Introduction to DIGIMAT modules and quick overview from the CEO of MSC software

 

Digimat enables engineers to perform both micro- and macro-scale analyses of composites, predicting their performance and calculating their mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. A large variety of composite materials, including those made from thermoplastic and thermoset polymers, and elastomers, can be effectively modeled with Digimat.

Digimat composites modeling technology relies on micromechanical approaches to accurately predict the behavior of multi-phase material. Digimat offers optimized solutions to bridge the gap between manufacturing process, material design and structural FEA.

Outputs of the manufacturing simulation, fiber orientation, residual stresses, weld-lines, void density are used by Digimat to compute the exact non-linear strain-rate dependent material performance of composite materials. NVH, stiffness, crash, durability, creep are examples of analysis where Digimat solutions can be applied.

With Digimat as part of your CAE suite, your product development becomes more predictive, enabling you to optimize composite structure design with confidence saving both time and resources.

 

Simulation in Additive Manufacturing leads to better topology optimization. Discover with Paul Heiden from Ultimaker how to get the full value of 3DPrinting putting together the capabilities of the printer, materials & simulation software.

 
 

Material Engineering and Virtual Testing

The purpose of material engineering is to take a simulation approach for the identification of promising candidates for new composite materials thereby reducing the amount of experiments needed. This helps to save money and to reduce the time needed to develop new materials. In research the approach allows to gain insight into and to understand mechanisms that dominate the macroscopic material properties but actually arise from its microscopic composition.

Process Simulation

Digimat provides process simulation solutions for the additive manufacturing of polymers. It helps process engineers to anticipate manufacturing issues and optimize part quality (ex: minimize warpage and residual stresses) by predicting the relative influence of the various process parameters.

Structural Engineering

The purpose of structural engineering is to design full composite parts. The focus is on the part performance as it depends on the material characteristics and the manufacturing method and conditions that were used for the individual design.

Key to this challenge is a material model that correlates to experimental behavior as closely as possible. For this purpose a reverse engineering procedure is used that results in the parametrization of micro-mechanical models and their adaption to a set of anisotropic material measurements to meet the global composite performance best possible.

Such material models can now read locally different micro-structure information from various sources and convert them into a local material property. A fully coupled analysis results in a simulation model with individual material properties described for each integration point in the Finite Element analysis. Coupled analyses are state-of-the art for the modeling of composite parts and have proven to match experimental observation perfectly on many occasions.

 

DIGIMAT - CAPABILITIES

 
 
 

• Holistic approach to model composite materials (materials, physics, CAE technology)

• Multi-scale modeling from the microscopic to the macroscopic scale, with representative volume elements, homogenization technology

• Material exchange platform to prepare, store, retrieve and securely exchange Digimat material models between material experts and structural engineers

• Virtual testing of composite materials with flexible loading definitions – monotonic and cyclic

• Support for broad range of composite materials, including fiber reinforced plastics, hard metals, ceramics, nano, and sandwich panels

• Complex material morphologies (multi-phase, multi-layer)

• Support for linear/nonlinear, temperature & strain rate dependent behaviors

• Analysis of failure, creep, and fatigue

• Interfaces to all major FEA and processing simulation software

 

DIGIMAT - BENEFITS

• Improve fidelity in simulations through better material modeling

• Characterize multi-phase composite materials with ease

• Improve accuracy by bridging the gap between FEA and processing simulation

• Improve communication and standardize material library to reduce errors

 

Print right the first time! Additive manufacturing of plastics and composites is evolving from rapid prototyping to industrial production. However, many pains still hinder its full development, such as the limited portfolio of advanced materials, lack of fidelity of the manufacturing process as well as uncertain mechanical properties of final parts, leading to an overall high manufacturing cost.

 
 

MODULES

 
 

• Digimat-MF:

For a fast & accurate prediction of the nonlinear behavior of multi-phase materials using Mean-Field homogenization technology.

• Digimat-FE:

For an accurate prediction of the local/global nonlinear behavior of multiphase materials using FEA of realistic Representative Volume Element (RVE).

• Digimat-MX:

For the preparation, storage, retrieval and secure exchange of Digimat material models between material suppliers and users.

• Digimat-CAE:

Interfaces to process and structural FEA codes for an accurate prediction of composite materials and reinforced plastics parts performance using nonlinear multi-scale modeling approach.

• Digimat-MAP:

For an efficient mapping of scalar & tensorial data between dissimilar shell and solid FE meshes.

• Digimat-HC:

Easy and efficient solution for the design of honeycomb sandwich panels.

• Digimat-RP:

An integrative simulation environment dedicated to integration of Digimat material model inside your FEA model for short fiber reinforced plastic components and systems simulation.

• Digimat-VA:

Integrated solution for the computation of virtual allowables

• Digimat-AM:

Process simulation solution for polymer additive manufacturing