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Crash Simulation Software: An In-Depth Guide for Engineers
Exploring the Role of Advanced Tools Like VPS in Accelerating Virtual Tests of Vehicle Safety
Picture the year 1985. The automotive industry is on the cusp of a revolutionary change. Engineers at Volkswagen and ESI embark on a pioneering project: creating a digital simulation that can model the effects of a car crash. This early venture into crash simulation laid the foundation for what would become an essential tool in vehicle design and safety testing. Fast forward nearly four decades, and crash simulations have evolved into a sophisticated technology that allows engineers to test and refine vehicles all without a single prototype being harmed. This isn’t science fiction—it’s the transformative power of crash simulation software.
What Basics Do You Need to Know About Crash Simulation Software?
At the forefront of this technological evolution is VPS (Virtual Performance Solution), a tool that has been instrumental in redefining how engineers across industries approach vehicle safety. Before we explore what makes VPS so exceptional, lets dive into answering some basic questions.
What is Crash Simulation?
Crash simulation involves using sophisticated computer models to digitally replicate the impact of collisions on vehicles and their occupants. By running these simulations, engineers can analyze how a vehicle will perform in various crash scenarios without having to build and destroy physical prototypes. This approach allows for detailed examination of safety features and structural integrity in a virtual environment.
Why Engineers Need Crash Simulation Software?
The need for crash simulation is driven by 6 key factors:
Why manufacturers should democratize simulation software for crash and safety engineering, (C) ESI Group 2024
- Regulatory Compliance: Vehicles must meet stringent safety standards set by regulatory bodies before they are approved for the market. There's a trend towards certifying vehicles using virtual assessments rather than physical testing, driven by organizations like Euro NCAP. Crash simulations ensure that designs adhere to these regulations, minimizing the risk of costly redesigns and delays.
- Cost Efficiency: Physical crash tests involve building and destroying multiple prototypes, which can be extremely expensive. Virtual simulations reduce these costs by allowing for numerous tests in a digital format, preserving resources for final validation. Also, the pressure to make EVs more affordable is driving the need to reduce vehicle development and manufacturing costs, posing challenges in materials and manufacturing approaches.
- Environmental Impact: Physical testing generates material waste due to the destruction of prototypes. By reducing the need for physical tests, crash simulations help conserve resources and lessen environmental impact.
- Time Efficiency: Developing and testing physical prototypes is time-consuming. Crash simulations accelerate this process, enabling rapid design iterations and quicker identification of safety issues.
- Increased Focus on Vehicle Safety: Automotive OEMs are emphasizing vehicle safety more, necessitating testing of various crash scenarios and compliance with complex regulations
- Step change in Vehicle Design: Transition to electric vehicles (EVs), lightweighting, and the shift towards automated vehicles present significant challenges.
Who Uses Crash Simulation Software, When, and for Which Application?
Across various sectors, including automotive, mobile machinery, aerospace and defense, crash simulation software addresses several crucial engineering tasks and is employed at various stages of the development cycle by multiple departments across industries. Here's an overview:
| Department | Phase | Application |
| Design Engineering | Throughout the Design Phase | Concept Design: Assesses new design concepts. Detailed Design: Refines and optimizes designs. |
| Safety Engineering | During the Design and Testing Phases | Safety Analysis: Enhances safety features and ensures compliance with safety standards. |
| Validation and Testing | Before Production and During Testing | Prototyping: Conducts virtual crash tests. Validation: Confirms safety and performance. |
| Research and Development (R&D) | Early Design and Development Phases | Exploration of Innovations: Tests new concepts and materials. Material Testing: Evaluates new materials. |
| Manufacturing and Production | Post-Design and Pre-Production | Integration with Manufacturing: Understands the impact of design changes on manufacturing processes. |
What is the Best Crash Simulation Software?
There are several tools available for crash simulation:
- Abaqus: Offers robust multiphysics and finite element analysis.
- ANSYS: Provides comprehensive simulation solutions for structural and thermal analysis.
- LS-DYNA: Known for its advanced capabilities in nonlinear simulations.
- VPS: A versatile tool specifically designed for vehicle crashworthiness and occupant safety simulation.
What do you Need to Know About the Crash Simulation Software VPS?
Among the array of crash simulation tools, VPS (Virtual Performance Solution) stands out as a game-changer. But what makes VPS exceptional? Let’s delve into its unique features and the impact they have on the industry.
What Makes VPS One of the Best Software for Car Crash Simulation?
In a nutshell: Users value VPS's ability to accurately predict how a product will perform in real-world conditions, accounting for manufacturing intricacies.
VPS stands out as a leading crash simulation software due to its unique features: The Single Core Model approach reduces modeling effort and allows for flexible, concurrent engineering, while the industry's fastest crash solver delivers rapid results and cost savings. Consistent results enhance collaboration and accelerate vehicle development, supported by ESI's deep expertise. The software's advanced fluid-structure interaction modeling and multi-scale capabilities enable accurate simulations for complex scenarios, such as crash safety simulations, airbag folding and deployment, seat belt assessments, pedestrian safety, barriers and dummy simulations, material factors, and water crossing.
What is the Value of VPS for Automotive Crash & Safety Engineering?
Key applications of VPS for crash & safety engineering in the automotive and aerospace industry, (C) ESI Group 2024
VPS strategically enhances automotive development by ensuring fast, reliable, and accurate simulation outcomes, crucial for analyzing airbags, water management, and structural integrity. It excels in handling large, complex models, particularly in EV battery simulations, leading to optimized, safer vehicle designs and meeting evolving regulatory demands. By reducing model-building efforts and enabling concurrent engineering, VPS increases productivity and efficiency, allowing more simulations within the same timeframe while cutting costs. The platform accelerates innovation by simplifying experimentation with new materials and manufacturing processes, ultimately leading to optimized vehicles with superior safety and performance at reduced costs and shorter development times.
Author
Gavin England
Product Marketing Manager - Crash, Safety, Strength and Dynamics
A qualified Mechanical Engineer, Gavin spent the early part of his career working in various design teams, helping to develop products as diverse as materials handling equipment and rally cars. The last twenty years have been spent in organisations such as IBM, Siemens, and Autodesk, promoting and marketing CAD, PLM, and related solutions, primarily to the manufacturing industry. An advocate of the benefits of innovate design technology, Gavin now works in Product Marketing at ESI, helping customers understand the unique value of our crash, safety, strength, and dynamics solutions.
Category: Automotive