Process Automation of Quasi Static Nonlinear Analysis Using HyperWorks Process Manager

Endra Sujatmika1, Wan Mansor Wan Muhamad1, Mohd Razif Idris

1

Mechanical & Manufacturing Section, Malaysia France Institute (MFI) Universiti Kuala Lumpur Jln. Teras Jernang, Seksyen 14, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor Email : drwmansor@mfi.unikl.edu.my
2

Institute of Product Design and Manufacturing (IPROM) Universiti Kuala Lumpur Level G 2nd 119 Jalan 7/91, Taman Shamelin Perkasa, 3.5 miles Cheras, 56100 Kuala Lumpur

Abstract
Simulation development plays an important role in a product design and development. It contributes to improvement of process efficiency and design cycle time reduction. However, to increase quality and consistency of a simulation, an automated workflow of process is required. This paper presents process automation for a quasi static nonlinear analysis case study to reduce the preprocessing time and to eliminate repetitive works. The nonlinear analysis simulation was performed in HyperWorks using Radioss nonlinear solver and the automation process was carried out using HyperWorks Process Manager. Template has been developed for process automation and graphic user interface (GUI) has been created. A comparison study between quasi static nonlinear and linear analysis was taken as case study to implement the template. The automation process template is easy to be used, user friendly and can be used to perform quasi static non-linear analysis in the straight forward manner, easy to make designing process more consistent. Comparison study shows that nonlinear and linear analysis give different results significantly when working stress exceed yield stress. Nonlinear analysis result in more real condition because it takes account effect of permanent deformation.

Keywords: Nonlinear analysis, process automation, process manager, simulation, product design.

Introduction
Today, computer simulation is inescapable step in a product design and development process. It is required in almost all steps in the process from design and manufacturing stage until production stage. It can reduce the time to market and cost to gain a higher competitive product. Analysis as a part of design process takes an important role to investigate behavior and performance of design parts. There are many type of analysis that can be conducted by computer simulation (e.g. static, dynamic, crash, thermal, heat transfer, etc). Non linear analysis in a solid mechanic problem is widely used to deal with s which is exist in some particular conditions such as; large deformation, contact and material plasticity.

To simulate such analysis, modeling and parameters setting are required to obtain proper results for next steps in design process. This process will be conducted to many parts in a product design so that process repetition will occur to each analyzed parts. To simplify the process and reduce error, automation process will be useful. The content of this paper is to discuss a quasi static non linear analysis setting process automation and then apply it for a comparison of a linear and non linear analysis.

CAE Process Automation

Many manufacturing companies have applied CAE process automation in their design process. They have established an efficient process and in the same time, improve their product quality. They automate the process to gain many advantages.

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Adam Aslam [1] (Mahindra Ltd.) developed process templates for post-processing to calculate desired chassis frame stiffness value. Using the template, the time required to post-process a model was reduced by 40% when compared with the manual postprocessing method. Edberg M. [2] built automated process for virtual truck models assembly process. This new process significantly increased simulation efficiency and robustness, which are especially critical to Scanias truck-customization process. Jennewein Dietmar [3], Altair Engineering for OPEL, have developed the customized automation solution Engine Mount Studio using HyperWorks modular automation framework. As a result, the solution could be realized in a very short period of time. Engine Mount Studio guides the engineer through the process of data collection and management; analysis setup and run; post-processing; and parameter optimization. K. Karale et al [4], from TATA Motor Limited has developed a template to automate the procedure of Brake Drum analysis, starting from import CAD model until export it to NASTRAN as solver. J.S. Rao et al [5], using a process approach to create a tool that is named "Blade" that has function to estimate a turbine live. Tools were developed to facilitate the process of turbine designs from importing static stress results, natural frequency and mode shape until determination of crack propagation. V.B.R Seelam et al [6], built an integration and automation process solution for design and development of automotive frame structures, driven by CAE. They convert given package space for a frame design into simplified 1-D Finite Element models and performance optimization process. Edberg M.

Besides caused by large deformation (non linear geometry), non linearity could come from inelastic material behavior (plasticity) and contact between surfaces of two parts. When working stress exceed yield stress, structure is deformed permanently and its cross section will be reduced. Then stress calculation should take account yielding effect and redistribution of stress that occurs in a part as result of plastic deformation. In practice, the true stress (or Cauchy stress) for any time interval will be computed using the stress rate in an explicit time integration [8]. Meanwhile contact problem involves a variety of geometry and kinematics situation hence it requires non linear analysis to solve such problem.

Process Workflow
Non linear setting and analysis process is following a workflow as shown in figure 1.
START Import Model Create Curve : Material Loads Create Material

Define BCs and Loads

Assign : Property

Assign : Material

Create Property

Set Engine File

Export to Radios Input Deck

Execute

END

Figure 1 Non Linear setting and analysis workflow The process is started by importing model which is finite element model. It can be either Hypermesh meshed model or Radioss meshed model (bulk data). Then true stress strain and load curves must be created as input for elastoplastic material and load definition. Based on created curve, elastoplastic material property is defined and then assigned to the component. Furthermore, boundary and load conditions of the model are defined before simulation is set up to adjust what kind of outputs are required and how the simulation will run. All the process setting is saved and exported to Radioss input deck that consists of two file; starter file and engine file. Using Radioss batch mode, both input file are executed and the results can be presented by using HyperView.

Quasi Static Non Linear Analysis

Basically, non linear analysis deals with time dependent loads in which inertial effects could not be ignored. In case an analysis involves the time dependent loads that are slow enough such that inertial effects can be ignored, such analysis is called as quasi static analysis [7]. In a solid mechanics problem, analysis can be classified into static and dynamic analysis. Static analysis covers elastic and inelastic area. Furthermore, elastic is divided into small deformation and large deformation. Small deformation problem can be solved by conducting linear static analysis. On the other hand, large deformation problem result non linearity and requires different approach in which linear analysis formulation (using Hooks law) is not applicable due to its small deformation assumption. In such case, non linear analysis is appropriate in order to give accurate result.

Automation Template
Using TCL/TK language and Process Studio, Graphical User Interface (GUI) for Process Manager to automate non linear setting and analysis process is built. The process comprises 10 steps following the workflow, starting from import FE model until

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executing the input file. The Process Manager and related GUI are as shown in figure 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Figure 5 GUI for defining engine file The process in the Process Manager is successive manner. It means that next step cannot be performed before previous step is done. It ensures that there is no step will be left.

Figure 2 Non Linear setting and analysis template in the Process Manager.

Comparison between Linear and Non Linear Analysis

The non linear setting and analysis template is applied to set and analysis a 1000x1000 mm plate (10 mm thick) with hole (600 mm diameter) that subjected to constraints and loading conditions as shown in figure 6. The left side of the plate is constrained in all directions. Meanwhile, 30 kN load is applied to the each node (26 nodes) in x direction on the right side of the plate.

Figure 3 GUI for importing model

Figure 3 GUI for creating curves Figure 6 Finite element model The finite element model is also applied to a linear analysis to investigate behavior of the structure under

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linear condition assumption analysis so that it can be compared with non linear analysis result. a. Linear Analysis Material properties of the model for linear analysis are$ shown in table 1. The material properties are also used for non linear analysis. Table 1. Material Properties Properties Young Modulus Poissons Ratio Density Yield Stress Value 207000 MPa 0.3 7.9E-09 tonnes/mm3 391.5 MPa Figure 8 Deflection Contour Plot b. Non Linear Analysis Beside using material properties as shown in the table 1 as input, non linear analysis requires true stress strain curve to define elastoplastic material (see figure 9).
600 500
True Stress (MPa)

After simulation, stress contour plot (see figure 7) shows that maximum stress is 402 MPa and deflection contour plot (figure 8) shows that maximum deflection is 1.6 mm. That stress is in plastic area due to exceed yield stress (391 MPa).

400 300 200 100 0 0 0.002 0.004 0.006 0.008 0.01 0.012 True Strain (mm)

Figure 9 True Stress- Strain Curve Concentric load in non linear analysis is function of time. Therefore the load is defined as constant load 30 kN from 0 second to 100 second (see figure 10). The load is applied to each nodes at the right side of the plate.

Figure 7 Stress Contour Plot

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35000 30000

Load (Newton)

25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 0 20 40 60 Time (s) 80 100

Figure 10 Loading History After nonlinear analysis simulation, the results show that maximum working stress at 100th second is 432.5 MPa (figure 11) and maximum deflection is 21.67 mm (figure 12). The stress is higher than the linear analysiss stress result due to effect of cross section area reduction of the structure. Furthermore, nonlinear analysis deflection also exhibits much higher value than that linear analysis result. The structure has experienced plastic deformation as shown in figure 13, that simulating the deformation. That simulation shows that the deformation was not only in x-y plane but also in z axis direction.

Figure 12 Deflection Contour Plot of Non Linear Analysis

Figure 12 Deformation of the model c. Linear vs Non Linear Non linear analysis gives higher stress result as well as deflection results comparing than the linear one. Maximum stress of non linear analysis increases with increasing time and tends to steady above linear analysiss maximum stress after 10 second applying load (see figure 13). Maximum deflection of non linear analysis keeps increasing even though the time reaching 100 seconds (figure 14). Although the stress rises slightly, deflection tends to increase a lot. It indicates that plastic deformation is taking place.

Figure 11 Stress Contour Plot of Non Linear Analysis

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500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 0 10 20 30 40 50 time(s) 60 70 80 90 100 SNL SL

Max Stress (MPa)

Acknowledgements
This research was sponsored by Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) Malaysia TechnoFund Grant. The authors would like to thank PROTON and UniKL for their support.

References
[1] A. Adam, Hyperworks Process Manager Delivers Productivity and Quality Gains to Chassis Design Process. Hyperworks Case Study. [2]M. Edberg, Hyperworks CAE Process Automation Accelerates Product Development at Scania, Hyperworks Case Study [3]J. Dietmar, Hyperworks Process Automation Streamlines NVH Analysis of OPEL Engine Mount Systems. Hyperworks Case Study. [4] K. Karale, V. Katkar, D. Kumar, Case Study of Process Automation : Brake Drum Analysis, Altair CAE User Conference, India, 2005. [5] J.S. Rao, R. Narvan, M.C. Ranjith, Blade lifing a comprehensive and process driven approach. , 2008 [6] Seelam V.B.R, Babu R., Sekhar V, Process Integration and automation solutions for rapid designing of automotive frame structures using altair hyperworks. [7] Yavari, Arash. Quasi static loading iMechanica. http://imechanica.org/node/8437. [8] RADIOSS THEORY MANUAL, 10.0 version Large Displacement Finite Element Analysis, January 2009

Figure 13 Maximum stress history

25 22.5 20 17.5 15 12.5 10 7.5 5 2.5 0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 time (s) DNL DL

deflection (mm)

Figure 14 Maximum Deflection History

Conclusion
The automation process which is built by TCL/TK script and PhotoStudio established standard process to perform non linear analysis in Process Manager. There are several benefits will be obtained by using this template. The first, this template has user friendly interfaces. Second, standardized process flow maintains consistency of simulation for every different user. Moreover, this tool is easy to be used even by new user. Linear analysis and non linear analysis give different results significantly when working stress exceed yield stress. Non linear analysis shows higher maximum stress slightly than linear analysis due to effect of plastic deformation of the structure. Meanwhile, maximum displacement as a result from non linear analysis is much higher than that one from linear analysis. Non linear analysis will give more accurate result to represent plastic behavior of the material in the plastic area beyond the yield stress than linear analysis which assumes the material as perfect elastic. Nonlinear analysis result in more real condition because it takes account effect of permanent deformation

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