Virtual Validation is a critical piece of the product development process across industry verticals- automotive, aerospace, defence, biomedical, heavy engineering, consumer goods, energy or electronics to name a few. Initially seen as a design verification activity, virtual validation has advanced over the years and now shifted to the forefront of product design, as it plays a crucial role upfront in ensuring safety and precision during the early stages of the product development cycle.
What is virtual validation?
Virtual validation is the process that CAE engineers follow, wherein a 3D visualization of a part or product is performed in a CAD and CAE framework, providing a simulated environment where engineers can run multiple tests to ensure validity and security in their products before physically building them. This includes simulation of products in multiple environments and conditions to ensure the products work properly. Not only does this provide a convenient platform for companies to test designs before investing in prototypes, but it also ensures product safety and reliability beforehand. This digital verification and validation of the products and product properties during the initial design stage itself ensure that multiple design iterations can be done to arrive at the best possible product, overall development costs are reduced, companies can get to market faster, and most importantly a better product reaches the market.
The virtual validation methodology
One of the main reasons for an emphasis on virtual validation is also the ability to represent the physical product accurately in the digital world as a math model. FE /CFD models as math models built are matured in terms of capturing complex geometry, handling wide-ranging material behaviours and diverse manufacturing process information that is fundamental to predict product performance accurately. Advancements in solver technology to handle geometry nonlinearity, material nonlinearity and contact nonlinearity besides Multiphysics has been big enablers for virtual validation.
The transformation that HPC’s and GPU have brought to virtual validation is also very commendable. The common denominator that drives these techniques is the need for high-quality FE / Virtual Validation models. The necessary design space and design variable creation process, as well as systems and sub-system virtual validation, builds, are very critical for success. CAE software like DEP MeshWorks is used, which is adept at handling high-quality models at all stages of the product development and provides an integrated CAE platform that enables users to utilize virtual validation while optimizing workflows.
Maturity and confidence in the virtual validation process have also paved the way to reduce dependence on several physical prototypes. In the context of Industry 4.0, fast to market and data drove product development process virtual validation has become more integrated. To compressed product development time, virtual validation has been pushed up front to drive design right from the concept phase thus enabling wider design space exploration and optimization of product performance upfront. Growing acceptance of virtual validation results by various regulatory agencies globally across industry verticals is a great step forward.
Where is virtual validation used?
Automotive- In the automotive industry the trends are towards electric or electrified propulsion as regulatory emission /CAFÉ standards must be met. This has prompted product design teams and virtual validation to work in sync towards achieving a lighter body structure yet safer for both occupants and pedestrians. Virtual validation is used heavily in the automotive segment, in the body, engine and powertrain components, as well as in electronics, which is becoming an integral part of all new automotive models that reach the market.
Aerospace and Defence- Globally OEMs are increasingly employing virtual technology for validating performance, which is now common for structural performances, as well as aerodynamics. Robustness, flexibility and automation are key aspects for grid generation to modelling complex flow physics. Engineers can now analyze the flow not just over the fuselage and wings, but also around the nacelles and air intakes. The virtual validation for aerodynamics is extending beyond commercial air carriers to cargo aircraft and surveillance drones. In aerospace, weight optimization is of the highest importance. Virtual validation Engineers use tools that help create stiffening and lightening features on the ribs that go into the wing for example.
Electronics – Be it consumer goods or defence or entertainment electronic devices are all-pervasive. Thermal management, response to vibration and shock loads are some of the important investigations that virtual validation engineers carry out to gain more insight before prototypes are ordered. CAE math model builds can capture a lot of details related to electronics devices quite well and thus aid designers’ study what-if scenarios and identify countermeasures.
Consumer Gadgets- Product attributes and consumer expectations are skyrocketing with the launch of every new product line. For instance, the consumer expects their smartphones, laptop, gaming devices, electric toothbrushes, kitchen appliances, or other devices to work flawlessly even after a fall to the ground, or manhandling. Various simulation methods with different test load cases like drop tests, compression tests, etc. are performed to ensure the most robust product reaches the consumer.
Construction- Construction activity is one of the important parameters for GDP and a growth engine for the economy. Construction equipment plays a very important role, be it building road infrastructure or power generation or metro system. Virtual validation does play a role to analyze the performance of the chassis of lifting cranes or boom structures of earthmoving equipment. Virtual validation engineers do consider a parametric CAE math model-based approach to optimize dead weight without jeopardizing lifting capacity.
Bio-Medical – Engineers working on BioMedical devices like stents and implants look for high-quality model creation and make it parametric to optimize the behaviour of the device ahead of clinical trials. The virtual validation methodology adopted saves significant time and cost to the device manufacturers.
Energy- Energy security is important for both oil-producing and consuming economies. To that effect pipes that carry crude from offshore to refinery onshore are lifelines. Virtual validation plays a very important role to analyze the stresses in the pipe during various operating conditions also study the pipe soil interaction. Virtual validation helps EPC contractors gain a lot of understanding before commencing the pipe laying activity or trenching activity.
Shirin Hameed is the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Detroit Engineered Products (DEP).