DESIGN,ENGINEERING TECH
Hexagon | December 02, 2022
Hexagon's Manufacturing Intelligence division has today introduced Elements, new simulation software that helps engineering teams understand the behaviour of systems that are becoming increasingly complex in modern products. Using the software, teams can evaluate the performance and feasibility of new design concepts quickly to inform more efficient product development and reduce risk and cost.
Elements addresses the growing importance of integrated, multi-disciplinary system development and end-to-end workflows. Customers in every industry are demanding technologies that consider many physics domains and tackle mechatronics challenges in a robust way, fuelling a growing trend towards system-level engineering. Achieving this requires the integration of all relevant engineering disciplines, control systems, and third-party supplier systems to understand how the domains interact, and how a design decision in one discipline impacts others.
Systems engineers can easily learn to use the Elements software, using its drag-and-drop environment to model any physics type or logic and analyse systems by intuitively connecting blocks – regardless of whether they represent electrical, hydraulic, mechanical components – to solve system-level engineering problems. It is based on the Modelica language, which is an open and widely used standard for building fast, flexible, and customisable models.
Systems modelling is indispensable in the early design phases because little information is required – often a CAD model, equation, or lookup table is sufficient and a 3D mesh is not required. Elements further speeds up engineering development because it also ensures that system-level models compute quickly and efficiently by optimising equations and code for fast calculation, but with no loss of fidelity.
As the design develops, and components and subsystems are detailed in specialist simulation software, the components can be routinely integrated into a larger system through full compliance with the FMI standard and Hexagon's proprietary SmartFMU technology. SmartFMU unlocks the Functional Mock-up Unit (FMU) for supported Hexagon products so that changes can be made directly in the Elements system-level model without having to go back to the specialist Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) software and its expert user. This helps to avoid resource bottlenecks, time-consuming switching between applications, and versioning problems.
Hexagon's roadmap will see its best-in-class CAE technologies readied for easy and productive use with Elements. At launch, the software provides SmartFMU connectivity with Adams multibody dynamics software and Easy5. Future plans are likely to include workflows with Cradle CFD thermal-fluid dynamics and Actran acoustic simulation products, among others.
Both standard FMI support and the novel SmartFMU plug-and-play capabilities offer immediate value and address challenges of system complexity, including those for transportation electrification; for example:
Helping automotive engineers to find optimal solutions to vehicle range optimization issues by considering a vehicle's energy use under different driving conditions, taking into account eDrive design, regenerative braking, climate control, ADAS safety requirements, and battery choice.
Improving the flexibility and accuracy of industrial robotics by designing control systems that take detailed mechanical system vibrations and interactions from multi-body dynamics simulation into account.
Right-sizing heavy battery systems in new eVTOL aircraft designs by helping engineers understand the power draw during take-off and landing, safety margins, and thermal management system controls.
Implementing safer, more sustainable long-life battery systems by using Elements to design control systems that balance the improved performance of lithium-ion batteries at elevated temperatures with the impact heating has on cell degradation.
Elements was developed in close cooperation with Maplesoft, building upon its powerful maths engine to optimise system equations and deliver fast efficient simulation to Hexagon's customers.
"We are excited to begin this long-term collaboration with Hexagon, which has an impressive vision and track record of innovation. By combining the tried-and-tested Maplesoft system-level modelling technology with the extensive Hexagon CAE portfolio, engineers in many industries benefit from new productivity-boosting solutions that significantly reduce simulation effort."
-Chris Harduwar, VP of Strategic Solutions at Maplesoft
Mahesh Kailasam, General Manager for Design and Engineering Software at Hexagon, commented, Elements offers engineers an easy way to explore behaviour of systems quickly and find better solutions to problems using simulation, before committing designs to subsequent resource-intensive engineering processes. We look forward to a long-term collaboration with Maplesoft, using its powerful and open technology foundations to realise synergies with our extensive Hexagon CAE ecosystem portfolio and deliver valuable capabilities to our customers.
About Hexagon:
Hexagon is a global leader in digital reality solutions, combining sensor, software and autonomous technologies. We are putting data to work to boost efficiency, productivity, quality and safety across industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure, public sector, and mobility applications. Our technologies are shaping production and people related ecosystems to become increasingly connected and autonomous – ensuring a scalable, sustainable future. Hexagon's Manufacturing Intelligence division provides solutions that use data from design and engineering, production and metrology to make manufacturing smarter.
About Maplesoft:
Maplesoft is a leading provider of high-performance software tools for engineering, science, and mathematics. Maplesoft Engineering Solutions provide advanced tools and services for system simulation, calculation management, and systems engineering, helping organisations maximise the power of their engineering knowledge so they can complete their projects quickly and successfully. The Maplesoft product suite includes Maple, the world's most powerful math engine; Maple Flow, math software for engineering calculations; MapleSim, the advanced system-level modeling and simulation tool; and MapleMBSE, which supports a model-based systems engineering approach to requirements management. Maplesoft products and services are used in machine design, robotics, aerospace, automotive, industrial automation, and many other fields where engineers face complex challenges. Maplesoft is a subsidiary of Cybernet Systems Co. Ltd.
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ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION,ENGINEERING TECH
VI-Grade | December 28, 2022
Digital reality solutions leader, Hexagon’s partnership with professional driving simulator solutions provider, VI-grade to make way for high-fidelity vehicle simulators.
Hexagon AB's Adams Real Time multibody dynamics simulation software is now validated for use on VI-grade Driving Simulators, as recently announced by the Manufacturing Intelligence division of Hexagon. This allows carmakers and tier-one automotive suppliers to develop safe and desirable driver experiences without physical prototyping efficiently.
Automotive engineers use Adams to create virtual vehicle prototypes and to bridge the gap between physical tests. Adams Real Time Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) high-fidelity simulations are used to evaluate engineering decisions for the ride, handling, and durability targets to produce safe and comfortable vehicles.
VI-grade, a leading provider of driving simulator technology, allows engineers to physically test Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) models without needing system or vehicle prototypes.
Adams Real Time is now VI-Certified, which only includes third-party solutions that pass stringent real-time reliability and safety tests. In addition, Hexagon relied on its years of collaboration with VI-grade to bring high-fidelity physics to VI-grade's experiential driving platforms. This makes it easier to replicate on-road experiences in the manufacturer's test facilities, where engineers and focus groups can improve future vehicles.
“The program will reduce the integration burden on our customers by ensuring that the best of our third-party partner software tools work seamlessly on our simulators. Through our partnership, Hexagon and VI-grade are providing a valuable, time-saving solution that makes it easier for our customers to use virtual prototyping with confidence to save cost and get safe, compelling products to market on time.”
About Hexagon AB
Hexagon is the world's leading provider of digital reality solutions. We use data to improve efficiency, productivity, quality, and safety in industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure, public sector, and mobility applications. Our technologies make production and people-related ecosystems more connected and autonomous for a scalable, sustainable future.
AboutVI-grade
VI-grade is a leading provider of real-time simulation and professional driving simulator solutions that help the transportation industry accelerate product development. VI-grade provides turnkey simulator solutions that include proprietary software, hardware, services, and an open framework for customization through its global network of trusted partners.
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PERSPECTIVES,ENGINEERING TECH,CONSTRUCTION
Procore | January 25, 2023
Leading steel fabricator and construction contractor, BZI Steel, will use Procore Technologies’ construction management platform for its construction projects, the company announced yesterday.
BZI Steel is revolutionizing the steel industry by offering one-of-a-kind steel fabrication and erection, with wall system processes and technology to construct projects for some of leading industrial, distribution and retail clients.
BZI Steel and Procure have been collaborating since last year, and this development extends the mutual goal of innovating the construction industry. Procore’s industry-leading, all-in-one construction management platform aims to impact and optimize construction outcomes, while minimizing risks and protecting profits. BZI’s integration with Procore’s platform creates a perfect synergy as it assists owners, specialty contractors and general contractors at every stage of the project from start to end, ensuring jobsite safety, while increasing the overall efficiency.
James Barlow, CEO of BZI Steel, said, "BZI Steel and Procore are construction technology industry vanguards, and our relationship goes much further than just being a customer. Our team has closely collaborated with Procore over the last year to quickly adopt their latest construction management software and provide product feedback to their team, which was warmly welcomed."
(Source – Business Wire)
Will Lehrmann, Head of Product for Specialty Contractors at Procore, said, "At Procore and BZI, our cultures and commitment to customers are very much aligned. Both our teams are committed to improving the lives of everybody in the construction trades through technology and innovation." He further added, "This partnership demonstrates our investment in the specialty contractor market, and we are excited to continue collaborating in years to come."
(Source – Business Wire)
About Procore Technologies, Inc.
Procore Technologies, Inc., is a cloud-based construction management solution provider. . The company’s project management tools help its users, owners, general contractors, and specialty contractors manage construction projects at every stage. It’s platform reduces the complex paper-based documentation process, email communication, and spreadsheets for construction projects by mobilizing and streamlining the process with a powerful collaborative solution. In addition, it provides real-time data management, reducing delays and risks to increase business profits. It also provides tools to measure the project's progress, reach unlimited clients, customize data, and build applications with its developer toolkit.
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