CAE Process Automation – Crash Simulation

Kedar Joshi Dineshsingh Girase Tushar Gaikwad

Tata Technologies Ltd Tata Technologies Ltd Tata Technologies Ltd
Pimpri, Pune Pimpri, Pune Pimpri, Pune
Pin- 411018 Pin- 411018 Pin- 411018

Jaydeep Patil Karimullah Shaikh

Tata Technologies Ltd Tata Technologies Ltd
Pimpri, Pune Pimpri, Pune
Pin- 411018 Pin- 411018

Abstract

Automotive OEMs have been reducing vehicle development cycle and lead time with increasing usage of CAE techniques. However
there is still an immense need of further reduction in the lead time to gain an extra edge in the current competitive market. One of the
ways to make this possible is with the development of strong CAE processes and further by structured automation of these CAE
processes.
This paper highlights the framework that is developed for automation of post processing activities for crash simulations in HyperWorks
environment. Presently these post processing tasks are done manually and most of these activities are non-value added, time-
consuming & repetitive in nature. The purpose of the framework is to reduce time for these activities and to allow user to create
PowerPoint document from the simulation results in required output format and layout automatically. Timeline reduction of @ 60 % is
achieved with the use of this framework in post processing activities. Report standardization and FE entities standardization is
achieved across different vehicle programs.
The key approach used for designing and customizing framework is TCL/TK programming language with the help of other languages to
generate PowerPoint reports easily. HyperWorks suites (HyperMesh, HyperGraph and HyperView) are used as source for post
processing different output variables in the framework. Hyperworks consists of its own API’s which are used to interface with its
different applications by using TCL/TK.

Introduction

Crash CAE simulation generates a lot of data which needs to be analyzed. E.g. time history data of accelerations,
displacements at various locations of the vehicle, energy absorbed, plastic strain, and stress data for different vehicle
panels. A vehicle has to undergo number of different tests (side, front, rear etc.) in order to comply with safety
requirements. These tests /simulations would generate a lot of data which needs to be post processed. If the number of
iterations increases, the time required for post processing also increases. Hence we realize the time span required for
the post processing and developed a tool to reduce the post processing time & report generation time.
Figure1 explains the number of outputs required in post processing to analyze/ correlate the results & for generation of
reports.

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Simulation Driven Innovation 1
 Fig.1
Simulation Process Methodology
Computer Simulation based engineering has been the way from past few decades to minimize physical
prototypes & reduce cost related to physical testing.

Crash Simulation Process Involves
1. Pre-processing – Conversion of CAD data into Finite Element (FE) model i.e. meshing, material
properties and thickness assignments, assembly using connections, loadcase setup etc.
2. Solving – Solving the equations using solver LS_DYNA.
3. Post processing – Analyzing the solution, report generation etc.
Fig. 1 & fig.2 briefs the simulation processes.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

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Simulation Driven Innovation 2
Following graph shows the potential time saving that can be achieved during the crash CAE process for developing the
vehicle structure for meeting specified crash safety requirements.
.

Fig.3

Blue bars show the time required for the activity when done manually and the red bars show the approximate time
required when process automation is assumed considering the current scope of automation. The percentage time saving
is shown for each activity.

As seen from the graph, post processing consumes the maximum time in the entire CAE activity and also this activity
has maximum potential in timeline reduction using process automation

Crash CAE Automation Framework

Purpose

Automation tool for post processing allows user to create PowerPoint document of results
generated from the solver, in the required output format and layout.

Layout design for a particular loadcase is stored as ‘config’ file. Single config file can be used
multiple times for no. of iterations

User can plot XY curves , contours ,capture images and animations in HyperGraph , HyperView and
HyperMesh for any number of Ls-Dyna simulations
Inputs Needed

Location of Ls-dyna input file

Location of results of Ls-dyna simulation

Location of ‘config file’ if already present (details of ‘config’ file in later slides)

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Simulation Driven Innovation 3
Software Suites Needed

HyperWorks products (HyperMesh to capture images , Hyerpview to capture deformation, contour
plots and animation ,HyperGraph to plot the XY curves)

Ms-Powerpoint for generation of the report.
Tool GUI

Fig. 4
The interface consists of Pre-Post-Report information inputs
1. User Input area – consists of two sections (details in next slides)
a. Generate Report b. Layout Design
2. Layout Review Area – user can review slide layout as per requirement
3. Operations Buttons – for checking inputs and generating report
• Update Button –This is to update any data added, modified in the layout
• Check Inputs Button – This will check all the data provided by user before generating the report.
Any wrong data is highlighted in red color
• Generate Report – If all the input data is correct, then only this button is activated.
• Close Button – To close the GUI

In this tool /framework we have two tabs accordingly generate report & Layout design.
In generate report we are taking inputs required & layout design we are configuring ppt layout.
The main heart of this tool is configuration/ template file.

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Simulation Driven Innovation 4
 1. Generate report-

Fig. 6

This tab consist of all the inputs required like LS Dyna, all simulation files, report output directory & config
file.

2. Layout Design- It is user input area for preparing the config file. Below image shows inputs &its attributes

In Layout design we can add Standard slides, Images, movies, tables lines, text & also we can position it by
giving require with reference to the slide dimesnsions.
Once all data is updated, we have to click on Update Button to update all the information.
Also after updating all the data, you just save this data as a Config file. Once it is saved it can be used again
& again for futher iterations. So it is just like template file which we created & used futher. Also we can made
changes in config files. It is feasible to change that & save again.
Below are the some images which give the detailed view of tool for adding of slides & other attributes.
Addition of slides Addition of images, movie, table & other attributes

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Simulation Driven Innovation 5
Features of the Tool –

Type of Inputs – 1. Pre-Post-Report information inputs (always needed) 2. Slide Design layout (config
file)

View report layout at the time of creation

Inputs are checked for errors

Summary tables are created for curves plotted , with user providing the target values for given
parameters

For windows platform , user will get report in form of .ppt file

For all other platform, user will get a .vbs file which after executing on windows platform will generate
.ppt file for report.

Tool remembers the previous settings in the same session of HW.

For computation of all results HyperMesh, HyperView & HyperGraph is used. HyperMesh is used in interactive mode
while HyperView & HyperGraph are used in batch mode. So computation is become faster. The results which
generated from this tool is deformation plots, contour plots at different time intervals, graphs for section forces,
intrusion plots etc.

Benefits Summary

Standardization –
 Report format standardization across all the projects for a given loadcase.
Report templates for critical loadcases offset frontal impact, side impact, seatbelt anchorage, roof
crush, side door intrusion, side pole impact, full frontal impact. Accordingly, ‘config files’ are generated
for every loadcase.
 FE entities standardization where the output is required standardized across all the projects.
E.g for plotting B-Pillar bottom acceleration, accelerometer id used is 11000000 across all the projects.
This will help in creating a single ‘config file’ for a loadcases across all the projects
 Access control for modifying the config file is given to a ‘Superuser’. This will ensure there are no
different versions of ‘config files’ and hence report generated for different projects.

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Simulation Driven Innovation 6

Time Reduction –
 Improvement in Productivity. Approx. 60% time reduction in postprocessing activity.
 HyperView and HyperGraph runs in batch mode to speed up the process.
 With reduced time for task , HyperWorks license is used for short period of time, hence more users can
use HyperWorks in given period of time
 Same inputs for any number of iterations selected for comparison of same vehicle program

Challenges
1. In this tool we are using HyperMesh in interactive mode to capture the images. If there is an API’s
available to capture the same in batch mode then this process will become more faster.
2. If HyperWorks suit provides such templates for generate reports then it will be more useful for CAE
Analyst. So time for generation of reports reduces & they more concentrate on Analysis work.

Conclusions
Using developed automation frame work, approx. 60% time saving is achieved in post processing activities in crash
simulation area. This is significant improvement in productivity of crash analysis engineer which will also help to
reduce overall product development cycle time.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Also we would like to thanks Crash Safety team for providing Technical specifications & data required. Also we would
like to thanks our Project Manager, AGM for helping & giving support.

REFERENCES

[1] HyperWorks Suit API’s

[2] http://www.tcl.tk/

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Simulation Driven Innovation 7