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Knowmats is an informal repository of information related to materials and simulation. The information helps simulation professionals perform best-in-class simulation with a better understanding of how materials are represented in FEA and simulation. read more...


SAMP-1: A Semi-Analytical Model for the Simulation of Polymers

The numerical simulation of structural parts made from plastics is becoming increasingly important nowadays. The fact that almost any structural requirement can be combined in a lightweight, durable and cost effective structure is the driving force behind its widespread application. More and more structural relevant parts are being constructed and manufactured from plastics. This on the other hand drives the demand for reliable and robust methods to design these parts and to predict their structural behaviour. the key ingredients that need to be available are verified, calibrated and validated constitutive models for any family of plastic material. This holds not only true for crashworthiness applications but for any other application field.

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Plastics Plasticity Rate Dependency Yielding/Failure analysis Automotive Nonlinear Material Models LS-DYNA


Advances in the Measurement and Modeling of Plastics for Impact Simulations

High strain-rate properties have many applications in the simulation of automotive crash and product drop testing. These properties are difficult to measure. Previously, we described a novel inferential technique for the measurement of the properties of polycarbonate. In this paper, we demonstrate that the technique appears to work for a variety of polymers. We also show that plastics exhibit different kinds of high-strain rate behaviors

Plastics LS-DYNA


A Standardized Methodology for the DigimatMX Reverse Engineering Process 

We present a methodology for DIGIMAT users to perform the DIGIMAT MX reverse engineering process to obtain material parameter inputs for crash, elasto-plastic, creep and visco-elasticity. The injection-molding process used involves a standardized plaque geometry with fully developed flow, with test specimens taken from a specific plaque location. A standardized testing procedure is applied and the resulting DIGIMAT MX inputs are handled in a streamlined data stream, which saves time and improves the reliability of the reverse engineering process. The DIGIMAT MX reverse engineering itself can be performed as a service in collaboration with e-Xstream. This gives the user a speedy and tightly controlled process for performing complex finite element analysis with filled plastics

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Blow Molding Extrusion High Speed Testing Injection Molding Nonlinear Material Models Structural Analysis DIGIMAT Presentations


White Paper: Standardized Validation Brings Confidence to 3D Printing

Finite element analysis contains assumptions and uncertainty from a number of sources, which can impact the fidelity of the simulation. This uncertainty is often left untested up to prototyping stages. DatapointLabs’ CAETestbench Validation service was developed to add a mid-stage validation step to a designer’s workflow, to test these simulations before parts are made, in order to build confidence in an engineer’s model beforehand. This validation step is illustrated in a 3D printing application.

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Validation 3D Printing


Estimation of Elongational Viscosity of Polymers From Entrance Loss data Using Individual parameter Optimization

The elongational viscosity model proposed by Sarkar and Gupta (Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites 2001, 20, 1473), along with the Carreau model for shear viscosity is used for a finite element simulation of the flow in a capillary rheometer. The entrance pressure loss predicted by the finite element flow simulation is matched with the corresponding experimental data to predict the parameters in the elongational viscosity model. To improve the computational efficiency, various elongational viscosity parameters are optimized individually. Estimated elongational viscosity for a Low Density Polyethylene (DOW 132i) is reported for two different temperatures.

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Rheology Plastics Extrusion PolyXtrue Research Papers


Successful Injection Molding: Book Review

There has been a long standing need for a book that describes the process of injection molding using the insights developed from twenty years of computer aided engineering (CAE). The authors, all veterans of injection molding CAE, have filled this need with their book. "Successful Injection Molding" is a lot more than a book about injection molding CAE. It is clear at this stage that CAE is a tool, which, if well handled, can provide excellent results. That being said, a successful implementer of CAE for injection molding must have a range of insights into the diverse idiosyncrasies of this enormously complex manufacturing process. The book is successful in clearly addressing these issues.

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Injection Molding Book Review


Enhanced Failure Prediction in Sheet Metal Forming Simulations through Coupling of LS-DYNA and Algorithm Crach

"In sheet-metal-forming the forming limit curve (FLC) is used for ductile sheets to predict fracture in deep drawing. However the use of the FLC is limited to linear strain paths. The initial FLC cannot be used in a complex nonlinear strain history of a deep drawing process or a successive stamp and crash process including a significant change in strain rate. The CRACH software has been developed to predict the forming limit of sheets for nonlinear strain paths [1]. It has been validated to predict instability for bilinear strain paths with static loading in the first path and dynamic loading in the second path for mild steels [2]. As the postprocessing of strain paths from single finite elements in CRACH is not economic for industrial applications MATFEM initiated a project to couple CRACH directly with FEM-Code LS-DYNA using a userdefined material model. This allows a prediction of possible failure during the simulation for all elements with respect to their complete strain history. A special strategy has been developed to include CRACH without extensive increase in total CPU time. The developed interface to LS-DYNA allows also the implementation of other failure criteria demanding the history of deformation like for example a tensorial fracture criterion. In order to test the reliability of the calculated safety factor experimental tests for bilinear strain paths have been simulated [2]. In this case the experimental and numerical investigations have been made on two-stage forming processes (static in the 1st stage and both static/dynamic in the 2nd stage) . The static-static case should simulate a stamping process with bilinear strain path. The static-dynamic case should simulate a successive stamp and crash process. The simulation of a complex deep drawing problem including areas with significantly nonlinear strain paths has been simulated with LS-DYNA/CRACH-coupling. It can be shown that the prediction of CRACH can differ significantely from a “standard” prediction based on the initial FLC. The coupling of LS-DYNA and CRACH showed the potential to predict possible fracture in deep drawing and crash loading at an early design stage and allowed to optimise geometry and material quality to significantly reduce later problems in real components."

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Mechanical Metals Rate Dependency Yielding/Failure analysis Automotive High Speed Testing LS-DYNA Research Papers


Estimation of Elongational Viscosity of Polymers for Accurate Prediction of Juncture Losses in Injection Molding

A new elongational viscosity model along with the Carreau-Yasuda model for shear viscosity is used for a finite element simulation of the flow in a capillary rheometer. The entrance pressure loss predicted by the finite element flow simulation is matched with the corresponding experimental data to predict the parameters in the new elongational viscosity model.

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Rheology Plastics Extrusion Injection Molding PolyXtrue Research Papers


Exporting Master Material Files from Matereality for Use in ANSA

The Export to ANSA capability for nonlinear CAE applications is included in Matereality v9. Once your Matereality database has been populated with CAE Material files, you can select the ones appropriate for your analysis and export them to a master material file for ANSA. Then use the ANSA plug-in to import it, and apply the desired material file to your analysis.

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CAE Vendor/Supplier ANSA


A Constitutive Formulation for Polymers Subjected to High Strain Rates

"Reliable prediction of the behavior of structures made from polymers is a topic under considerable investigation in engineering practice. Especially, if the structure is subjected to dynamic loading, constitutive models considering the mechanical behavior properly are still not available in commercial finite element codes yet. In our paper, we present a new constitutive law for polymers which recovers important phenomena like necking, crazing, strain rate dependency, unloading behavior and damage. In particular, different yield surfaces in compression and tension and strain rate dependent failure, the latter with damage induced erosion, is taken into account. All relevant parameters are given directly in the input as load curves, i.e. time consuming parameter identification is not necessary. Moreover, the models by von Mises and Drucker-Prager are included in the description as special cases. With the present formulation, standard verification test can be simulated successfully: tensile and compression test, shear test and three point bending tests."

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Mechanical Plastics Plasticity Rate Dependency Yielding/Failure analysis Automotive High Speed Testing LS-DYNA Research Papers