Strengthening the materials core of manufacturing enterprises
Materials in simulation
Many LS-DYNA models are used for plastics crash simulation. However, common models are not designed for plastics. We present best practices developed for adapting common models to plastics, as well as best testing protocols to generate clean, accurate rate-dependent data.
Read full postA considerable amount of CAE today is devoted to the simulation of non-metallic materials, many of which exhibit non-linear behavior. However, most material models to date are still based on metals theory. This places severe restrictions on the proper description of their behavior in CAE. In this paper, we describe non-linear elastic behavior and its interrelationship with plastic behavior in plastics. Special attention is given to the differentiation between visco-elastic (recoverable) strain and plastic (non-recoverable) strain. The goal of this work is to have a material model for plastics that can describe both loading and unloading behavior accurately and provide an accurate measure of damage accumulation during complex loading operations.
Read full postThe volume of plastics that are subjected to impact simulation has grown rapidly. In a previous paper, we discussed why different material models are needed to describe the highly varied behavior exhibited by these materials. In this paper, we cover the subject in more detail, exploring in depth, the nuances of commonly used LS-DYNA material models for plastics, covering important exceptions and criteria related to their use.
Read full postThe 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.
Read full postHigh strain-rate properties have many applications in the simulation of automotive crash and product drop testing. These properties are difficult to measure. These difficulties result from inaccuracies in extensometry at high strain rates due to extensometer slippage and background noise due to the sudden increase in stress at the start of the test. To eliminate these inaccuracies we use an inferential technique that correlates strain to extension at low strain rates and show that this can be extended to measure strain at higher strain rates
Read full postHyperelastic models are used extensively in the finite element analysis of rubber and elastomers. These models need to be able to describe elastomeric behavior at large deformations and under different modes of deformation. In order to accomplish this daunting task, material models have been presented that can mathematically describe this behavior [1]. There are several in common use today, notably, the Mooney-Rivlin, Ogden and Arruda Boyce. Each of these has advantages that we will discuss in this article. Further, we will examine the applicability of a particular material model for a given modeling situation.
Read full postWith the recent changes in the crashworthiness requirements for US automobiles for improved safety, design engineers are being challenged to design interior trim systems comprised of polymeric materials to meet these new impact requirements. Impact analysis programs are being used increasingly by designers to gain an insight into the final part performance during the design stage. Material models play a crucial role in these design simulations by representing the response of the material to an applied stimulus. In this work, we seek to develop novel test methods to generate high speed stress-strain properties of plastics, which can be used as input to structural analysis programs...
Read full postThis book presents a concise and easily readable introduction to polymer behavior for design and production engineers. It seeks to explain the behavior of plastics and rubber using a materials science framework, by relating observed phenomena to changes in morphological and molecular structure. This presents a powerful way for engineers to grasp the underlying factors that make polymers the complex materials that they are. The reader is encouraged to step away from using linear-elastic metals concepts when designing with plastics. The pitfalls of such simplifications are pointed out and guidelines are presented to aid the designer in adopting a non-linear approach.
Read full postThe primary purpose of this book is to describe the application of modern engineering analysis techniques to the design of components fabricated from thermoplastic materials. The book, the first of its kind to address the unique behavioral characteristics of thermoplastics and their impact on finite element analysis (FEA), points out the need for plastics designers to move on to nonlinear analysis in order to truly simulate the behavior of plastic parts. According to the authors, the easy availability of high speed computing and efficient analysis codes means that it is no longer necessary nor cost-effective to restrict oneself to simple linear analyses.
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