MultiMechanics
Multiscaling Technology at its Best

During a DoD funded research project for modeling lightweight composite tank armor, Leandro Castro and his colleagues found many major challenges in the composites simulation market. There was a high demand for a successful modeling approach to resolve issues related to microstructural damage mechanisms, dynamic loading, and viscoelastic response. “It also quickly became evident that robust Finite Element (FE) microstructural models are needed to be employed since analytical microstructural models weren’t good enough to capture the true physics of the problem,” says Castro, Co-founder, MultiMechanics. “There was a wide range of materials and structures with similar complex behavior, but nobody was fully solving the problem at industrial scale.” Bridging the gap in the simulation market through its advanced simulation software solutions, MultiMechanics allows clients to shift from physical to virtual prototyping and testing of novel materials and structures, thereby drastically reducing the cost and time associated with product development.

“Today, engineers are tired of exotic analytical models that need to be calibrated over and over again,” adds Castro. “The need for extensive experimental data to calibrate those models betrays the expectation of true predictive capabilities, increases total solution costs, and diminishes the ROI of simulation tools.” MultiMechanics helps customers overcome these problems using its high-fidelity microstructural models that are much closer to reality and therefore don’t require artificial parameters to force curve fitting through reverse engineering leading to highly accurate simulations and processes.

According to Castro, multiscaling is culminating into one of the biggest trends in the simulation industry, along with multiphysics. “We are deeply entrenched and focused into one of the aspects of multiscaling, which is the bridge between design of material microstructures and mechanical response of structural parts,” he explains.“Our proprietary technology TRUE Multiscale™ technology has a unique way to strongly link FE models at different scales, and not only the part, but also the microstructure is a true FE model.”

Our proprietary technology TRUE Multiscale™ technology has a unique way to strongly link FE models at different scales

TRUE Multiscale™ technology brings an efficient way to strongly couple the behavior of full finite element models in separate length scales. Both the part and the material scales are modeled as full, separate, but interconnected FE models. Because the material is simulated as its own FE model, it allows the analysis to capture the heterogeneity of the material, as well as its intricate damage mechanisms. “But, our approach overcomes various limitations to provide state-of-the-art accuracy with practical computational cost. This is a game changer when dealing advanced materials,” adds Castro. There are two main use cases for MultiMechanics— material virtual testing and enhanced structural analysis.

The company is taking a relevant approach to improve simulation space by simulating not just a single part, but a whole population of parts. “This can be accomplished by adding stochastic behavior to the microstructural models. Our solution can replicate this reality by adding stochastic behavior to virtually any desired input parameter, from geometric design variables, to constituent material properties,” elucidates Castro. That allows engineers to build sample populations and extract important insight to build safer components that are less likely to fail prematurely. For the days ahead, MultiMechanics wants to transform itself into becoming a de-facto standard in modeling advanced materials through design flexibility and robust mechanics. “Our software is becoming exponentially faster each day. That trend will continue and we are ready with a pipeline of innovations,” concludes Castro.