Computer Aided Engineering (CAE)

In the automotive sector, dynamic simulation is critical for analysing vehicle crashworthiness, which is difficult to recreate in physical tests. The study incorporates everything from test dummies and seatbelts to fuel lines and airbags, offering an incredibly near match to real-world results.

Dynamic simulation verifies the structural integrity and safety of aircraft structures during varying flight conditions, as well as the more extreme loading experienced during an emergency landing.

TECOSIM provides businesses critical CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) modelling that improves product performance, increases comfort, improves reliability and enhances brand reputation by improving product performance under a range of conditions. Our noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) service reliably identifies and diagnoses a wide range of undesirable noise, vibration, and harshness issues in mechanical systems, moving from analysis and simulation to discover the origins of these disturbances and devising effective methods to minimise or eliminate them.

The goal of MBD is to have a single, comprehensive, digital source of truth that can be used throughout the product lifecycle, from initial concept through design, manufacturing, quality assurance, and maintenance. This digital thread enhances collaboration among various teams and departments, reduces errors due to misinterpretation of drawings, and streamlines the overall manufacturing process.

MBD is part of a larger shift towards digital transformation in the industry, of which TECOSIM is at the forefront, including practices like Digital Twin and Digital Thread, aiming to leverage digital data to improve efficiency, innovation, and product quality.

TECOSIM specialises in creating precise and efficient meshes that perfectly fit the complex geometries of any project, ensuring the highest level of accuracy and reliability in your simulations. Whether it’s structured, unstructured, hybrid, or adaptive meshes, our team leverages the latest technology and methodologies to tailor the meshing process to your specific needs. The foundation of any successful simulation is a high-quality mesh, and our commitment is to deliver just that, bringing unparalleled precision and efficiency to your engineering challenges, making your vision a reality.

1D Thermal Simulation in CAE streamlines the analysis of thermal properties in complex systems or components along a single dimension. By segmenting the subject into discrete sections along an axis and evaluating temperature and heat flow at each node, TECOSIM effectively assesses thermal performance in systems like engines, power plants, or electronics.

Our engineers use 1D Thermal Simulation to gain insights into thermal behaviour, identify critical hot spots, and understand heat movement. This aids in optimising designs for better performance, efficiency, and safety. One major advantage is the ability to test thermal performance virtually, avoiding the need for detailed physical models or expensive prototypes. This approach not only saves time and costs but also allows for the exploration of different design scenarios, enabling informed decision-making and faster market entry.

Dynamic simulation in CAE models the response of products to different operational conditions, including impacts and external forces, using advanced software and engineering expertise. This process offers deep insights into a system’s performance at any moment.

TECOSIM utilises dynamic simulation to predict the behavior of mechanical components and systems, such as engines and transmissions, before manufacturing. By identifying potential design issues early, we reduce the need for physical prototypes, cutting costs and enhancing product reliability and performance. Dynamic simulation also allows for the assessment of design changes, enabling iterative refinement for improved performance, safety, and reliability, ensuring products not only meet but exceed expectations.

Our dynamic simulation services cater to various sectors, including automotive, aerospace, energy, and consumer products. With our broad industry experience, we tailor solutions to the unique challenges faced by each sector, leveraging dynamic simulation to drive innovation and efficiency.

Finite Element Analysis (FEA), a crucial component of the product design cycle, uses the Finite Element Method (FEM) to predict a design’s response to real-world forces like heat or vibration. This enables the optimisation of designs by identifying and eliminating potential failure points.

FEA employs FEM to model how complex shapes will behave under various conditions by breaking down intricate geometries into smaller, manageable elements with known behavior. This process involves creating a FEM mesh, where each element’s interactions are described through matrix equations. This approach allows for the comprehensive evaluation of stress, strain, and displacement within the object when subjected to specific forces.

Through FEA, we’ve modeled diverse scenarios, from the stress on a vehicle’s wishbone suspension to the acoustic performance of a classical violin. Topological optimisation further enables us to guide clients in material removal for lighter, more cost-efficient designs without the need for physical prototypes. Indeed, the sophisticated insights provided by FEA surpass what could be achieved through real-world model testing.

Optimisation in CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) develops optimal design parameters that will satisfy a set of performance criteria or objectives. In engineering design, optimisation is used to find the best design that meets the desired performance criteria while minimising costs, maximising efficiency, or satisfying other constraints.

Our Optimisation methods involve identifying the parameters that influence the performance of a product or system and using mathematical algorithms to determine the optimal combination of these parameters.

Increased Efficiency

Optimiation can provide better product design and improved performance, reducing the total cost of ownership for the product. Optimisation techniques reduce the amount of time and resources needed to design and develop a product, and to choose the most efficient designs.

Improved Quality

Optimisation techniques can be used to improve the quality of a product by identifying potential weaknesses and finding the best way to remove them from the system. This can help to ensure that the product meets customer expectations and can be used reliably and safely.

Reduce Risk

Optimization techniques can be used to identify potential risks associated with a product design, such as failure of components or insufficient strength of materials. This can help to reduce the risk of costly product recalls due to design flaws.

Coupled or multi-physics simulations represent a cutting-edge approach in engineering and scientific research, enabling the simultaneous resolution of multiple equations. This method offers a more detailed and precise understanding of complex physical systems than analyzing equations in isolation.

The power of these simulations lies in capturing the dynamics of various physical phenomena interacting within a system. By allowing equations to influence each other, they reveal the complex interplay of factors, providing comprehensive insights into system behavior. This approach enables predictions of force distributions across the model, considering the influence of location and material on each element.

At TECOSIM, we leverage the capabilities of coupled or multi-physics simulations to tackle a broad spectrum of scientific and engineering challenges. These simulations offer a holistic approach to analyzing complex systems under diverse boundary conditions, encompassing structural, fluidic, thermal, and manufacturing factors. By considering fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and effects of manufacturing processes in unison, our models shed light on the intricate interactions of structures and materials, enhancing our understanding and optimisation of complex systems.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a key element of Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE), transforming our understanding of fluid and gas flows across various products and structures. By integrating fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and momentum conservation, CFD offers detailed insights into complex systems.

Enhancing Performance, Efficiency, and Safety

TECOSIM employs CFD to deliver essential solutions across industries, enhancing product development, aerodynamics, and the structural impact of wind. This approach has made traditional methods like scale models and wind tunnels obsolete, allowing for realistic simulations that save time and resources. Our engineers quickly refine designs and navigate challenges through virtual simulations, accelerating market entry and keeping our clients competitive.

Promoting Sustainability

With a growing emphasis on Net Zero and decarbonisation, CFD is becoming increasingly vital, extending to sustainable building practices such as low-carbon passive heating and cooling. By leveraging natural phenomena, we aim to diminish reliance on carbon-heavy air processing, advocating for eco-friendly construction methods.

CFD’s advantages are also crucial in the expanding data centre sector, addressing thermal and heat transfer issues vital for energy efficiency and reliable operation. Through optimising design and management, CFD helps minimise environmental impact and supports the digital infrastructure’s sustainability.