[Asahi Kasei Corporation] Regarding the launch of “CAE Solution Platform” service
*Asahi Kasei Corporation*
Press release: September 4, 2024
**
Regarding the launch of “CAE Solution Platform” service
*~Contributing to reducing environmental impact through energy conservation and effective use of resources~*
Asahi Kasei Engineering Co., Ltd. (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President: Okada
Ichiro (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has launched the service of “CAE Solution
Platform”, an application provision platform through the cloud (hereinafter referred to as the “Service”).
CAE refers to the use of computers to perform technical calculations, simulations, and analyzes of physical phenomena such as the
deformation of structures and the flow of fluids. At our company, we use this technology in product design and in investigating the causes of various problems. .
* ■About this service*
1. A group of uniquely developed applications is hosted on cloud HPC (High Performance
By selling our products on the Internet (Computing), we will easily provide high-value solutions to customers around the world.
2. The business flow, which normally requires complicated contract procedures, has been greatly simplified, and you can start using the service by simply clicking on agreeing to the terms of use displayed on the screen.
Conceptual diagram of “CAE solution platform”
* 1． Background*
In recent years, with the spread of high-speed Internet networks, cloud HPC, a usage format that provides computer resources in the form of services via computer networks, is becoming more widespread year by year. In addition, along with this, the CAE software installed in cloud HPC will be converted into SaaS (Software
On-demand usage (as a service) is also becoming popular.
*2. Overview of this service*
Various applications developed by our company are installed on virtual servers built in a public cloud environment. Customers from all over the world can now log in to this service and download various applications or use them on the server*1. This greatly simplifies the business flow, which normally requires complicated contract
procedures, and allows customers to significantly reduce the number of man-hours required from the start of an inquiry to payment, making it easy for customers to try CAE solutions in just a few days. You can have it.
*3. Applications included in this service*
* 1. “i-LUPE” *
Our company’s EIC Solution Division CAE Application Technology Department has a proprietary CAE (Computer Aided
We have developed the rupture prediction model for polymeric materials*2, “i-LUPE,” using “Engineering” technology, and have been marketing and selling it since 2014. This newly launched service will also be equipped with “i-LUPE” and will be on sale.
* overview*
– A mathematical formula that takes into account craze, a microscopic damage form unique to polymers (see the schematic diagram below), is modeled, allowing accurate prediction of how polymers will break. ・Provided as a user subroutine*4 that is incorporated into the FEM program*3 specified by the customer in an individual contract. *Format*
・Download format
*Licensing method*
・Fixed period
■Schematic diagram of microscopic damage
Microscopic damage form (craze) in polymers
Amorphous polymer materials have a structure in which molecular chains are intricately intertwined on a very small scale. When this undergoes significant deformation due to impact, etc., the molecular chains are elongated, creating a mixture of voids (voids) and bundles of molecular chains (fibrils), which is called a “craze.” (Schematic diagram). The growth of crazes leads to destruction of the polymeric material.
■Fracture prediction in high-speed punching test
The images below show the test piece after a test in which a metal striker collided with a resin plate, and the simulation results that simulated the phenomenon. It can be seen that the fracture morphology can be reproduced more accurately using “i-LUPE” compared to conventional material models.
Actual test piece
Traditional material model
“i-LUPE”
■Crash test of leg impactor*5
The images below show experimental images and simulation results when an object simulating a pedestrian collides with a plastic car bumper. Experiments and simulations show good agreement in the deceleration time history.
experiment
simulation
Impactor deceleration time history
* 2. “Mapping tool for i-LUPE” *
This time, we have newly launched the “Mapping tool for
i-LUPE” will be released.
* overview*
・An app that converts fiber orientation *7 data obtained from resin flow analysis etc. into material parameters *8 to be input into “i-LUPE” and outputs it.
*Format*
・On-demand format
*Licensing method*
·on demand
■ Conceptual diagram of Mapping tool for i-LUPE
By utilizing these prediction technologies, it is possible to predict the ultimate performance of polymer products and design them to be lightweight. With the increasing use of polymer materials in products such as automobiles, the accuracy of fracture prediction will improve and even lighter designs will be realized. This contributes to reducing environmental impact through energy conservation and effective use of resources.
* 4. Future developments*
In addition to the above two applications, we plan to continue to provide various solutions that will be useful for customers’ product design through cloud HPC, and by around 2030, we are planning to expand the platform as a whole to around 250 million yen. Aim for sales.
Asahi Kasei Engineering CAE related homepage:
https://www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/aec/business/sim/product/caeplatform.html
*2 2016 Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers Award
*3 FEM(Finite Element
Method) program: Finite element method program. A method that can numerically solve approximate solutions to differential equations that are difficult to solve analytically. Familiar examples include collision simulations for automobiles and various products, and verification that structures will not be damaged by weight or vibration.
*4 User subroutine: A customization function provided in the FEM program that is a function program that the user is allowed to incorporate.
*5 Leg impactor: A dummy that simulates a human leg, and is a device that measures the impact on the leg when a car collides with a pedestrian.
*6 Anisotropic material: A material whose physical properties (strength, elastic modulus, thermal conductivity, etc.) differ depending on the direction.
*7 Fiber orientation: A state in which fiber materials are aligned in a specific direction. This affects properties such as strength, stiffness, and elasticity of the material.
*8 Material parameters: Numerical values that represent important characteristics of a material. It is necessary to express material properties when performing design or simulation.