Questions to Ask When Choosing a Motion and Stress Simulation Solution ALGOR Does the simulation tool provide combined motion and stress analysis in a single process? Does it account for flexible joints and links? Are linear and nonlinear material models available for simulating real-world behavior? Does it provide automatic time-stepping? Does it eliminate the need to approximate loads and constraints? Does it provide an easy-to-use interface? Are events easy to set up? Does it provide direct CAD/CAE data exchange with leading CAD solid modelers? Does it provide built-in modeling tools? Does it provide automatic, high-quality FEA meshing tools? ALGOR Is there a material library manager with standard materials included and the ability to add custom material data? Can it perform parallel solutions in order to reduce solution time? Is it extensible to other analysis types to perform multiphysics analyses? Does it provide extensive results evaluation and presentation capabilities? Can it quickly generate professional reports that present both data and graphical results? Are there flexible license management options for LAN and WAN networked license sharing; enterprise-wide and remote-use licensing; and single, node-locked licensing? Is there a technical support engineer personally assigned to the account that can provide web-based or traditional service and options for Internet distance learning Web Courses? Is the software available in your language of choice?

This Bourdon tube pressure gauge utilizes kinematic elements and surface-to-surface contact elements between the gauge's gears to replicate the motion of the indicator needle as pressure is increased within the tube. Click here to view the analysis replay for this model.

This MES of a conveyor belt assembly uses a nonlinear hyperelastic material model for the belt. This simulation enabled engineers to study the response of the conveyor belt during tensioning. Click here to view the analysis replay for this model.

This MES of a hydraulic floor jack shows the stresses over time as the jack lifts a load. Kinematic elements, actuator elements and multiple load curves were all used in this simulation. Click here to view the analysis replay for this model.

This multiphysics simulation of a common single-pole residential circuit breaker combines electrostatic, transient heat transfer and MES analyses to determine the trip time and behavior. When subjected to an overload condition, the bimetallic strip in the breaker deforms due to Joule heating and trips the mechanism to break the circuit. Click here to view the analysis replay for this model.

Software support and service includes a technical service engineer assigned specifically to each account.

ALGOR’s internationalized software includes support for six languages, including Chinese (simplified), English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Combined Motion and Stress Analysis
Mechanical Event Simulation (MES) combines motion and stress analysis in a single process. Rigid-body motion and flexible-body kinematics account for the bending, twisting, stretching, squashing and inertial effects of a model while simultaneously calculating motion. MES automatically calculates loads and timestepping based on physical data, so engineers can set up fast, realistic simulations involving small- or large-scale motion and avoid making costly and sometimes inaccurate assumptions. Click here to see how this compares to conventional simulation.

Consideration of Flexible Joints and Links
MES accounts for flexible joints and links in a mechanism and updates stiffnesses throughout an analysis to produce more accurate results than motion simulation software based on rigid-body kinematics. Click here to see how this compares to conventional simulation.

Linear and Nonlinear Material Model Capabilities 
Having both linear and nonlinear material models available enables engineers to better understand the real-world behavior of parts by closely considering the actual material behavior. If the typical behavior of a part causes its materials to extend beyond the linear range, as with applications involving twisting, stretching, squashing and buckling, or if the engineer wants to learn how the part will fail, the engineer can choose from a wide range of nonlinear material models for a more accurate analysis. Click here to see how this compares to conventional simulation.

Automatic Time-Stepping
MES uses an automatic time-stepping scheme that incorporates an implicit timestep method to produce an efficient and accurate solution. Click here to see how this compares to conventional simulation.

No Need to Approximate Loads and Constraints
MES results are based on physical data, rather than calculated or assumed loads and constraints, so there is no need to estimate dynamic or contact forces or input constraints that do not exist in the real world (i.e., free-falling objects). MES also reduces setup time by automatically calculating contact points, orientations and stiffnesses. Click here to see how this compares to conventional simulation.

Easy-to-Use Graphical User Interface 
ALGOR FEMPRO is a complete and easy-to-use finite element modeling, results evaluation and presentation interface. FEMPRO features multiple view windows, a tree view of the model and associated data and Windows-native data input screens with real-time data checking for reasonable input.

Easy Setup of Events
Setting up events for MES is easy because ALGOR FEMPRO uses standard engineering terminology and visual process guidance, so that users can focus on the physics of a part or assembly. In addition, ALGOR provides Timeline technology for managing time-dependent input parameters through a graphical user interface. Click here to see how this compares to conventional simulation.

Direct CAD/CAE Data Exchange
InCAD technology provides direct data exchange of the exact CAD geometry from Alibre Design, Autodesk Inventor, Inovate, IronCAD, KeyCreator, Mechanical Desktop, Pro/ENGINEER, Solid Edge and SolidWorks. Full associativity with each design change is available for Autodesk Inventor, Inovate, IronCAD, Pro/ENGINEER, Solid Edge and SolidWorks. Even when the CAD solid modeler resides on a separate computer, InCAD's Direct Memory Image Transfer (DMIT) technology can be used for the same, fully associative interoperability. Options are also available for importing 2- and 3-D geometry through CAD universal file formats including ACIS, IGES and STEP.

Built-In Modeling Tools
All ALGOR core packages include the Alibre Design Basic parametric, feature-based modeling system and built-in precision FEA model-building capabilities with structured meshing tools for building designs from scratch and refining CAD designs.

Automatic, High-Quality FEA Meshing
Built-in solid mesh engines automatically generate high-quality FEA meshes using bricks, tetrahedra or hybrid with bricks on the model surface (where stress values are highest) and tetrahedra inside. This one-step meshing also includes automatic, feature-based mesh refinement so a finer mesh is generated in areas of the model where stresses tend to be higher. Engineers can control mesh density using sliding controls and a built-in aspect ratio checker enables the software to generate fewer, better-shaped elements on the first pass to ensure accuracy and optimize speed.

A midplane mesh engine helps engineers who regularly work with thin-walled geometry to accurately model these parts and assemblies in less time. This tool automatically converts thin, solid geometry into plate or shell elements with automatic handling of parts, assemblies, multi-thickness regions and mixed element type models. It includes built-in gap healing where surfaces intersect.  

Material Library Manager for Managing Material Data 
Engineers can apply material properties from a built-in library of common materials, or they can add, import, modify and delete material data within customized libraries using the Material Library Manager.

Faster Processing to Reduce Solution Time 
Fast solvers provide significantly faster processing times through new solver technology that also utilizes the power of all available system processors to perform parallel solutions.

Multiphysics
Real-world mechanical behavior is often the result of several physical factors acting simultaneously. A wide range of analysis types can be combined with MES within the same easy-to-use ALGOR FEMPRO interface including static stress with linear and nonlinear material models, linear dynamics, steady-state and transient heat transfer, steady and unsteady fluid flow, electrostatics, full multiphysics and piping. User-friendly tools and wizards automate the application of results from one type of analysis to another for multiphysics analyses that enables engineers to simulate a product's behavior when those multiple physical factors interact.

Extensive Results Evaluation and Presentation Capabilities
MES provides dynamic visualization of the part’s behavior during or after the event. All analysis results can be displayed graphically as contours or plots; animated with AVI creation and display tools; output in the BMP, JPG, TIF, PNG, PCX and TGA formats; and presented in text or HTML reports. A built-in graphics environment provides extensive results evaluation and presentation capabilities and features multiple-window displays, fast dynamic viewing controls and customization options including user-defined color palettes and annotations.

Built-In HTML-Based Report Generation 
A built-in Report Wizard is provided so engineers can document analysis results and present them to others. The customized report can include images, animations and VRML files.

Flexible License Management
All ALGOR software supports LAN and WAN networked license sharing; enterprise-wide and remote-use licensing; and single, node-locked licensing.

Customer Service 
Software support and service includes a technical service engineer and account manager assigned specifically to each account, online customer account management tools, keystroke-specific tutorials, an accuracy verification CD-ROM and process-oriented user documentation with every purchase; Internet-based, streaming-video Webcasts for free software demonstrations; in-depth distance learning Web Courses; e-mail news bulletins and frequent, automatic software updates.

Internationalized Language Support
ALGOR software features internationalized language support allowing engineers to perform FEA in any of six languages including Chinese (simplified), English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Working in the language of choice increases productivity and provides flexibility for sharing models and reports. ALGOR's internationalized software includes: the graphical user interface and user documentation in the language of choice; automatic language detection based on Windows regional settings; convenient selection of any language at any time; available for virtually all analysis types; and updates with ALGOR’s regular (quarterly) release schedule.