For the first time ever we combined the conferences from Nordics, Benelux, and the UK together and on the 30-31st October, the SIMULIA EuroNorth team headed to the home of the Beatles, the world’s first intercity railway and the current Champions of Europe, Liverpool, for the EuroNorth SIMULIA Regional User Meeting.
Sat next to the beautiful waterfront at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, customers from across the geo joined together for this excellent two-day conference.
The agenda was (in our opinion) the best we’ve ever put together, I have included the complete program in this post.
Particular highlights were the 3 keynote speakers:
- Keynote One: Building a virtual test lab in Novo Nordisk delivering results in 1 hour - using automation and democratization - Morten Nielsen, Senior Research Scientist Engineering Analysis & Materials and Martin Ebro, Senior Manager Engineering Analysis & Materials Novo Nordisk A/S
- Keynote Two: The role of simulation software in teaching and research: Current practice and future insights - Georgios Mavros, Senior Lecturer in Intelligent Mobility and Vehicle Dynamics - Loughborough University
- Keynote Three – Rapid Prototyping Rapid Products: The Power of Simulation, Artificial Intelligence and Additive Manufacturing - Dr. Robin Tuluie, Founder and CEO - MotoDynamics, Chief Scientist - Keselowski Advanced Manufacturing (KAM) and Technical Consultant - Ducati MotoG
All keynotes provided insight into the importance of simulation in their respective areas and the challenges they are facing.
This User Conference has grown from the traditional Abaqus Conference, which means it is exciting to see keynotes covering all aspects of simulation, not just structural. Even more so, those keynotes (and other user papers) which demonstrated the power of simulation on the 3DEXPERIENCE were warmly received by the audience and generated lively debate and interest during the breakout sessions.
We also had additional presentations from 12 other customers across 3 user paper sessions:
User Papers Session One - Fluids, Structures and Electromagnetics:
1. An Overview of Computational Aeroacoustics Research at TU Delft with PowerFLOW - Francesco Avallone - Delft University of Technology
2. Dynamic FSI impact simulation and verification for rubber mount with fluid using Abaqus - Robert Luo – Trelleborg
3. Increasing the efficiency of TWT by increasing from 2 to 4 stage collector - Ben Hall - TMD Technologies
4. Active Millimeter Wave Beam-Steering Array Antennas for 5G - Aakash Bansal - Loughborough University
User Paper Session Two - Simulation Workflows
1. Democratisation of CAE within Jaguar Land Rover - Mike Brown JLR
2. Topology optimization including parametrization of joint positions and characteristics: Application to a rear wheel suspension assembly - Andreas Mattiasson, Aliki Berndtsson, Robin Larsson - Volvo Car Corporation & Anton Jurinic - Dassault Systemes Sweden
3. Predicting the Microstructure of Additively Manufactured Parts using Cellular Automata and Abaqus -Tyler London & Madie Allen - TWI
4. Piloting 3DEXPERIENCE for End-to-End Body NVH & Durability Analyses at JLR – Part 2 - Tayeb Zeguer - JLR
User Paper Session Three – Structural Mechanics
1. Development of a wear algorithm using finite element analysis to investigate design variations on the wear rates in total hip replacements - Shawn Toh - Liverpool John Moores
2. BV Hydrogen-Diffusion Coupled Cohesive-Zone Modelling of Crack Propagation in Steel Structures - Vincent Bouwman, Dr. Nils Götzen & Gaëtan van den Berg - 4RealSim
3. Characterisation of an energy absorbing component in dynamic analysis - Poppy Harrison - Atkins
4. Replenishment at Sea: Simulating the release of tensioned wire rope systems - Bill Austen – QinetiQ
Many of these customers have also written a conference paper that will be published online within the SIMULIA Resource Centre soon.
The team was also pleased to welcome Dr. Victor Oancea for a second year running, SIMULIA R&D Sr. Technology Director, CSO Structure and Vladimir Belsky - SIMULIA R&D Technology Director to the conference. Victor delivered a visionary executive presentation: SIMULIA Reveal the World We Live as well as the SIMULIA update presentation. Vladimir presented “A Novel End-to-End Solution for Solving Super Large Structural Simulation Problems” which is still receiving rave reviews!!
During the conference, attendees were able to choose to attend Discovery Sessions and Technology Sessions. The short, dynamic discovery sessions were designed to provide attendees with a taster for something new. This was the perfect way to introduce alternatives to customers that have been used to one solution, exposing them to the broad SIMULIA portfolio; but we also borrowed from other brands working with SolidSolutions who delivered a discovery session on SolidWorks Simulation capabilities within Structural Simulation. Technology sessions were aimed at enhancing attendee technical skills in a few short hours, mini-training sessions. Most sessions were based around the SIMULIA toolset, but we also invited CATIA who presented a Technology session showcasing the capability of CATIA and bridging the gap between design and simulation.
Other highlights from the conference included the exhibition, this year we had an automotive theme running through our experiences. Attendees were able to
- Step into the virtual world and experience the airflow around a Formula 1 car
- Design a drone
- Test and verify a working model of a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System and reproduce a failure condition and optimize the system design to make it reliable
- Learn how to integrate simulation technology within chassis and suspension design
- Compete in the fastest lap competition using the Simpack Driving simulator
- Visit the latest car designed by the Liverpool John Moore’s e-Racing Team
Finally, the highly anticipated banquet challenge, a competition of skill unrivaled in its levels of buffoonery and problem-solving. This year did not let us down nor did it keep some of us dry! Sink or Swym – the aim to build a boat using only the materials provided (one sheet of foil, 2 corks, 4 paper straws, 1 lollipop stick and some sellotape). The boat had to be designed to carry as much weight as possible without sinking – with the winning boat took a huge weight of 1.9kg!
Huge thanks go to the SIMULIA EuroNorth team for putting on another fantastic event.
I’ve attached the conference program and customer papers and presentations of those customers who have been able to share along with a SIMULIA presentation.
