Predicting Sheet Metal Simulation Results Within Seconds Using Altair Physics AI.
Altair Employee
Altair Inspire Form is a sheet metal simulation software that allows users to enhance and optimize forming process. One of the challenges in forming industry is to quickly determine the optimized blank shapes and sizes. With using Inspire Form integrating with the Altair Physics AI, one can predict the sheet metal simulation results on a new design within seconds. For this use case we are examining the effects of varying blank shapes and sizes and achieve fast predictions by learning from the historical data. Blank size and shape is an important variable in defining the formability of the part due to the blank and tools contact surface and creating friction between the surfaces which affects the material flow and sheet thickness.
1. We will be working with a simple example PAN model as shown below:
2. Here, the blank thickness used as 1.0 mm, and the blank size and shapes were varied for learning purpose. Some of the varying blank shapes and sizes were used as shown in below figure.
The basic forming analysis took about 35-40 minutes for a single iteration and the historical data used for 14 iterations to create datasets for training and 2 iteration results were used for testing.
Check the below image showing the trained model results tested against the solver results.
3. Next, with using Physics AI we can determine the new blank shape results based on the model trained and tested from the previous data (as shown for second step). Then, Once the test data shows higher accuracy, we can start predicting results for any new design within seconds.
Even when comparing the predicted results against the solver results using Inspire Form, the results are not having significant variations shown in below image.
With integrating Inspire Form historical data with Altair Physics AI, one can trained an ML model which can help in predicting the results quickly and with almost the same results accuracy.
Check the below video showing a quick workflow for using Inspire Form results in Altair Physics AI and how to predict the results on a new design.
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