CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive

30 October 2008

Product News

LMS Virtual.Lab Acoustics’ New Fast Multipole BEM Solver Delivers Breakthrough Acoustic Simulation Performance

LMS recently announced the introduction of a new Fast Multipole BEM (Boundary Element Method) solver based on multipole expansion. Found in LMS Virtual.Lab Acoustics Rev 8, this new solver significantly extends acoustic simulation performance, enabling higher frequency acoustic analysis on ever more complex products without compromising simulation solving times.

To optimize acoustic performance in products, like automobiles, airplanes or wind turbines, users need to be able to handle increasingly higher frequencies and larger and more complex simulation models. At the same time, the simulation needs to be completed in time to impact the design process within shorter overall development cycles. This new Fast Multipole BEM solver provides breakthrough extensions to standard BEM-based solvers to address these increased requirements. Integrated within LMS Virtual.Lab, simulation models up to several million elements can be created, managed, solved and post-processed. Additionally, LMS Virtual.Lab supports extremely efficient parallelization for the Fast Multipole BEM solver, making the calculation time nearly proportional to the number of simultaneous CPUs used. This allows users to take full advantage of increasingly accessible multi-CPU computing environments.

“Engineers today have to deal with ever more complex systems that need to be analyzed for higher frequencies – and they must work faster than ever before. With the new multipole BEM technology, meshing requirements are less stringent, solving happens significantly faster whether on Linux clusters or on desktop PCs. As a result, acoustic engineers, but also non-acoustic experts, can solve tough problems and provide design directions for optimal noise and sound performances. From the sound quality of state-of-the-art flat-screen televisions, noise radiation from complex machinery, to the environmental impact of vehicle pass-by-noise, the range of systems that can benefit from Fast Multipole BEM is vast,” commented Koen De Langhe, Product Line Manager for LMS Virtual.Lab Acoustics.

Working in close cooperation with several industry-leading customers, LMS has validated the Fast Multipole BEM solver on models with a half million BEM elements, delivering 1/12 octave results that accurately match measurement data - within less than 3dB. Since this powerful tool can run on 32 CPU clusters, these mega-models can be executed in a fraction of the time needed compared to traditional solver technology.

“With the trend towards more complex models for vehicle exterior acoustic studies in view of pass-by noise and better sound package optimization, Renault recognizes the value of this new technology and its potential use early in a vehicle development program”, commented Sébastien Chaigne, a Renault engineering specialist.

“Thanks to the integration of this new Fast Multipole BEM solver, we further strengthen LMS Virtual.Lab Acoustics’ position as the industry’s benchmark acoustics simulation platform. Complementing the BEM and FEM-based applications, LMS Virtual.Lab Acoustics addresses our customers’ requests for faster acoustic simulation at higher frequencies and other ever more challenging acoustic concerns,” commented Willy Bakkers, Vice-President and General Manager of the LMS CAE Division.

The Fast Multipole BEM solver is based on technology created by EADS Innovation Works, EADS’ research and technology innovation facility. EADS has performed joint research with IMACS, a French research and technology provider in applied mathematics and scientific computing. Early in 2008, LMS established a partnership with EADS Innovation Works and IMACS to integrate this next generation technology in LMS Virtual.Lab Acoustics.

For more information on LMS, visit http://www.lmsintl.com

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