Altair has developed an integrated damage analysis solution to extend product life in cooperation with LG Electronics VS Division.

Previously, during product development, fatigue damage assessment (repeated damage to product materials, etc. can cause damage if accumulated, so this is evaluated in advance using software (SW) used various analysis SW and models.

However, there were problems such as long interpretation time and difficult model management.

To solve this problem, Altair and LG Electronics collaborated to develop a multi-physics-based fatigue analysis integrated solution utilizing the structural analysis tool, Altair® OptiStruct®.

The unique feature of this solution is that it integrates multiple analysis tools that were previously used into a single tool called OptiStruct. It can perform mechanical shock analysis, thermal shock analysis, and vibration analysis. Analysis time is shortened, model management is easy, and fatigue life prediction considering cumulative damage is possible.

Through this collaboration between the two companies, a multi-physics-based cumulative damage analysis process was developed, enabling LG Electronics to shorten the development time of vehicle infotainment components by approximately 20% compared to before.

Altair expects that the integrated analysis process based on a single analysis tool will increase efficiency and reduce costs. This solution is expected to be utilized in various manufacturing industries such as automobiles, railways, aviation, and ships.

Kim Yong-yeon, LG Electronics VS Business Division Team Leader, who led the collaboration with Altair, emphasized the significance of the collaboration. 

“The automobile industry is a field where securing safety and reliability is more essential than other industries because it is directly connected to the lives of customers. It is more important than ever to produce products through sufficient testing in a virtual environment using simulation SW,” he said.

He expected that the solution developed by the two companies this time will play a major role in not only extending the product lifespan but also securing industrial safety and reliability.

“This project is an exemplary case of LG Electronics, which has manufacturing capabilities, and Altair, which has SW technology, collaborating to fill in each other’s shortcomings based on each other’s strengths. Since it has implemented functions necessary in manufacturing sites, it will be a useful solution that guarantees safety, reliability, and efficiency not only for LG Electronics but also for various industries,” Kim said.

In fact, LG Electronics provided simulation experience for infotainment component development during the development of this solution, and based on this experience, it is evaluated that it greatly improved accuracy and reliability while learning SW functions and proceeding with development.

“We can dramatically extend the product lifespan by discovering and improving potential problems early from the design stage. We can also improve product durability and performance by comprehensively analyzing stress and strain in various environments through an integrated analysis process to derive the optimal design,” Kim said.

The two companies carried out this collaborative project based on the trust they have built over the past 20 years. “Three years ago, we thought we needed this kind of solution and proposed it to Altair first, and Altair also provided full support for the development at the headquarters level, and we were able to successfully complete the project based on the strong trust between the two companies,” Kim said. “We plan to continue collaboration that can demonstrate LG Electronics’ digital transformation capabilities in various fields such as artificial intelligence (AI).”

This article originally appeared in Electronic Times and has been reposted here with permission.