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A Novel Approach to Planar Mechanism Synthesis Using HEEDS
The problem of mechanism synthesis (or design) is deceptively complex and has been the subject of much attention since soon after the discovery of the wheel. In this paper, a novel approach to automated mechanism synthesis is described that uses a technique called “convertible agents” to simultaneously find the most appropriate mechanism type for a given problem, while also finding an optimum set of dimensions for that mechanism to realize a specified behavior.
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Advanced Technologies for Design and Fabrication of Composite Automotive Components
In this paper, several example applications to real automotive composite components are described to illustrate the benefits of combining advanced manufacturing and design optimization methods to realize novel composite solutions at a fraction of the weight of equivalent metallic parts.
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Abaqus, Adams, Automotive, Manufacturing

Design Optimization for Fatigue Life
To ensure reliability of designs, fatigue life performance is often an integral part of today’s CAE evaluations. Fatigue life predictions are generally calculated from the results of finite element based simulations.This example illustrates how HEEDS Professional can be incorporated into the standard CAE-based design process for finding mass-efficient designs that also satisfy reliability requirements. The automated HEEDS Professional optimization process frequently yields designs that are better than those found from a manual search process, and in a fraction of the time.
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Abaqus, Automotive

Design Optimization of Progressively Crushing Rails
This paper demonstrates a new strategy for achieving progressively crushing designs during an automated design optimization study. Independent crush zones are defined along the length of the rail. The main goal of the optimization is then to encourage maximum energy absorption in a given crush zone to occur prior to any energy absorption in rearward crush zones. In other words, crush should initiate in the tip and progress from zone to adjacent zone toward the rear of the rail. Compared to traditional optimization statements that focus only on total energy, the current approach can produce designs with similar total energy absorption but with a dominant progressive mode.  
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Automotive, LS-DYNA

Designing for Cost Reduction
In this application brief, we demonstrate how to couple a cost model and a finite element model within an optimization process to obtain a minimum cost design that also meets performance requirements. The application example is an office chair leg with both material and shape design variables. HEEDS Professional is used to automate the design evaluation and optimization process, Abaqus is used to perform finite element analysis, and Excel is used to calculate the cost of each proposed design.
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Abaqus

Material Model Calibration Using Abaqus and HEEDS
In this Technology Brief from SIMULIA, HEEDS was used in conjunction with Abaqus to determine the parameters needed to model the viscoelastic behavior of a rate-dependent vinyl material.
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Abaqus, Materials

Optimization of a B-Pillar Undergoing Roof Crush Using HEEDS COMPOSE
This paper demonstrates how to optimize the A-pillar, B-pillar, roof rail, rocker, front header, and roof bow components of a car for roof crush, utilizing ultra-high-strength steel. In addition to the gauge of the individual structural components, a soft zone trigger and its location within the B-pillar are introduced as design variables. LS-DYNA is utilized as the simulation tool with the COMPOSE (COMPonent Optimization in a System Environment) module for HEEDS MDO used to perform the optimization. 
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Learn more about COMPOSE
Automotive, LS-DYNA

Optimization of a Hybrid Electric Bus
This paper demonstrates a strategy for optimizing Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) that accommodates the complexity of the HEV problem statement, interactions among the HEV components, and the design landscape. An integrated simulation and design optimization framework is presented to find the best overall combination of engine size, battery pack, electric motor and generator for minimum fuel consumption under specified performance criteria. HEEDS Professional was successful in optimizing a series hybrid bus that substantionally outperformed the conventional version of the bus, using ADVISOR as a simulation tool. 
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Automotive

Optimization of a Tube Hydroforming Process
Hydroforming is an emerging technology that meshes well with the automotive industry's drive to achieve part reduction and more efficient use of material. Using finite element analysis methods in conjunction with automated design optimization procedures, this application brief demonstrates that optimal hydroforming process parameters can be determined very efficiently. In the present study, a 55% increase in expansion of a circular blank in a square die was achieved with HEEDS Professional compared to manual optimization. 
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Automotive, LS-DYNA, Manufacturing

Optimization of a Vascular Stent
This paper briefly describes how HEEDS™ Professional design optimization program was used to find the design geometry solution that most substantially reduced the principal strains seen in the crimping phase of Nitinol stent manufacture. This shape optimization methodology could be applied similarly for stents based on other stent materials.
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Abaqus, Biomedical