ESRD is hosting joint webinars on July 17th and July 29th, both at 1:00 pm EST.

Want to learn from the experts in FEA-based Simulation Application (Sim App) development for standardization & automation of complex engineering analysis tasks, such as 3D fatigue crack growth, 3D ply-by-ply laminated composite analysis or other challenging applications you’d like to safely put into the hands of non-experts?

This July, ESRD will be partnering with several industry leaders to provide not one but TWO stimulating webinars on the latest in FEA-based Sim App development.

The Latest Developments in Sim Apps for 3D Crack Growth Simulations

BAMF Example Crack Front Estimate via StressCheck/AFGROW Integration (courtesy Hill Engineering).

First, ESRD is pleased to join Hill Engineering, LLC (developers of BAMF) and LexTech, Inc. (developers of AFGROW) for a joint webinar on Wednesday July 17, 2019 @ 1:00 pm EST. This collaborative webinar will be titled “3D Crack Growth Simulation: Advancements & Applications“, and will detail the latest technological advancements in Sim Apps for accurate simulation of three-dimensional metallic crack growth via coupled finite element analysis (FEA) and fatigue life computations.

During this webinar, you will see the latest in 3D crack growth predictions via Hill Engineering’s Broad Application for Modeling Failure (BAMF) Sim App, which provides a robust integration between StressCheck’s high-fidelity DaDT/fracture solutions and AFGROW’s crack growth life prediction capabilities.

Additionally, ESRD, LexTech & Hill Engineering representatives will explain how each of their respective technologies seamlessly fit together to enable automated, verified & validated (i.e. backed by experimental data) fatigue crack propagation.

The Importance of Simulation Governance in Sim App Development & Deployment

This joint ESRD/Rev-Sim webinar will explore Sim-Gov compliant Sim Apps for democratization of simulation.

Then, on Monday July 29, 2019 @ 1:00 pm EST, ESRD will join the thought leaders at Revolution in Simulation (Rev-Sim) for a joint webinar on why Simulation Governance compliance is essential to the development & deployment of Sim Apps titled “Democratization of Simulation Governance-Compliant Sim Apps“.

In this timely webinar, we will discuss why it is essential that Sim Apps implement Numerical Simulation technologies which enable the practice of Simulation Governance in order for the vision of democratization of simulations to be realized, as well as why it is important for engineering managers to get on the Simulation Governance train sooner rather than later. Strategies will be explored for democratizing engineering simulations via Sim Apps which are: 1) based on the latest Numerical Simulation technologies, 2) available in Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) form, and most importantly 3) Simulation Governance-compliant.

More ESRD Webinars…

Interested in the complete ESRD webinar listing, including on-demand recordings from past ESRD webinars? Visit our webinars page here:

Demo of BAMpF/StressCheck interation as run through an AFGROW plug-in (courtesy Hill Engineering)

Announcing Hill Engineering and ESRD Agreement to Jointly Market BAMpF & StressCheck Professional

March 12, 2020

Hill Engineering and Engineering Software Research and Development, Inc. (ESRD) have executed a joint marketing agreement to collaboratively promote the combined use of our software tools Broad Application for Multi-Point Fatigue (BAMpF) and StressCheck Professional, respectively, for the engineering applications of fatigue and damage tolerance analysis.

ESRD is pleased to join forces with Hill Engineering and LexTech, Inc. (an ESRD technology partner and developers of AFGROW) to enable state-of-the-art fatigue crack growth capabilities for DaDT engineers.

BAMpF is a software tool developed by Hill Engineering for predicting the growth of fatigue cracks in 3D parts. Starting from an assumed initial flaw, BAMpF automatically combines fracture mechanics solutions from StressCheck with fatigue life calculations from AFGROW to assess fatigue crack growth performance.

Read Hill Engineering’s announcement.

BAMpF Resources

The following are helpful resources for learning more about the BAMpF/StressCheck/AFGROW integration for fatigue crack growth:

• BAMpF Home page (via Hill Engineering)
• ESRD/Hill Engineering/LexTech Joint Webinar recording (recorded July 2019)
• AFGROW/BAMpF Training workshop (courtesy LexTech/Hill Engineering/ASIP Conference 2019)
• BAMpF Use Case presentation PDF (courtesy Brian Boeke/AFGROW User’s Conference 2019)

BAMpF Case Study Example

The figure below shows a comparison between the fatigue crack growth predicted near a hole (using BAMpF and StressCheck Professional + AFGROW) and results from a fatigue crack growth test for similar conditions. In this case there is an initial flaw at the edge of the hole and the hole has been cold-expanded to introduce compressive residual stress.

Predicted crack front evolution (blue) compares favorably with the observed experimental result (red):

Want to Learn More? Contact Us:

• Hill Engineering
• ESRD

BAMF running as an AFGROW plug-in (courtesy Mr. Josh Hodges/Hill Engineering, LLC)

On July 17, 2019 a joint webinar on the latest developments in FEA-based 3D crack growth simulation, titled “3D Crack Growth Simulation: Advancements & Applications”, was provided by ESRD’s Brent Lancaster, LexTech’s James Harter and Hill Engineering’s Joshua Hodges.

In this webinar, we detailed the latest technological advancements for accurate simulation of three-dimensional crack growth in metallic structures, with and without residual stresses, via coupled finite element analysis (FEA) and fatigue life computations. Additionally, the webinar expanded further on the DaDT analysis best practices presented in ESRD’s June 2017 webinar, titled “Durability and Damage Tolerance (DaDT) Analysis Best Practices“, and highlighted the importance of mitigating the errors of approximation associated with stress intensity factors (SIF’s) and if applicable, engineered residual stresses (e.g. cold-working).

Webinar attendees from a wide range of industries were treated to a demo of Hill Engineering’s Broad Application for Modeling Failure (BAMF) Sim App, which provides a robust integration between StressCheck’s high-fidelity DaDT/fracture solutions and AFGROW’s crack growth life prediction capabilities. The BAMF demonstration showed how to set up a parametric model for DaDT analysis via StressCheck and then, with limited user intervention, integrate with AFGROW and StressCheck via their respective COM API’s to perform an on-demand 3D crack growth simulation. It was very impressive demo, indeed!

View Webinar Recording

Click the button below to view the 3 part, 65-minute webinar recording (scroll to the bottom of the webinar landing page to find the videos):

View Webinar Slides

Click the button below to view the webinar slides (PowerPoint Show):

Additional Resources

During the webinar, we identified several relevant DaDT and/or crack growth simulation resources that may be of interest:

• “Analytical Modelling of Fatigue Crack Behaviour Under Representative Spectrum Loading in the F/A-18 A/B Y508 Wing Root Shear Tie”, Dr. Kevin Walker (DST Group)
• “Crack Aspect Ratio Investigation, Analytical Methods Subcommittee: Round Robin for Cx Holes”, Mr. Robert Pilarczyk (Hill Engineering, LLC)
• “Benchmarking Problems in Fatigue Crack Growth Analyses”, Mr. Robert Pilarczyk (Hill Engineering, LLC)
• “Numerical Simulation Series: Fracture Mechanics Parameters”, Dr. Ricardo Actis (ESRD)
• “Improving Global-Local Simulation Workflows for High-Fidelity Stress and Damage Tolerance Analysis”, Mr. Eric Buettmann & Mr. Gordon Lehman (ESRD)
• “Computation of SIFs for Cracks in Cold-Worked Holes”, Dr. Ricardo Actis & Mr. Matt Watkins (ESRD), Dr. Scott Prost-Domasky (AP/ES) and Mr. Joshua Hodges (USAF)
• “Crack Propagation Analysis Tool for 3D Crack Simulation: A Simulation App Case Study”, Mr. Matt Watkins (ESRD)
• The Contour Method for Measuring Residual Stresses (Hill Engineering, LLC)

Acknowledgments

As always, many thanks to our attendees for their interest and feedback! And, of course, thanks to LexTech and Hill Engineering for their time and contributions. We hope to collaborate on another webinar in the future!

BAMF Example Crack Front Prediction via StressCheck/AFGROW Integration (courtesy Hill Engineering).

ESRD is pleased to join Hill Engineering, LLC (developers of BAMF) and LexTech, Inc. (developers of AFGROW) for a joint webinar on July 17, 2019 @ 1:00 pm EST. This collaborative webinar will be titled “3D Crack Growth Simulation: Advancements & Applications“, and will detail the latest technological advancements for accurate simulation of three-dimensional metallic crack growth via coupled finite element analysis (FEA) and fatigue life computations.

During this webinar, you will see the latest in 3D crack growth predictions via Hill Engineering’s Broad Application for Modeling Failure (BAMF) software tool, which provides a robust integration between StressCheck’s high-fidelity DaDT/fracture solutions and AFGROW’s crack growth life prediction capabilities.

Additionally, ESRD, LexTech & Hill Engineering representatives will explain how each of their respective technologies seamlessly fit together to enable automated, verified & validated (i.e. backed by experimental data) fatigue crack propagation. You don’t want to miss it!

ESRD’s Brent Lancaster discusses StressCheck at the ASIP 2018 conference.

This past week at ASIP 2018, ESRD provided a 2-hour training course titled “Modeling Fastened Connections: Hierarchic Approaches Discussion and Demo”, chatted with attendees about StressCheck and its ASIP-oriented strengths, and exhibited at our attractive booth (above image).

We enjoyed meeting many of the ASIP attendees, connecting with a wide variety of ESRD customers and colleagues, and continuing to share our perspective on DaDT and cold working analysis with the ASIP community. Thanks to those who stopped by to say hello (and grab one of our foam plane giveaways and/or handouts).

ESRD foam plane giveaway (it actually flies!)

ASIP 2018 Training Materials Available…

On November 26th, we had the pleasure of providing a training course on hierarchic modeling best practices (in the context A&D fastened joints) to a full house of interested ASIP engineers. Thanks to those who attended and/or requested the training course materials.

If you are interested in this fascinating topic (and investigating selected StressCheck models from our training course), you can download Mr. Lancaster’s ASIP training presentation, demo video and StressCheck model files here:

ASIP 2018 Training – Modeling Fastened Connections: Hierarchic Approaches Discussion and Demo

We are looking forward to receiving your feedback on our presentation and associated StressCheck model files.

Don’t have access to StressCheck? Request an evaluation of CAE Handbook, which will allow you to open and run the StressCheck model files.

Upcoming Webinar…

Are you looking for best practices and guidance for verifying the accuracy of detailed FEA results?  Don’t forget to sign up for our January 19th, 2019 webinar “How Do You Verify the Accuracy of Engineering Simulations?“:

WATCH THIS WEBINAR

Part 1: Introduction & Implementation Requirements

Part 2: StressCheck & AFGROW Features

Part 3: BAMF Demo & Webinar Summary

Engineering Software Research & Development, Inc. (ESRD) recently participated in two Aerospace & Defense industry workshops in North America, both intended to advance numerical simulation technology for the prediction and extension of airframe component life.

AFGROW Workshop 2017

Dr. Ricardo Actis, ESRD, Inc. President and CEO, presented a paper “Deployment of Smart Simulation Apps in Support of DaDT Activities” at the AFGROW Workshop 2017, held in Layton, UT from September 19-20, 2017.  Here is an excerpt from his abstract:

Democratization of numerical simulation through the development and dissemination of expert-designed “engineering simulation apps” is rapidly gaining attention for durability and damage tolerance (DaDT) applications. Such apps must satisfy certain technical requirements to ensure their reliable use due to the high accuracy requirements in the computation of fatigue crack propagation life. Proper application of numerical simulation procedures requires expertise in computational engineering that is not widely or readily available. Standardization deployed by means of Smart Engineering Simulation Apps (SESA) can leverage this expertise for recurring analysis tasks, similar to the expertise of specialists in applied mechanics made available through engineering handbooks. Because classical handbooks have limitations in model complexity and scope, SESA developed by expert analysts can deploy verified solutions obtained by numerical means allowing models of much greater complexity for users who do not need to have expertise in numerical simulation technology.

You can find the PDF of the paper in our Resource Library.

ERSI Workshop 2017

Dr. Actis then attended the Engineered Residual Stress Implementation (ERSI) Workshop 2017 in Clearfield, UT from September 21-22, 2017.  This workshop is focused on the development of a damage tolerance methodologies for fatigue crack growth through deep Engineered Residual Stress (ERS) fields.  Sponsored by the US Air Force’s A-10 Airframe Structural Integrity Program (ASIP), the goal of this workshop is to develop a roadmap for the implementation of the beneficial effect of engineered residual stresses within the United States Air Force (USAF) Damage Tolerance Analysis (DTA) fatigue crack growth and lifing programs.

Attendees to the Second ERSI Workshop

Active participation of ESRD, Inc. in workshops like these two demonstrates the company’s deep commitment to collaborating within the A&D industry it serves at levels unusual for providers of engineering simulation software.