The Strategic Value of Multiphysics Simulation

A growing number of innovative products are being developed with technology representing real-world environments in which multiple types of coupled-physics interact. For decades, commercial engineering simulation codes — most particularly those for finite element analysis (FEA) — have focused on predicting the effects of single physical phenomena: stress or deformation of parts under mechanical load, for example, or fluid flow around structures. In a growing number of applications, however, engineers must create simulation scenarios that more closely represent real-world environments in which multiple types of coupled physics interact. In fluid structure interaction, flow and the resulting structural deformation perturb one another, such as in aircraft wing flutter. Similarly in thermal‐electromagnetic interaction, extreme temperatures affect the performance of devices such as electric motors. In the past, these types of problems presented some real headaches for analysts, who might spend weeks setting up separate models, manually transferring data files between programs and running many sets of discrete solutions — often using different software codes. Today’s multiphysics solutions address these hindrances by combining the effects of two or more physics in a unified manner. The ANSYS 22x family of elements, for example, solves coupled-physics problems in one solution pass with a single model, as explained in this issue’s article “Multiphysics Simulation Using Directly Coupled-Field Element Technology.” Coupled-field technology is useful in the design of a range of products, such as sensors and microelectro