Finite element analysesfor engineering and design

Comprehensive engineering services forvarious industries from a single source

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sIllustration courtesy of MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH, Friedrichshafen, Germany

Complex FE analyses are our specialty

Time savings during product development Cost savings due to design optimization Competitive advantage through the use of

external know-how High effi ciency thanks to our many years '

FEM experience

Your benefits

Complex FE analyses are a challenge even for experienced fi nite element users. Our special focus is on such demanding tasks, because we have special expertise and many years of expe-rience in the FEM world.Furthermore, our comprehensive know-how from various industries and the corresponding tech-no logy transfer facilitates a quick approach to your specifi c task.We provide measuring technology and simulation from a single source – because their combined application is often required to solve diffi cult vibra-tion and acoustic problems. Thus we offer several advantages over other providers of fi nite element analyses – and we are exactly the right partner for solving complex problems.

What we can do for you

We provide our sophisticated FE analyses and other simulations as well as measuring services

in the engineering process to design optimized structures,

for problem solving when immediate assistance is required and

during product development, when fundamen- tally new concepts have to be worked out.

Furthermore, we provide expert advice in all matters of simulation and measuring technology.

Sophisticated finite element analyses from experts

Program ApplicationCAE, HyperMesh, Femap

Finite element modeling

Abaqus, Nastran, Ansys

Finite element method (FEM)Finite element analysis (FEA)

TOSCA, OptiStruct OptimizationAbaqus, Simpack Multi-body simulation (MBS)MDesign Machine elementsSolidWorks Computer-aided design

(CAD)Matlab, Simulink Control technologyMatlab, MEDA, MEScope

Measurement data processing

Professional tools

We are experienced in various fi nite element pro-grams and we always use the most suitable one for a specifi c task.We work with

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Customer

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Project example: Development of a torque converter

A torque converter is a complex device in which several technological functions interact in a very small space. Our task is to ensure the technical functions as well as the strength and the service life of the torque converter by means of simulations in the product development phase. This requires the calculation of numerous static and dynamic load combinations, the so-called load cases, on sometimes very detailed models (up to 1 million degrees of freedom and more).

Simulation during the design process

Sophisticated finite element analyses from experts

Based on our customer’s CAD data we build the corresponding models for our simulation software, using the necessary cleaning and abstraction techniques (regarding geometric details, loads, etc.). Our customers particularly appreciate the clear representation and the subsequent thorough interpretation of results, providing a perfect sum-mary of the issue.Due to their many years of experience, our engineers focus on the essentials: In this way we ensure that the products for which we provide the simulation always combine mechanical solidity with economic effi ciency.

Converter housing

Illustration courtesy of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Schweinfurt, Germany

Torsion damper

Turbine blade

With complex simulation models of brake drum and brake shoe our engineers managed to identify the specifi c mode of vibration that is responsible for the acoustic emission – the squeaking. In addition, they could detect the mechanism of action which excites this mode of vibration.

There had been increasing complaints about squeaking brakes of bicycles with drum brakes for the Dutch market. Our task was to identify the cause and to work out suggestions how to im -prove the product. The fi rst step was the acoustic measurement of the bicycle brake. The included frequency analysis clearly showed the squeaking disturbance frequency.

Project example: Squeaking of a bicycle brake

Problem solving

Vibration simulation brake drum

Drum brake

Airborne noise analysis

Vibration simulation brake shoes

Illustration courtesy of SRAM Deutschland GmbH, Schweinfurt, Germany

Accompanying experimental modal analyses, e.g. with a scanning laser vibrometer, verifi ed the simulation models. By means of specifi c variant simulations it was thus possible to show successful ways to prevent the squeaking noise.

Solving diffi cult acoustic and vibration problems often requires the combined use of measuring equipment and simulation.We offer both – from one expert source.

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For a safety-relevant facility we had to develop a crash element for a very large mass (150 t), which limits the loads on the ceiling of a building in case of a crash.

Our engineers tackled the task from scratch: First the ideal force-displacement characteristic of the crash element was determined, taking into con-sideration the permissible ceiling load. Then the different principle solutions that had been tested by computer simulation were measured by this ideal characteristic.

Finally, technology transfer was the solution: Thanks to our experience and our contacts in almost all industry sectors we could fi nd a manu-facturer who can produce customizable crash elements with honeycomb structure. He produced a crash element according to our specifi cations and by means of tolerance analyses our engineers carefully ensured the function of the crash element under any imaginable circumstances.

The designed solution was then subjected to a 1:1 test in which its effectiveness was impressively confi rmed.

Project example: Design of a crash element

Sophisticated finite element analyses from experts

Engineering services

Preparations for the crash test

Deformed crash element

Computer simulation of the crash test

Illustration courtesy of EnBW Kernkraft GmbH, Obrigheim, Germany

Force

Displace-mentIdeal force-displacement characteristic

Ideal

Standard spring

Fmax

Tolerance analyses

max. deformation

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© Wölfel Beratende Ingenieure GmbH + Co. KG – 2014 FEB – Subject to changesMÜ-01-E-02-2014

97204 HoechbergMax-Planck-Str. 15

wbi@woelfel.dewww.woelfel.de

Phone: +49 931 49708 0Fax: +49 931 49708 150

Dipl.-Ing. Eric FeldbauschPhone: +49 931 49 708 380Fax: +49 931 49 708 650feldbausch@woelfel.dewww.woelfel.de

Your personal contact

... its experience ...The company ...

AHA-04/2008

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