ADAPTIVE TIME SCALING FOR ACCELERATING EXPLICIT FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

• US 20200134113A1
• Filed: 06/25/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company), UT-Battelle LLC
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Chen, Jian, Huang, Hui, Feng, Zhili, Carlson, Blair, Wang, Hui-Ping, Cai, Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 11,288,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/11 for solving equations , e.g. nonlinear equations, general mathematical optimization problems optimization specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/23 using finite element methods [FEM] or finite difference methods [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/005 General purpose rendering architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics

Abstract

A method for accelerating an explicit finite element analysis (FEA) simulation of a modeled system or process includes performing an initial iteration of the FEA simulation according to a baseline time interval via an FEA computing network, and calculating a criteria ratio of a predetermined set of scaling criteria for the modeled system or process. The method includes determining a time-scaling factor using the criteria ratio via the FEA computing network as a function of the criteria ratio, and then applying the time-scaling factor to the baseline time interval to generate a scaled time interval. The scaled time interval accelerates simulation time of the FEA simulation. The method includes performing a subsequent iteration of the explicit FEA simulation at the scaled time interval using the FEA computing network. The process continues for subsequent iterations, with the time-scaling factor adapting with each iteration.

Claims

1. A method for accelerating an explicit finite element analysis (FEA) simulation of a modeled system or process, the method comprising:

performing an initial iteration of the explicit FEA simulation according to a baseline time interval via an FEA computing network;

calculating a criteria ratio of a predetermined set of scaling criteria for the modeled system or process via the FEA computing network;

determining a time-scaling factor using the criteria ratio via the FEA computing network as a function of the criteria ratio;

applying the time-scaling factor to the baseline time interval to thereby generate a scaled time interval, wherein the scaled time interval accelerates the explicit FEA simulation to reduce a required amount of FEA processing time; and

performing a subsequent iteration of the explicit FEA simulation at the scaled time interval using the FEA computing network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the time-scaling factor (f) is an inverse function of the criteria ratio (r_x), such that:

3. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the criteria ratio is conducted for a sub-model of a total model of the modeled system or process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the criteria ratio is determined as a function of an energy ratio, a displacement ratio, and/or a force ratio.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the criteria ratio is the energy ratio, and the energy ratio is a ratio of incremental kinetic energy to incremental total energy term in the modeled system or process.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the criteria ratio is the force ratio, and the force ratio is a ratio of a norm of incremental forces to a norm of incremental maximum forces in the modeled system or process.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the force ratio is a ratio of a norm of incremental forces to a norm of incremental maximum forces in the modeled system or process.

8. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

comparing the criteria ratio to a threshold ratio; and

adjusting the time-scaling factor upward or downward by a predetermined amount when the criteria ratio is less than or greater than the threshold ratio, respectively.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the time-scaling factor occurs in proportion to an amount by which the criteria ratio exceeds or is exceeded by the threshold ratio.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the system or process is a laser welding system or process, respectively.

11. A computer-readable medium for use during an explicit finite element analysis (FEA) simulation of a modeled system or process, wherein the computer-readable medium includes instructions executable by a core or processor of an FEA computing network to cause the FEA computing network, subsequent to an initial iteration of the FEA computing logic using a baseline time interval, to:

calculate a criteria ratio of a predetermined set of scaling criteria for the modeled system or process via the FEA computing network;

determine a time-scaling factor using the criteria ratio, via the FEA computing network, wherein the time-scaling factor is a function of the criteria ratio;

apply the time-scaling factor to the baseline time interval to thereby generate a scaled time interval, wherein the scaled time interval accelerates the explicit FEA simulation to reduce a required amount of FEA processing time; and

perform a subsequent iteration of the explicit FEA simulation at the scaled time interval using the FEA computing network.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein execution of the instructions causes the FEA computing network to calculate the criteria ratio only for a sub-model of a total model of the modeled system or process.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the criteria ratio is an energy ratio, a displacement ratio, and/or a force ratio.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the criteria ratio is the energy ratio, and the energy ratio is a ratio of incremental kinetic energy to incremental total energy term in the modeled system or process.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the criteria ratio is the force ratio, and the force ratio is a ratio of a norm of incremental forces to a norm of incremental maximum forces in the modeled system or process.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the force ratio is a ratio of a norm of incremental forces to a norm of incremental maximum forces in the modeled system or process.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the criteria ratio includes the displacement ratio, and the displacement ratio is a ratio of an incremental displacement to a norm of an incremental maximum displacement in the modeled system or process.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the FEA computing network to:

compare the criteria ratio to a threshold ratio; and

adjust the time-scaling factor upward or downward by a predetermined amount when the criteria ratio is less than or greater than the threshold ratio, respectively.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein execution of the instructions causes the FEA computing network to adjust the time-scaling factor upward or downward by the predetermined amount in proportion to an amount by which the criteria ratio exceeds or is exceeded by the threshold ratio.