Tips & Tricks | Posted on
May 9th, 2013 by
Andrew Griesmer
Swept meshing is a geometry discretization technique available in COMSOL Multiphysics for specific types of geometries, including thin geometries, geometries with bends, and models with little or no variation in a specific direction. A swept mesh starts at a source boundary and sweeps along to a specified destination boundary. In previous versions of COMSOL Multiphysics, the source and destination boundaries generally needed to be specified by the user. However, in the latest release, COMSOL Multiphysics version 4.3b, the swept mesh has become more automated, minimizing the number of source and destination boundaries manually defined.
Read more on: Sweep Your Meshes with Ease
Tips & Tricks | Posted on
May 6th, 2013 by
Andrew Griesmer
Our newest release, COMSOL Multiphysics version 4.3b, contains so many new modules and features, certain additions might get lost in the fray. One addition to the COMSOL Multiphysics base package we don’t want you to miss is the ability to create 2D models from cross sections of 3D geometries. This easy-to-use feature allows engineers to simplify the model, gain understanding of and fine-tune parameters, and dramatically reduce simulation time.
Read more on: Creating 2D Models from 3D Geometries in COMSOL Multiphysics
Mechanical | Posted on
April 19th, 2013 by
Andrew Griesmer
I will always remember a Geotechnical Engineering class I took during the pursuit of my Civil Engineering degree. It contained both the high and low points for that academic semester; the lab portion was a lot of fun, learning about (read: playing with) the different soils and clays existing in the state of Georgia. The final project, on the other hand, tasked us with designing a retaining wall to match certain specifications — a tough and lengthy assignment. A retaining wall is used to hold back soil from a region you don’t want it to move to, such as a lower level of the ground. If excavating close to a retaining wall, you’re subjecting it to additional forces it was not originally designed for, and it may require subsequent support. How much easier it could have been had we only known about geomechanics simulation software.
Read more on: Digging into COMSOL’s Geomechanics Module
Mechanical | Posted on
April 4th, 2013 by
Andrew Griesmer
Back in January, I presented a video tutorial introducing the Structural Mechanics Module here on the blog. The video described the steps necessary to perform a static linear analysis on a bracket geometry. Now, to help you better understand the extra functionalities that exist within COMSOL Multiphysics and the Structural Mechanics Module, we are also creating additional tutorial videos of this bracket. The first two “mini-tutorials” to accompany the static linear analysis video focus on adding initial strain and thermal stress, and you can watch them here.
Read more on: Structural Mechanics Tutorials: Adding Initial Strain and Thermal Stress
News | Posted on
March 21st, 2013 by
Andrew Griesmer
Online engineering magazines, like Design World and Desktop Engineering, are great for anyone out there interested in emerging technologies. I especially liked a few recent articles: two in Design World’s “CAE Solutions” section and one in Desktop Engineering’s simulation section, detailing a couple of major topics important to finite element analysis, or FEA. First there is meshing, the foundation of FEA software. Second, there is optimization, which is all about maximizing efficiency and improving results. The key for any production company, is an efficient product development process. FEA is a powerful tool to replace a lot of experimentation and prototype manufacturing, and optimization can be used to make virtual prototyping faster, maximizing the effectiveness of the FEA software.
Read more on: Meshing and Optimization in Engineering Magazines
Multiphysics | Posted on
March 6th, 2013 by
Andrew Griesmer
You may be wondering “What is COMSOL Multiphysics?” In short, COMSOL Multiphysics is a comprehensive simulation software environment for a wide array of applications, but structured and user-friendly for all to use. The best way to answer the question of what our software can do is to show you. This is why we have created a video that gives you a brief overview of the capabilities you can possess with the software in your hands.
Read more on: What is COMSOL Multiphysics?
User Perspectives | Posted on
February 26th, 2013 by
Andrew Griesmer
Metamaterials are a new and emerging technology with vast potential to reshape our views on what is and isn’t possible in this physical world of ours. Unlocking the mysteries and overcoming the obstacles associated with metamaterials would lead to a host of technological advances once thought impossible by even the most imaginative of individuals. From making computer chips smaller and faster than the most advanced current ones, to protecting structures from earthquakes, to developing imaging technology that doesn’t harm tissue (to replace x-rays), all the way to cloaking (also known as invisibility), the applications of metamaterials are exciting and boundless. However, the structures of metamaterials are enormously complicated, and in each area, there are significant obstacles to overcome. COMSOL Multiphysics has been used in research to solve the problems associated with these applications.
Read more on: Metamaterials Make Physics Seem Like Magic
Electrical | Posted on
February 20th, 2013 by
Andrew Griesmer
The electrical grid describes the network created for producing electricity, transmitting it and delivering it to the consumers. A “smart grid” is an electrical grid that gathers information on the suppliers and consumers automatically to improve efficiency and sustainability in the system. As the automated technology improves, the hardware that physically connects the electrical grid together must improve as well. This hardware, the “nuts and bolts” of the grid, is comprised of transformers, cable joints, terminations, bushings, and fault current limiters (FCLs). COMSOL Multiphysics has been used for two different applications in this industry, described below.
Read more on: Upgrading the Nuts and Bolts of the Electrical Grid
Heat Transfer | Posted on
February 18th, 2013 by
Andrew Griesmer
Induction occurs when a metal object moves in the presence of a magnetic field inducing a current in that object. The induced current causes it to heat up (called inductive heating), as all current does. Yet, simulating these two coupled physics together can be difficult to do as they are intrinsically based on different time scales. COMSOL Multiphysics is able to cleverly simulate them through combining the frequency domain modeling of the magnetic field with a stationary simulation of the heat transfer, using its Inductive Heating interface. Since actions speak louder than words, we have included a video tutorial of this interaction for your viewing.
Read more on: Inductive Heating of a Billet Simulation Tutorial
Fluid | Posted on
February 11th, 2013 by
Andrew Griesmer
Ultra-precise optical components require blemish-free surfaces that often cannot be achieved by the machining processes that grind these components. Fluid jet polishing (FJP) is a new technology being developed by Zeeko Ltd to replace the hand polishing that was often required. With the help of COMSOL, Zeeko was able to create a product that polishes the optical components in only ten minutes instead of an entire day, and without waveforms.
Read more on: Fluid Flow: Smooth Optical Surface in Minutes
