Impact of HPC and Automated CFD Simulation Processes on Virtual Product Development—A Case Study

High-performance computing (HPC) enables both academia and industry to accelerate simulation-driven product development processes by providing a massively parallel computing infrastructure. In particular, the automation of high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses aided by HPC systems can be beneficial since computing time decreases while the number of significant design iterations increases. However, no studies have quantified these effects from a product development point of view yet. This article evaluates the impact of HPC and automation on product development by studying a formula student racing team as a representative example of a small or medium-sized company. Over several seasons, we accompanied the team, and provided HPC infrastructure and methods to automate their CFD simulation processes. By comparing the team’s key performance indicators (KPIs) before and after the HPC implementation, we were able to quantify a significant increase in development efficiency in both qualitative and quantitative aspects. The major aerodynamic KPI increased up to 115%. Simultaneously, the number of expedient design iterations within one season increased by 600% while utilizing HPC. These results prove the substantial benefits of HPC and automation of numerical-intensive simulation processes for product development.

Efficient virtual garment fit evaluation infrastructure based on synthetic avatar target customer groups for MtM application

Customization becomes more and more popular and influences the product development process in apparel industry. In addition to individualized products, the fit of garments is very important for the customization. Numerous tools are used to take the right measurements, to transport individual posture information and to implement these data correctly into a product pattern based on a predefined construction system. Unfortunately, in most cases the mass customization process takes place without a fitting session. Usually fit and design will be checked in the last process step, when the product is already manufactured. Virtual product development is a powerful tool to change this process getting an early fit and design check. By using a test population representing the target group, it is possible to check the sizing and to screen the fit of a product on individual bodies and postures in a short time. In a joint project between the Virtual Lab of Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences and Avalution GmbH, a practical approach for the implementation of a fitting session to a mass customization product development process was developed. The entire process has a three-level structure: First, the avatar population is built up using garment specific body measurements. Connected to a 3D simulation program, an automatic process of determining the made-to-measure (MtM) values, carrying out the MtM grading and the fitting on the selected avatar are initiated. In a special application, the digital try-ons are finally output as images in different physical aspects for evaluation.

Development and Performance Verification of a Motorized Prosthetic Leg for Stair Walking

The present study emphasized on the optimal design of a motorized prosthetic leg and evaluation of its performance for stair walking. Developed prosthetic leg includes two degrees of freedom on the knee and ankle joint designed using a virtual product development process for better stair walking. The DC motor system was introduced to imitate gait motion in the knee joint, and a spring system was applied at the ankle joint to create torque and flexion angle. To design better motorized prosthetic leg, unnecessary mass was eliminated via a topology optimization process under a complex walking condition in a boundary considered condition and aluminum alloy for lower limb and plastic nylon through 3D printing foot which were used. The structural safety of a developed prosthetic leg was validated via finite element analysis under a variety of walking conditions. In conclusion, the motorized prosthetic leg was optimally designed while maintaining structural safety under boundary conditions based on the human walking data, and its knee motions were synchronized with normal human gait via a PD controller. The results from this study about powered transfemoral prosthesis might help amputees in their rehabilitation process. Furthermore, this research can be applied to the area of biped robots that try to mimic human motion.