Simulation-Driven Design

Altair HyperWorks includes a full set of design tools helping designers and engineers in the early stages of the product development cycle. Applications include system-level simulation, concept and generative design, industrial design and rendering.

Altair Activate

Altair Activate is an open integration platform for multi-disciplinary system simulation in the form of 1D block diagram models, optionally coupled to 0D equations & scripts and/or to 3D CAE models.

Activate enables a flexible spectrum of system simulations to be performed throughout the product development cycle – ranging from earlier (at the concept design stage) using more abstract models to later (in the detailed design stage) using less model abstraction.
Benefits
  • Simulate the performance of your complete product, as a system-of-systems, including sub-systems for mechanics, electrical/electronics, and software
  • Identify necessary trade-offs and optimize at the system level by rapidly performing hundreds of What-if type simulations using quick-to-solve reduced order models (ROM)
  • Leverage powerful built-in 1D functionality using signal-based modeling and/or Modelica libraries for physical-based modeling
  • Extend the built-in functionality by easily connecting to other (3D) Altair simulation tools for still broader multi-disciplinary system simulation (using either model-exchange or co-simulation)
  • Extend the built-in functionality by easily connecting to 3rd-party simulation tools using the open Functional Mockup Interface (FMI) standard

For more information, reference the Activate help manual.

Altair Compose

Altair Compose is an all-in-one integrated development environment (IDE) for scripting and performing wide-ranging calculations based on equations (0D). Engineering, scientific, and financial calculations can be performed using common built-in functions and/or custom functions that you program yourself.

Data resulting from those calculations, as well as imported data (such as from CAE simulations), can be readily analyzed and visualized using 2D and 3D plotting.

Moreover, Compose is a multi-language environment compatible with MATLAB/Octave and interoperable with Python and Tcl/Tk.
Benefits
  • Define and solve equations involving matrix math, calculus and trigonometry, linear algebra, curve-fitting, interpolation, differential equations, signal processing, control system design, optimization, and much more.
  • Perform useful calculations by leveraging the power of hundreds of useful built-in functions available with the OpenMatrix Language (OML) on which Compose is based
  • Extend the function libraries built into Compose by creating and using your own functions
  • Conveniently manage and re-use often-used calculations by assembling them into scripts and easily debugging – for robust repeatability and process automation
  • Easily connect Compose to Excel – to leverage data stored in Excel, to perform the same or similar calculations and visualizations (and more), or to construct and run scripts/programs instead of using Visual Basic
  • Easily transfer scripts back and forth between MATLAB & Octave and Compose simply by renaming the file extension (from .m to .oml and vice versa), as enabled by these tools’ use of a common syntax
  • Easily work with scripts written in the Python language by constructing new or importing existing .py files, debugging, and running directly in Compose – by themselves and/or together with scripts written in OML (possibly from MATLAB or Octave)
  • Derive enhanced decision-making value from CAE or test data – obtained from Altair CAE tools (such as HyperWorks), from 3rd-party CAE tools, and/or from physical testing – by using powerful data-reader functions to easily import this kind of data in any common format, then to visualize and post-process

For more information, reference the Compose help manual.

Altair Embed

Altair Embed software is a proven tool for developing embedded systems, by automatically generating code from block diagram models and transferring to popular controller hardware. Once you have a working simulation based on a system diagram, automatically generate the associated code for your hardware controller. You can also readily test your design using Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL).
Benefits
  • Automatic generation of efficient code directly from the graphical block diagram model without the need for manual coding
  • Complete tool chain for the development of embedded control systems covering Software-in-the-Loop, Processor-in-the-Loop, as well as Hardware-in-the-Loop simulations
  • Quick changes and fast download to microcontroller unit (MCU) in seconds in interactive hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing on the host computer
  • Most basic configuration already included for embedded development including state charts, target support, fixed-point algorithms, efficient code generator, motor control libraries, and a lot more
  • Including many industrial-strength devices from Texas Instruments (TI), as well as popular Arduino and Raspberry Pi devices

For more information, reference the Embed help manual.

Altair Evolve

Evolve allows industrial designers to develop forms faster, using either Windows or OS X. It enables you to capture an initial sketch, explore styling alternatives, and visualize products with realistic renderings generated in real time. Evolve provides organic surface modeling and parametric control, with NURBS-based surfaces and solids and a unique ConstructionTree history feature.

Key enhancements included:
  • Symmetry: New Planar Symmetry and Radial Symmetry tools have been added to replace the Mirror and Polar Copy tools.
  • Loft and Sweep feedback: The Loft and Sweep tools now provide additional feedback in cases of failure.
  • Length Parameter: A length parameter has been added to the Line and Rounded Polyline tools.
  • Curve Offset: When using the Curve Offset tool, you can now select surface edges directly.
  • Depth of Field: All images which are rendered inside Evolve include a Depth Channel (tiff). This Z-depth channel can now be saved in the Image Browser and used in post-processing tools such as Adobe Photoshop to simulate the natural blurring of foreground and background scene elements when viewed through a camera lens.

For more information, reference the Evolve help manual.

Altair Inspire

Inspire enables design engineers, product designers, and architects to create and investigate structurally efficient concepts quickly and easily. Inspire enhances the design process by generating a new material layout within a package space using the loads as an input. The software is easy to learn and works with existing CAD tools to help design structural parts right the first time, reducing costs, development time, material consumption, and product weight.

Key updates for Inspire 2017.2 include:
  • Gauge Optimization: The new gauge optimization feature allows you to optimize the thickness of surface parts. Gauge optimization can be run by itself, or at the same time as topography optimization.
  • Static Load Extraction from Motion Analysis: Motion analysis results for a part can now be extracted for use in structural (FE) analysis and optimization. Peak loads will be automatically extracted from the motion simulation and used in analysis and optimization runs.
  • Component Forces: You can now define forces, torques, and g-Loads in terms of their x, y, z components.
  • Fastener Optimization: When optimizing fasteners, you can now constrain the axial and shear forces using the optimization properties in the Property Editor.
  • Inertia Relief: The new inertia relief feature is used to analyze unsupported systems that are not fully grounded, such as airplanes and satellites.
  • PolyNURBS Split: The new PolyNURBS Split tool replaces the old Loop tool, and allows you to trim individual cage faces.

For more information, reference the Inspire help manual.

Altair Inspire Cast

Altair Inspire Cast software is a fast, easy, accurate and affordable casting simulation environment focused on creating high-quality components with increased profitability through a highly intuitive user experience. It is the only tool that caters to beginners and experts alike, from product designers to foundry engineers. Inspire Cast's innovative experience enables users to increase product quality and design better products with a few hours of training.
Benefits
  • Guided process templates offer 5 easy steps to simulate Gravity Die, Gravity Sand, Investment, High Pressure, Low Pressure Die Casting and Tilt Pouring
  • Visualization of typical casting defects such as air entrapment, shrinkage porosity, cold shuts, mold degradation
  • Casting design validation for cavities, runners and overflows
  • Fully automated ingate generation for quick and easy simulation
  • Early stage design validation to avoid costly downstream corrections

For more information, reference the Inspire Cast help manual.

Altair Inspire Extrude Metal

Altair Inspire Extrude Metal are simulation environments designed to help metal extrusion companies meet the ever-increasing demands to produce complex profiles at reduced costs. The software provides a virtual press in which users can visualize material flow and temperature inside a die during extrusion in order to make necessary changes to ensure balanced flow, while identifying and eliminating product defects. Finally, the highly intuitive user interface eliminates costly and time-consuming trainings compared to other software solutions.
Benefits
  • Early detection of visible defects such as profile distortion, uneven wall thickness, die pickup lines (streak lines)
  • Early detection of invisible defects such as charge weld between multiple cycles, seam weld in hollow profiles, skin defects (backend defects), accurate grain size prediction
  • Early detection of incorrect bearing lengths and automatic bearing length optimization
  • Prediction of die deflection, dummy block failures, container line expansion, and die wear
  • Detection of excessive heating and improper thermal management

For more information, reference the Inspire Extrude Metal help manual.

Altair Inspire Extrude Polymer

Altair Inspire Extrude Polymer is a simulation environment designed to help metal or polymer extrusion companies meet the ever-increasing demands to produce complex profiles at reduced costs. The software provides a virtual press in which users can visualize material flow and temperature inside a die during extrusion in order to make necessary changes to ensure balanced flow, while identifying and eliminating product defects. Finally, the highly intuitive user interface eliminates costly and time-consuming trainings compared to other software solutions.
Benefits
  • Early detection of visible defects such as profile distortion, uneven wall thickness, die swelling, and poor quality due to overheating
  • Early detection of invisible defects such as dead zones, weld lines in coextrusion, and overheating of polymers
  • Improvement of the production process by upfront optimization of process parameters
  • Detect and fix die deflection and clam shelling
  • Minimize pressure fluctuations inside die to maintain uniform flow for a consistent production schedule

For more information, reference the Inspire Extrude Polymer help manual.

Altair Inspire Form

Altair Inspire Form is a complete stamping simulation environment that can effectively be used by product designers and process engineers to optimize designs, simulate robust manufacturing and reduce material costs. With the fast and easy feasibility module, users can analyze parts in seconds to predict formability early in the product development cycle. The automated blank nesting proposes an efficient layout of the flattened blank on the sheet coil to maximize material utilization. The tryout module includes a highly scalable incremental solver, helping users to iterate and simulate multi-stage forming, trimming and springback in a modern and intuitive user interface, reducing complexity and making the production of high-quality parts more economical.
Benefits
  • Complete stamping simulation environment to optimize the manufacturing process, ensure the robustness and reduce material cost
  • Evaluate manufacturability early in the development cycle to avoid costly trials downstream
  • Highly scalable incremental solver to simulate multi-stage forming, trimming and springback in a modern and intuitive user interface
  • Visualization of material flow and potential defect areas such as splits, wrinkles, lose material, and springback
  • Automated blank nesting of the flattened blank for efficient use of sheet coil layout for maximized material utilization

For more information, reference the Inspire Form help manual.