What is ThreeParticle/CAE?

ThreeParticle/CAE
• The first All-In-One simulation software for bulk materials

• Creates prototypes in a virtual world – real physics on your

screen

• Combines multi-physics simulation in a single GUI with:

• Discrete Element Method
• Comprehensive contact models
• Complex shape types
• Multi-body dynamics
• Fluid simulations
• Finite Element Analysis
• Wear
• Heat transfer
• Etc.

• An easy to use and intuitive 3D simulation software

• Dramatically improves the user experience with simulation

What is ThreeParticle/CAE?

ThreeParticle/CAE

• Allows multiphysics simulation without coupling to

external software packages

• Has an extremely powerful solver with CPU multi core

technologies and high performance GPU computing

• Allows automated simulations using batch processing

and keyword automation

• Multiphysics DEM software to simulate any material

and particle shape

• Individually expandable with a C ++ API

Particle shape - Overview

Categories:
Spherical, complex and flexible shapes

Each shape is combined with:

SPH, FEA, MBD, Wear
 What is DEM?
Introduction to the Discrete Element Method
What is DEM?
Discrete Element Method - DEM
• It is a numerical method to simulate and study the behavior of
granular media

• Captures the dual nature of bulk solids that behave both as a

solid and a fluid Powders

• Bulk solids or granular media:

 Consists of many particles
 Different sizes, shapes, densities
 Randomly grouped together to form a bulk Bolts and nuts

• Each particle in the bulk is treated as a discrete element

• The collective interactions of all particles leads to the bulk Rocks and grains

behavior

• in contrast to continuum methods, the motion of each particle is

calculated

Food and consumer goods

DEM principles
DEM consists of:

• Interactions of particles modeled through contacts with

all contacts considered

• Movements of particles modeled by considering each

particle individually

• Explicit through time with a finite difference algorithm

Typically for DEM:

 Particles can be any shape and size

 Particles are elastic and do not suffer permanent

deformation

 Uses a soft contact with overlap to calculate contact forces

Interactions of real shaped seeds

 How does DEM work?
• Particles are positioned in 3D space with an initial velocity

• If particles get in contact:

• Calculation of forces and torques via numerical models

• This includes frictional, damping, repulsive forces, etc.

• New velocity and position will be calculated by Newton’s 2nd law and
time integration

Particles move towards each other Particle contact - contact forces New velocity, position and alignment
are calculated are calculated and updated
Multi-body dynamics
(MBD)
Multi-body dynamics
General
Constraint: Revolute joint
• Numerical simulation method to study of the dynamic behavior of Marker: wl_schwinge_mid
Marker: wl_schwinge_right
connected bodies

• Bodies will be connected with links to restrict relative motion

• To connect two bodies with more than one constraint – a special

concept called markers will be used

• Marker is a local frame (coordinate system), which can be defined

in relative or absolute coordinates

• Markers are connected to bodies and move with them

Body: Wheel loader lifter arm
Marker: wl_arm

Body: Wheel loader wing

Marker: wl_schwinge_mid
Multi-body dynamics
Multi-body dynamics in ThreeParticle/CAE
• Extends the capabilities of DEM

• Adds dynamic behavior and functionality of machines

• Complex movements are easier to model

Constraints & Joints

• Spring / Damper systems (Spring)

• Joints (Revolute, Spherical joints)

• Spacer (Distance)

• Bushing (Cylindrical joints)

• Guidance (Prismatic joints)

• etc.
 Smoothed Particle
Hydrodynamics (SPH)
Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics
General
• SPH is a numerical method for the simulation fluid flows SPH markers
(Walls)

• It is a meshfree Lagrangian method, where the coordinates move

with the fluid (SPH markers)
SPH fluid

• Resolution of the method can easily be adjusted by particle size

• Ideal for problems with complex boundary dynamics, like free

surface flows and large boundary displacement

• Parts and fluid have to be sampled with mass points (SPH markers)

SPH markers representing a complex

bottle geometry
Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics
Benefits
• Several benefits over grid-based techniques (FVM)

• Guarantees conservation of mass without extra computation

(particles represent mass)

• Computes pressure from weighted contributions of neighboring

particles

• Free surface for two-phase interacting fluids are directly created -

particles represent the denser fluid and empty space represents
the lighter fluid

SPH markers representing a complex

bottle geometry
Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics

Built-in fluid dynamics coupled with DEM

• only commercial simulation software with a built-in DEM and SPH solver

• Extends the capabilities of DEM dramatically

• Incredible fast GPU solver coupled with solid interactions on CPU

• Built-in Fluid-Solid-Interation (2 way coupling)

Built-in models
• Artificial viscosity (Monaghan)

• Laminar viscosity (Lo and Shao)

• -SPH (Marrone)

• Extended Ferrari correction

• Density re-initialisation
Wear analysis
Wear analysis
Wear in DEM simulation
• Wear phenomena are directly linked to frictional processes

• Friction results in important energy losses

• Wear leads to increased maintenance costs and costly machine

downtime

• DEM is a perfect prediction tool for surface wear

• It can be used to identify:

 Number of contacts on a surface

 Contact forces Wear analysis of a concrete mixer blade

 Contact energy

 Wear and Wear rates with calibrated models

Heat Transfer
Conduction
Calculation of the heat exchange due to a contact

Wall – Particle (Conduction)

 Heat transfer with direct contact
 1 way coupled -> Wall to Particle
 Wall temperature is constant

Particle – Particle (Conduction)

 2 way coupled
 Particle <-> Particle

ThreeParticle/CAE – Heat Transfer models

 Sun and Chen [1987] - heat transferred during a particle impact

Heat Transfer in a rotating mill
 Yovanovich [1967] - steady state heat transfer for a stationary contact
 Heat Transfer
Convection
Heat transfer between a particle and a surrounding medium (fluid)

Surrounding medium – Particle (Convection)

Scalar Heat field
 Heat transfer without physical contact
 1 way coupled -> Medium to Particle
 Scalar field without CFD
 Field dimensions are cuboids (l

Q=ℎ − = −
Convection heat transfer equation
Heat Transfer of a scalar field

Belt conveying direction

Finite Element Analysis
(FEA)
Finite Element Analysis
Physical phenomena are mathematically described
• Structural or fluid behavior

• Heat transfer

• Wave propagation

• etc.

Will be used in different engineering disciplines to:

• Reduce the number of physical prototypes and experiments

• Optimize components in their design phase

• Solve problems which can not be described with an analytical

solution FEA from DEM loads on a Bucket

• Develop products faster and better with a modern engineering tool

Finite Element Analysis
Mesh and Elements
• Shape of a structure needs to be represented by a mesh

• Mesh consists of several small elements

• These individual elements together form the shape (discretization

method)

• Elements can have different shapes

 3D Continuum elements (Tetrahedral, Hexahedral, Polyhedral, etc.)

 2D and 3D Shells

 1D Beams

• Calculations are performed for every single element

FEA of a ball mill slice

• Final results of a structure are given by combining the results of every

single element as interpolations over the elements
Finite Element Analysis
FEA coupled with DEM in ThreeParticle/CAE
• only commercial software with built-in DEM and FEA

• Including full post-processing features

DEM loads transfered to
• Geometry import from FEA mesh (Abaqus *.INP) FEA mesh

• Two-way coupling

 Contact forces will be transformed to FEA nodes

 Surface deformations by FEA will by applied to DEM

Analysis methods
• Dynamic & Static analysis

• Node load export

• Export to Abaqus input file

Static non-linear FEA – DEM simulation

Individual extension with
C++ API
C++ API
ThreeParticle/CAE is fully customizable
• Lightweight C++ API to minimize entry barriers

• Extend the capabilities of your simulation model

Plugins as dynamically linked libraries

• Implement own Master and Slave Interactions

• Add any kind of Scalar or Vector Fields

• Add individual sensors

• Manually add and update user-defined custom properties

• Customized particle inlet (Rigid and flexible shapes)

• Implement new Wear models

• Event driven change of Simulations with Keyword interface

• Fully built-in and integrated in the GUI

• Add external couplings with other software packages

• Shared memory for data exchange

• Define custom output formats

C++ API - Keyword and GUI integration

GUI
• C++ API is fully built-in the GUI

• User-defined modules are similar to handle like built-in functions

Keyword
• C++ API modules can also be used in the Keywords mode
• Use a value of 1000 to define API type of any module

Example
Keyword command for a C++ API Master Interaction
*addInteraction, materialA='Material_1', materialB='Material_1', Interaction definition of a custion contac model
masterContactModel(1000)
Graphics User Interface
(GUI)
Graphics User Interface
The user interface is separated into several
operating sections
1. Control Bar
 Is designed for an efficient navigation and
control of often-used functions

2. Module Database
 Tree-system of all menus, which is displayed on
the left side
 Switch between the common CAE mode and
the built-in Keyword mode

3. Editor
 Common operating unit
 Structured with tabs to switch between the
different menus of each module

4. 3D Panel
 Displays the 3D Simulation model of Parts,
Particles and Fluids
Pre- and Post-processing
ThreeParticle/CAE consists of a powerful Pre- and Post-processing
• Design (Pre-processing)
 Contains several menus to build-up a model
 Materials, Interaction, Parts, Particles, 6 DoF, Movements, Domain, Wear,
Amplitudes, etc.

• Simulation
 Simulation time, Integration method and time stepping
 Multi-core CPU processing
 Output format
 Batch processing

• Analysis and Visual (Post-processing)

 Coloring of each element by different attributes
 Visual overlay for presentations issues with more details (bolts, nuts, higher
resolution, etc.)
 Streamlines, Vectors, Display groups

• Export (Image, Video and numerical data with plots)

Keywords and Automation
Keywords and Automation
Combine the best of CAE with Keywords and Automation
• Keywords are a powerful method to:
 Create or modify a simulation model very fast

 Extend it with special functionality, which is not available through the CAE mode

• Human read-able format of any simulation

• Keywords are fully implemented in CAE as a Keyword Live Editor

Keyword Timing or Automation

• Uses a timing list of Keyword files
• Automation with Keyword Timing allows to:
 Import new models step-by-step

 Delete or add particles

 Change any parameter

 Run automatic case studies

 Split a model in several parts and import them when needed

Support and Training
Support and Training courses
Support
Personal phone and email support

Intuitive documentation of ThreeParticle/CAE

Documentation

• Step-by-step Documentation

• Step-by-step Tutorials

• More than 50 examples to study the funcitionality of each

module

• User guide to extend the capabilities of ThreeParticle/CAE with

a powerful C++ API
Support and Training courses
Customer training
More than 25h of course material

Online and Offline courses

Training courses

• Introduction to ThreeParticle/CAE

• Basics and DEM fundamentals

• DEM calibration methods

• Multiphysics

• Working with the C++ API

• Special topics and customer applications