Simulation-Driven Design

Altair HyperWorks products include 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 Twin Activate

Altair Twin 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.

Twin 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 Twin 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 Altair 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 Inspire

Altair Inspire accelerates the creation, optimization, and study of innovative, structurally efficient parts and assemblies through collaboration. In its latest release, Inspire supports structural analysis with SimSolid's speed and accuracy, providing the ability to analyze large assemblies and complex parts.

Benefits
  • Dynamic motion simulation, including loads extraction, using the reliable multi-body systems analysis of Altair MotionSolve.
  • The industry standard for structural efficiency, topology optimization by Altair OptiStruct, for the generative design of practical, viable and manufacturable geometry.
  • Enables both simulation analysts and designers to perform what-if studies faster, easier, and above all earlier, encouraging collaboration and reducing product time to market.

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.

Altair Inspire Friction Stir Welding

Altair Inspire Friction Stir Welding is used for simulating friction stir welding, which is a solid-state joining process to create strong welds that are required in critical aerospace and automotive applications.

Altair Inspire Mold

Altair Inspire Mold provides a modern integrated approach to streamline design for manufacturing of injection molded components. Virtual testing, validation, correction, and optimization of molding designs can be easily performed through a five-step setup workflow, providing access to evaluation of injection molded part manufacturability that mitigates common manufacturing defects (warping, sink marks, short shots, and so on) long before a mold is designed.

Altair Inspire PolyFoam

Altair Inspire PolyFoam is a modern integrated approach to design for manufacturing (DFM) for polyurethane molding and foaming processes, enabling improved products and reduction of scrap and tooling rework costs. Early simulation helps understand how the material flows during injection, then run an accurate foaming simulation with advanced physics and chemistry. Reduction of cycle time and enhancement of part quality can be achieved by designing accurate gating locations and feed rates, and by predicting most typical manufacturing defects.

Altair Inspire Render

Altair Inspire Render is a 3D rendering and animation powerhouse for innovative designers, architects, and digital artists to produce stunning product presentations faster than ever before. Quickly create, modify, drag-n-drop a variety of materials, add lighting environments to generate images and animations in real-time with the built-in high-quality, physically-based global illumination rendering engine. All in a slick and efficient user experience that fulfills the needs of novice and expert users alike.

Supporting CUDA and OpenCL, Inspire leverages the latest high-end graphic processor technology. No dedicated GPU card? No problem, fast production rendering by the software’s interactive Presto/IR engine enables immediate feedback on production quality, while being versatile, quick, and fun to use.

For more information, reference the Inspire Render help manual.

Altair Inspire Resin Transfer Molding

Altair Inspire Resin Transfer Molding is used to simulate the process of resin transfer molding and its variants such as vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding, which is used to manufacture polymeric composites by infusing a thermoset resin in a fibrous preform and curing. It uses the RTM module of HyperXtrude Solver to simulate the process.

Altair Inspire Studio

Altair Inspire Studio empowers users throughout the creative process with unrivaled flexibility and precision, its unique construction history, along with multiple modeling techniques. Via an intuitive user interface, with its powerful construction history tool, quickly create, explore multiple iterations, and make changes without any rework. By building on the functions of Altair Evolve, Inspire Studio introduces a sleek, efficient user experience.

Each tool and workflow are now optimized for an efficient design experience from initial sketches to exploring styling with polygonal, freeform, and PolyNURBS parametric modeling. Produce stunning product presentations in real-time with the in-built high-quality, physically-based global illumination renderer using biased photorealistic, unbiased and GPU modes.

For more information, reference the Inspire Studio help manual.

Altair SimSolid

SimSolid is a simulation software application which performs statics, dynamics and thermal analyses of structural systems that serves as an alternative to traditional Finite Element Analysis. SimSolid uses fully featured, unsimplified, solid geometry models in the analysis and does not use a mesh.
Benefits
  • Intuitive interface follows typical user workflow.
  • Eliminates the need to simplify geometry and mesh, thereby improving accuracy and reducing labor.
  • Provides superior performance metrics for computational time and memory footprint, allowing for large/complex geometries to be solved quickly.

For more information, reference the SimSolid help manual.