Multiphysics simulation software

Multiphysics is not a dream; it is a reality

The Multiphysics suite from Hexagon is a scalable portfolio of products that brings the power of cutting-edge, physics-based simulation technologies to solve real-world engineering problems.

Carrying a long tradition of technical expertise and industry knowledge, we bring the most advanced technologies to solve industrially relevant problems with pragmatic solutions such as vertical applications with built-in domain expertise. Customisation and automation provide access to a rich pool of solutions from 1D solvers to front-end geometry handling, CAD, and meshing technologies.

The suite has been designed for interoperability to ensure seamless integration with your existing systems and other Hexagon products, adopting open industry standards and enhancing them to fit industrial needs. With a modern user experience thanks to photorealistic effects and immersive interpretation (AR/VR), you can see your designs in real life, gathering valuable insight for making data-driven decisions.

Accurate and reliable structural simulation

From smart product design to smarter manufacturing, our linear, non-linear and advanced non-linear finite element analysis (FEA) solutions simulate structures from components to full systems in an open environment by leveraging the latest paradigms of data and workflow management, cloud computing and AI.

Solve static, dynamic, durability and fatigue problems fast and accurately with state-of-the-art solvers in hours instead of days and perform structural optimization to ensure the best performance at the lowest cost.

Take your CFD productivity to the next level

We all experience physics-related phenomena daily as fluids act in harmony with structures, magnetics and electrics in various complex ways. Hexagon’s computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions enable engineers to understand these phenomena and account for them in product development.

Acoustic simulation for a quieter world

From headphones and speakers to electric vehicles and aircraft, sound and noise, acoustics are increasingly important to consumer experience. Hexagon’s acoustic simulation tools enable designers and engineers to understand the key parameters of the sounds we hear and design for optimum acoustic performance.

Simulate coupled physics effortlessly

At many companies, CAE is performed as an isolated activity within a single functional team or engineering discipline. Hexagon’s multiphysics cosimulation solutions enable engineers to model the interactions between physics disciplines, enhancing the performance, safety and reliability of products.

What is multiphysics simulation?
Multiphysics simulation can refer to many numerical techniques. Broadly speaking, multiphysics simulation software help users solve real-life problems. Because real life is not limited to one physics or the other.

Multiphysics can simply refer to solving one physics problem and then solving another physics problem (based on the solution of the first problem) by mapping the solution from one physics solver to the other. This is the so-called chained approach.

Multiphysics can also refer to solving multiple physics solvers in parallel, sharing information at a specified negotiation frequency, and using several specialised solvers in a cosimulation run. In this method, one solver will obtain a solution which it then shares with another solver, and they iterate this way until both solvers converge.

The MSC Cosim engine can be used for sequential and parallel communication between solvers. See MSC Cosim for details on cosimulation.

Multiphysics can also refer to solving tightly coupled physics equations using a powerful solver. For example, Marc has dedicated procedures for electrical-thermal-mechanical analysis, coupled thermomechanical analysis, coupled structural electrostatic and magnetostatic analysis, and more.

What is multiphysics coupling?
When one physics solution affects the other, they are called ‘coupled’. Depending on how strongly coupled the physics are, different numerical methods may be employed to improve the accuracy of the solution.

As an example, consider the physics of aircraft wings. For aero-acoustic calculations, the fluid flow strongly affects the acoustics. Still, the acoustics do not affect the fluid flow (in most cases), so the physics can be coupled by solving them in sequence, using the best methods for each and maximising accuracy and speed. On the other hand, for an aircraft wing, the fluid flow affects the structure, and the wing deformation affects the fluid flow, so both simulations should run in parallel while exchanging information with each other as they search for a converged state for each physical time step, which is a much tighter coupling than for aeroacoustics.

What is a multiphysics suite?
The Multiphysics Suite from Hexagon is a scalable portfolio of products for multiphysics simulation. The suite has been designed for interoperability to ensure seamless integration with your existing systems and other Hexagon products, adopting open industry standards and enhancing them to fit industrial needs.

Is multiphysics software necessary for building digital twins?
Multiphysics capability is highly recommended for building accurate digital representations of reality. Simply put, the more complex a product becomes, the more likely that multiple physics will be needed to capture the digital twin.

What physics domains does Hexagon include today in its Multiphysics Suite?
Structural, fluid, thermal and acoustic simulations are included today in the Multiphysics Suite.

What software products are included in the Multiphysics Suite from Hexagon?
Actran, CAEFatigue, Cradle CFD, MSC Apex, MSC Nastran, MSC CoSim, Marc, Dytran, Patran. Explore the Multiphysics Suite for individual product descriptions.

Are software products not included in Hexagon’s Multiphysics Suite interoperable with those in the suite?
Yes, multiple products interoperate at various levels of interoperability depending on the use cases they serve. Examples include ODYSSEE, Adams, Digimat, Simufact and Elements.

Where can I learn more about multiphysics simulation?
Please visit the NVH for Electric Vehicles solutions page for a complete description of a multiphysics solution.