(MultiMechanics)
MultiMechanics and Solvay have partnered to improve efficiency, lower emissions, and decrease fuel consumption in the transportation industry through the use of novel composite materials. Lightweighting by replacing metal with composites is extremely difficult due to the complexity and demanding nature of evolving structural designs. Additionally, the time and cost to a material supplier to develop a new structural aerospace material could take five years and up to $50M, while the cost to the OEM to certify the material could be even higher.
With a co-investment led by Solvay, MultiMechanics has developed advanced testing software that helps companies virtually predict failure in advanced materials at an unprecedented level of speed and accuracy. Our software enables engineers to zoom into the material microstructure to identify the root cause of failure and see what damage mechanisms affect structural performance. It accounts for manufacturing variability and imperfections to give engineers highly accurate results, allowing users to not only identify why their material may fail, but also how it can be improved.
This technology enables engineering teams to send new material ideas to be physically tested with greater confidence that their new design will pass testing. They can also gain insight into exactly how, when, and where damage will occur, and how they can mitigate it. Solvay and MultiMechanics estimate that by implementing this tool, the time and cost of developing and certifying new materials could be reduced by 40%.