Simulia Wave 6: The Integrated Platform for Mastering Sound & Vibration
Simulia Wave 6 is a sophisticated, dedicated software environment within the Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE portfolio, focused exclusively on solving complex acoustic, vibration, and fluid-structure interaction problems. It provides engineers across automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, and industrial equipment industries with the advanced simulation tools needed to predict, analyze, and optimize the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) characteristics of their products long before physical prototypes exist. By integrating various physics—structural dynamics, acoustics, and aerodynamics—into a unified workflow, Wave 6 enables a holistic understanding of how sound is generated, transmitted, and perceived.
Core Philosophy: A Unified Approach to Vibro-Acoustic Design
Wave 6 moves beyond isolated analysis by seamlessly coupling different physical domains. It allows engineers to simulate how structural vibrations radiate sound into cavities (like a car interior), how turbulent airflow generates noise (aeroacoustics), and how acoustic loads in turn excite structures. This integrated approach is essential for solving real-world NVH challenges where the source, path, and receiver are interdependent.
Key Modules & Analysis Capabilities:
1. Structural Dynamics & Modal Analysis
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Finite Element Analysis (FEA): Performs modal, frequency response, and transient dynamic analyses to understand the natural vibration characteristics (modes, resonances) of structures.
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Component Mode Synthesis (CMS): Enables efficient modeling of large, complex assemblies by condensing subcomponent models, crucial for full-vehicle or full-aircraft simulations.
2. Interior & Exterior Acoustics
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Boundary Element Method (BEM): Efficiently solves exterior radiation and scattering problems (e.g., engine noise, speaker radiation) without needing to mesh the surrounding air volume.
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Finite Element Method (FEM) Acoustics: Ideal for modeling sound propagation in interior cavities (car passenger compartment, aircraft cabin, room acoustics) and dealing with complex absorbing materials.
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Acoustic Transfer Vectors (ATV): A powerful technology that allows for fast re-analysis of acoustic responses due to changes in structural vibration inputs, enabling rapid design studies.
3. Advanced Aeroacoustics
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Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Coupling: Integrates with CFD solutions (like Simulia XFlow or PowerFLOW) to compute acoustic sources generated by unsteady turbulent flows (e.g., wind noise around side mirrors, HVAC noise, fan noise).
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Lighthill Analogy & FW-H Solver: Employs industry-standard methods to propagate these flow-induced noise sources to far-field receivers.
4. System-Level NVH & Post-Processing
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Vibro-Acoustic Response Analysis: Combines structural models with acoustic cavities to predict sound pressure levels inside a cabin due to engine, road, or wind excitation.
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Advanced Result Visualization: Provides specialized post-processing for acoustics, including sound pressure maps, directivity plots, sound quality metrics (loudness, sharpness), and even virtual auditory rendering (listening to simulated sounds).
