Helius:MCT
User Testimonials
"A simple, robust and predictive simulation tool, able to accurately identify
the failure and the post-failure behavior of general composite structure was an
analyst’s dream until now. The innovative Firehole multi-scale approach provides
an outstanding value to our customers because of its proven effectiveness and sound
physical basis."
—Simone Ragionieri,
SmartCAE General Manager
"Helius:MCT provides a unique and powerful analysis toolset. The integration
with ABAQUS is seamless and user-friendly. The increased resolution of material
failure mechanisms results in the ability to more efficiently optimize composite
structures."
—Christopher T. Key
Applied Technologies Group,
Hi-Test Laboratories, Inc.
Your Solution
Firehole would like to discuss your particular application and understand how Helius:MCT
may benefit your company. Please
contact us
to learn more.
Build lighter, stronger, more efficient designs with the power of Multiscale Composite
Analysis
The Helius:MCT results showing different failure state of a composite structure
– Undamaged (Blue) / Failed Matrix (Green) / Failed Fibers (Red)
View Larger
Helius:MCT delivers a powerful analysis capability to the composite engineer. Developed
specifically for composite materials, Helius:MCT replaces traditional analysis technologies
with a multiscale approach that is unsurpassed. The MCT approach offers advanced
technology – but is also efficient and easy to adopt. With Helius:MCT, you
can achieve optimal results in composite analysis and design simply with an extension
to your FEA investment.
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Features
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Benefits
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- Vastly improved failure predictions based on fiber and matrix behavior
- Customizable material nonlinearity that can be tailored to specific problem needs
- Pressure induced strength modification of matrix material for low/high pressure
applications
- Proven Results
- Supported in both Abaqus and ANSYS, Integrated within NEi Nastran V10
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- Easy to adopt
- Extremely efficient
- Uses industry-standard material data
- Robust convergence
- Can be used on legacy models
- Clear, comprehensive, easy to understand documentation
- Responsive, real-time support from development team
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Superior Technology
Helius:MCT is based on
Multicontinuum Technology
(MCT), which provides efficient stresses and strains for the fiber and matrix constituents
of a composite lamina. In doing so, the MCT modeling methodology provides an unsurpassed
combination of accuracy and efficiency for predicting damage evolution and material
failure in composites.
Traditional methods used for composites failure prediction (e.g. Tsai-Wu, Hashin,
or Hill) treat a composite lamina as a homogeneous solid with uniform properties
throughout. This homogenization has led to limited success in failure prediction
of composites because the constituent stress state, not the composite (i.e., homogenized)
stress, drives failure. By analyzing fiber and matrix stresses separately, Helius:MCT
inherently leads to more-accurate composite-failure predictions.
Superior Efficiency
The superior efficiency of Helius:MCT is inherent in the multicontinuum approach:
stresses and strains are extracted using minimal computational effort. The MCT algorithm
only increases the run time for a typical structural analysis by 2 to 3%. This efficiency
is possible because prior to the analysis, the relationships that link the constituent
stresses and strains to composite stresses and strains are quickly determined from
micromechanics modelling using industry standard composite input data (lamina strengths
and stiffnesses) by the Helius:MCT Material Manager.
Read more about Multicontinuum Technology
Proven Results
- Participation in WWFE-I and WWFE-II
- Only failure analysis group invited to participate in all 3 WWFE’s
- Internal validation to sub-scale testing
- AFRL Biaxial Loaded Composite Cruciform Program
- AFRL Unlined Cryogenic Composite Pressure Vessel Program
- ARFL Large Structures Failure Test Program
- Dozens of Technical Publications, including AIAA, SAMPE, industry journals, etc.