LMS Fast Multipole BEM Solver for Acoustic Simulation

By DE Editors

LMS (Leuven, Belgium) introduced a new Fast Multipole BEM (Boundary Element Method) solver based on multipole expansion. Found in LMS Virtual.Lab Acoustics Rev 8, this new solver extends acoustic simulation performance, enabling higher frequency acoustic analysis on ever more complex products without compromising simulation solving times.

To optimize acoustic performance in products, like automobiles, airplanes or wind turbines,  users need to be able to handle increasingly higher frequencies and larger and more complex simulation models. At the same time, the simulation needs to be completed in time to impact the design process within shorter overall development cycles. This new Fast Multipole BEM solver provides breakthrough extensions to standard BEM-based solvers to address these increased requirements. Integrated within LMS Virtual.Lab, simulation models up to several million elements can be created, managed, solved and postprocessed. Additionally, LMS Virtual.Lab supports extremely efficient parallelization for the Fast Multipole BEM solver, making the calculation time nearly proportional to the number of simultaneous CPUs used. This allows users to take full advantage of increasingly accessible multi-CPU computing environments.

Working in close cooperation with several industry-leading customers, LMS has validated the Fast Multipole BEM solver on models with a half million BEM elements,  delivering 1/12 octave results that accurately match measurement data - within less than 3dB. Since this powerful tool can run on 32 CPU clusters, these mega-models can be executed in a fraction of the time needed compared to traditional solver technology.

The Fast Multipole BEM solver is based on technology created by EADS Innovation Works,  EADS’ research and technology innovation facility. EADS has performed joint research with IMACS, a French research and technology provider in applied mathematics and scientific computing. Early in 2008, LMS established a partnership with EADS Innovation Works and IMACS to integrate this next generation technology in LMS Virtual.Lab Acoustics.

For more information, visit LMS.

Sources:  Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.