Euro-Pro's Transition to Simulation-Driven Design with Altair HyperWorks®

• Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation
• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing

• Cement
• Consumer Goods

• Product Research & Development
• Quality Assurance

• Experimentation Automation
• Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing

• Hardware Design & Engineering Services
• Testing & Certification

Euro-Pro, a rapidly growing consumer products manufacturer, faced a challenge in its product development process. The company's product development was heavily reliant on physical prototype testing, which was time-consuming, costly, and often failed to provide a comprehensive understanding of product behavior during tests such as drops or impacts. The company wanted to increase the use of simulation to conduct more in-depth analysis of scenarios that were difficult or impossible to test physically, such as internal structural failures. The goal was to identify the root cause of product failures more accurately and provide better guidance to the engineering and product design teams. The company also aimed to test materials prior to their introduction on future generation products, with the hope of positively influencing the overall product portfolio direction in terms of market appeal, quality, reliability, and durability.

Euro-Pro is a dynamic consumer products manufacturer that has been named one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States by Inc. Magazine for three consecutive years. The company's revenues tripled between 1997 and 2013, from less than $300m to over $900m. Euro-Pro boasts several household names in its product arsenal, including Ninja blenders and Shark vacuums. The company's engineering team is primarily located in China, while research and development (R&D) is conducted in the United States. The R&D team uses computer-aided engineering (CAE) tools and technologies to perform analysis and conduct tests in preparation for product launch.

Euro-Pro turned to Altair HyperWorks® for a solution. The company began using Altair solvers (OptiStruct, RADIOSS and AcuSolve) accessible via HPC cloud infrastructure for structural analysis and drop simulation. HyperMesh® was used to correct the geometry, saving around 50% time on meshing alone. Finite element analysis (FEA) provided more insight into impacts and cross-sections than was feasible with physical testing. RADIOSS® and AcuSolve® offered accurate and cost-efficient structural analysis and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions respectively. The company used these tools to develop a finite element representation of vacuum cleaner sections and subjected them to various drop test and impact scenarios. This helped analysts better understand the root cause of potential problems, enabling them to rectify design issues without having to constantly build and test models at the point of failure reporting. The company accessed these solutions via HyperWorks On-Demand™, a high-performance computing (HPC) solution for design innovation in the cloud based on Altair’s patented usage-based license model.

• The implementation of Altair HyperWorks® has transformed Euro-Pro's product development process. The R&D team can now perform more virtual tests of different designs to see how they perform. They have also been able to change the cost component of products by simulating performance with different materials using FEA. The use of simulation has made the physical testing process more scientific, reducing rework and redesign, and thereby reducing manufacturing costs, shortening time-to-market, and improving product quality and appeal. The simulation process has also helped prevent potential manufacturing problems. While Euro-Pro still maintains a physical testing standard, the use of CAE has significantly improved product outcomes. The company is now establishing a CAE center of excellence to enable the adoption of a simulation-driven design philosophy.

• Reduced the number of physical tests, saving time and costs
• Estimated time savings of around 50% on meshing alone
• Improved product performance and durability