Altair has announced the addition of RAMDO, software developed by RAMDO Solutions, to the Altair Partner Alliance (APA).
RAMDO is an Uncertainty Quantification (UQ), reliability analysis, and Reliability-based Design Optimisation (RBDO) software platform. RAMDO allows design engineers to take into account the variability of design inputs (materials, loads, operating conditions, etc.) RAMDO uniquely performs this analysis with efficient use of computer resources, a user-friendly interface, and at a cost-effective license subscription.
‘We are excited to be joining the Altair Partner Alliance,’ said Nicholas Gaul, COO and lead developer at RAMDO Solutions. ‘RAMDO can be a great tool for HyperWorks users to explore design reliability improvements by the formal inclusion of variability (materials, loads, manufacturing, operational conditions, etc.) into simulations. Our software increases the reliability and robustness of designs at reduced total product lifecycle costs, thus ultimately creating better products and happier end customers.’
In the aerospace industry, RAMDO can be of particular interest in the design of wings, engines, and interiors by taking into account the variability of materials, aerodynamic loads, electrical resistance, manufacturing, and operating conditions.
In the architecture, engineering and construction industry, RAMDO can help structural designers take into account variability of structural and wind loads, material properties for steel, concrete, soil, and fluid flows for thermal distribution and solar loading.
The software provides users with a tool to help them understand how variability affects their application. It can also be used to guide designers into improving the reliability of their design for products and systems. An intermediate benefit of this tool is also a reduction of computational times for UQ, reliability analysis, and RBDO. The result for end consumers is a product that usually includes reduced weight, lower costs, less frequent maintenance, as well as improved safety.
‘Structural optimisation is used as part of many standard design processes to create better-performing products at lower costs. However, it is important to note that an optimised design could be at the edge of feasibility when considering potential variations due to manufacturing, operational environment, explains Fatma Kocer, Altair’s vice president of business development - design exploration. ‘When this risk is significant, a safety factors approach can be employed, but this approach can lead to overdesigned products. We are happy to have RAMDO in the APA program with solutions for complex problems of reliability and robustness-based design optimisation.’
