Process automation of simulation using Toolkit/Tool Command Language (TK/TCL) scripting

Abstract

In the advancement of the technology, the validation of prototype can be in the virtual environment. It is a forerunner to the physical validation. Through virtual-validation, many parameter changes can be made. In current practice of development process, designing and validation with standards are vital primitive steps. Since the beginning, the designs are validated using physical prototyping, which consumes lot of time and energy. Virtual validation reduces the lead-time for the manufacturing processes. The process of virtual validation involves three steps, (i) Pre-processing (importing the models, meshing, applying suitable boundary conditions), (ii) Solving (analysis types and respective solvers). (iii) Post processing (generating the results and documenting). But, even when using computer software can lead to time and energy consumption due to some of the repeated tasks. When these tasks can be automated using computer programs, further time and energy can be saved. A set of computer programs are written to automate the modal analysis simulation process in ALTAIR HYPERMESH 14.0 software using Toolkit/Tool command Language (TK/TCL) scripting. It is found from the present simulation that, it is helpful in many ways like, persons who are new to the HYPERMESH software can perform the pre-processing setup without going much deep into learning the background process. This will also make the user get used to the software at much faster rate and the simulation set up process is made easier for beginners. Secondly, human Errors can be avoided due to automation work by reducing the number of manual steps that has to be done. If the number of manual operation is decreased, automatically the chances to do an error is reduced. This is a great advantage in the industry as it saves a lot of work force to find and rectify the errors. Apart from this, time consumption for the creation of deck file is reduced since most of the operations are automated. This can be accounted in terms of a number of button clicks. By scripting, the number of button clicks is reduced, which is directly related to the time consumed for the file creation process. Hence, the process automation is one of the developing field and has a promising future with many advantages both personally and commercially.