Glossary · Engineering, integration and validation
Multiphysics simulation
Also known as: Coupled simulation
German: Multiphysik-Simulation
In engineering, multiphysics simulation is the simulation of several coupled physical effects in one model, such as mechanical, thermal, electrical, fluid and control behavior. In machine design it is used to study how mechanics, drives and control software interact before a prototype exists.
- Validation
In one sentence
Multiphysics simulation models coupled mechanical, thermal, electrical, fluid and control effects together to study their interaction.
Example
A multiphysics model of a servo press couples the mechanics, the motor's thermal behavior and the position controller to predict heating during a fast cycle.
How it applies
- Engineering: Designers use multiphysics simulation to size drives, check thermal limits, analyze vibration or optimize control parameters early in the design.
- Commissioning: Multiphysics models can serve as detailed plant models for Virtual commissioning or Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) tests, when their computing time allows.
- Systems engineering: Results feed into the System model and support design decisions in Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE).
- Documentation: The documentation team documents model assumptions, parameters and validity limits with the results, and makes sure values in user documentation, such as permissible loads, come from verified data, not only from simulations.
Multiphysics simulation vs. behavioral simulation
Multiphysics simulation calculates physical effects in detail and is often slow. Behavioral simulation for virtual commissioning uses simplified models that run in real time so the control software can be tested. The choice depends on the question to be answered.