1. “MacroModelMat” (M3) - Macro-level predictive modeling, design &
“MacroModelMat” (M3) - Macro-level predictive modeling, design & optimization of advanced lightweight material systems
Targeted breakthroughs and progress beyond the state of the art:
Develop efficient predictive modeling for macro-level quasi-static, fatigue, crush, crashworthiness.
Linking meso-level damage analysis to macro-level damage analysis
Macro-scale composites modeling for UD, NCF & textile composites
Modeling effect of imperfections (from manufacturing or pre-damage) in textile & NCF composites
Development of suitable CAE models for joining technologies for novel and advanced materials
Basic mechanical properties simulation of AM components with CAE (stiffness, strength & NVH).
Develop fast simulation strategies for vibro-acoustic analysis of lightweight material systems
Virtual material characterization for multi-attribute model parameters of composites & LW materials.
Develop a new hybrid joining. Assess feasibility of ‘bonding/debonding on demand.

2. Core Objectives & Project structure
IBO2 M3Strength
SBO1 M3Strength
Efficient predictive CAE modeling for quasi-static/fatigue/crush/crashworthiness strength
SBO2 M3NVH
NVH/Acoustics/Dynamics predictive modeling
IBO1 M3AMCAE
Basic mechanical
properties simulation
of AM components with CAE (stiffness & strength) properties) of AM
Multi-scale / multi-level modeling: linking meso-level to macro-level analysis
IBO3 M3HyBond
Development of suitable CAE models for joining technologies for novel and advanced materials + Innovative hybrid bonding technologies
SBO3 M3VirtTesting
Virtual Multi-attribute Material characterization / Testing
IBO4 M3META-MAT&NVH
Development of resonant META materials produced with AM + Advanced NVH modeling
IBO5 M3AdvStrength&Crash
Advanced Strength & Crash modeling Incl Modeling imperfections (initial from production, after pre-damage event, or by design)

3. A strong consortium has been assembled already
Consortium: multiple teams from 3 academic research institutions partners (KULeuven, UGent and VUB), 1 automotive knowledge research center (Flanders’Drive), and 10 industrial partners of which 5 SMEs.
KU Leuven:
Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering (MTM)
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division Production Engineering, Machine Design and Automation (PMA)
University of Ghent (UGent):
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanics of Materials and Structures (MMS) Research Group
Department of Information Technology (INTEC)
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB):
Department of Mechanics of Materials and Constructions (MeMC)
Department of Mechanical Engineering (MECH)
Department of Materials and Chemistry (MACH)
Flanders’ Drive and other companies included via Flanders’ Drive:
Alfatex (Joining) – SME
DEJOND (Joining) – SME
LMS International – Coordinator for M3 Program.
Materialise
Automotive sector:
Nitto
Toyota Europe
Aero sector:
SABCA Limburg
Transportation sector:
ACROSOMA - SME
Moeyersons - SME
Other sectors: recreation
Lazer Sports - SME

4. Very relevant industrial experience @ University Technology Partners
A roadmap for Addressing the Automotive attribute challenges in composite development
Very relevant industrial University Technology Partners
Based on its > 20 yrs experience in aeronautics, LMS Samtech brings on the table a deep knowledge of composite modeling, non-linear solving for strength, failure and progressive damage modeling for different types of composites (laminate, sandwich,…). In the Siemens portfolio, the composite team around Fibersim has been delivering manufacturing simulation solutions to the aeronautic industry to address the composite layering process.
Leveraging from the aeronautic composite experience, and from LMS traditional experience in automotive domains like NVH & Durability, we can work with our customers to develop advanced solutions in damage, fatigue, & NVH.
The capability in Samtech for damage models allows to include intra and interlaminar damage progression in complex composite layer-up. Combining this capability, with LMS capability in the durability domain, we are working on methodologies for composite specific fatigue and stiffness degradation, both for short fibre as well as for long fibre applications. For this work, we are developing interfaces to PART Engineering and E-xstream for material models.
In the NVH domain, efforts center around : assessing the effect of material properties (eg. fibre orientations in short fibre composite structures) on the dynamic performances, dynamic correlation test/composite models, and including the NL Samtech solver into Virtual.Lab Acoustics for simulating complex material properties.
LMS research collaboration in the domain of composites includes strong connections to the 2 leading composite labs of the Belgian universities RUGent & KULeuven.