Welcome to Adams Co-Simulation Interface (ACSI)
Welcome to the 2024.1 documentation for the ACSI. See section Special requirements to run Marc.
The ACSI is a MSC co-simulation tool based on an algorithm designed by Elliot et al. [1, 2, 3, 4]. The ACSI supported co-simulation topology is that of an Adams model co-simulating with one or more MSC Marc processes and one EDEM process (DEM Solutions' flagship software) (See Figure 1). Other topologies are not supported. However the software infrastructure is in place to start removing limitations in future releases.
The points at which a model interacts with another model (for example, points P1 and P2 in Figure 1) are called interactions. At each interaction point there must be:
1. A MARKER and a GFORCE in the Adams model. See below on how to set and orient the MARKER and how to setup the GFORCE.
2. A NODE in the Marc model. The interaction NODE in the Marc model must have 6 degrees of freedom and it must be position controlled by the option Co-Sim Int. Node (see Marc and Mentat documentation).
3. A CoM (Center of mass) of a geometry in an EDEM model. See EDEM manual on how to setup geometries that will be controlled by Adams.
In all Adams-Marc and Adams-EDEM interactions, Adams passes displacements to be imposed on a NODE in Marc or a geometry in EDEM. Both Marc and EDEM pass force/torque values to Adams to be used in a GFORCE. At the interaction point, Adams kinematics is imposed on the other codes while forces are applied to Adams.
Note: | In the ACSI version 2014 only RIGID SURFACEs controlled by the MOTION user-written subroutine were supported as interaction points in the Marc model. In version ACSI 2015 and later, only NODEs are supported as interaction points in the Marc models. The interaction NODEs must use the Co-Sim Int. Node option. |
Future releases will consider implementing Marc-Marc interactions (for example, point P7 Figure 2), Adams-Adams interactions (for example, Point P8), and interactions with other codes.
Figure 1 Examples of one Adams process, multiple Marc processes and one EDEM process. Supported topology (each color stands for a different process).
Figure 2 Example of not supported topologies (each color stands for a different process).
Notice point P7 in Figure 2 stands for an interaction between two Marc models (not supported). However, a single Marc model can have two or more bodies in contact.
Note: | Marc-Marc, Marc-EDEM and Adams-Adams interactions are not supported. |