Standard FEA assumes a casting is uniformly strong. It isn’t. In a world first, Sarginsons can model how the metal actually behaves, its strength, yield and elongation, at any point on the cast form, for the first time. The result: OEMs can transform the cost, weight, and performance of any structural casting. It’s a revolution in casting design.
Heterogeneous FEA mapping connects casting simulation directly with structural analysis, allowing engineers to model how a component will actually perform rather than relying on conservative base-level material properties. Here’s how it works.
The result? Instead of treating a casting as a single uniform material, engineers can design around its actual properties. The result is lighter, more efficient components with greater confidence in performance, durability and safety.
The benefits of heterogenous mapping are quantifiable, meaning working with Sarginsons as your strategic simulation partner can help you achieve a competitive edge in computer aided design and engineering.
Superior design optimisation and lightweighting:
Accurate local material properties enable engineers to remove weight where it is not needed and reinforce only where it adds value. By accounting for these property variations, heterogeneous FEA mapping supports verified weight reductions of up to 40% and unlocks more effective topology optimisation.
Improved crashworthiness and safety:
In crash-critical applications, local variations in ductility can significantly influence failure behaviour. Heterogeneous data captures these variations, improving the accuracy of virtual crash simulations and reducing reliance on physical testing.
Enhanced fatigue life and durability:
Fatigue failures often originate in the weakest areas of a casting. Mapping real material properties helps engineers identify and address these potential failure points earlier, improving durability and extending component life.
Reduced over-engineering and development costs:
More accurate simulations reduce the need for conservative safety margins, helping minimise material use, shorten development cycles and reduce the cost of repeated design-test-redesign iterations.
Improved sustainability:
Lighter components require less material and consume less energy throughout their operational life. The result is lower lifecycle emissions and a more sustainable approach to vehicle and component design.
We have the capability to undertake variable material property mapping at a more granular level of detail than any other foundry in the world.
1. Unique proprietary database - Behind our technology sits a proprietary database of mechanical property insights, built from over 20 years of physical testing and microstructural analysis. This is something none of our competitors can replicate, but that you can use to your advantage.
2. Validation against physical testing – Our virtual models have been validated against real-world testing and proven across programmes ranging from commercial vehicles and autonomous platforms to some of the world's most advanced hypercars. This helps you to accelerate development while maintaining confidence in performance, durability and safety.
It’s extraordinary that one simple change, using heterogenous not homogenous TYE data in your FEA mesh, will totally transform the cost, weight, and performance of any structural casting; making your life easier and your components better. A whole new world of design possibilities, with proven digital de-risking for successful physical crash testing, are available now. You owe it to yourself to find out more.
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