Siemens at IMAC 2025: Driving structural dynamics innovation through the years

Orlando is gearing up to host the prestigious 43rd International Modal Analysis Conference (IMAC-XLIII), a premier global gathering where academic and industry experts come together to discuss and showcase innovative methods and novel approaches shaping the future of structural dynamics.
Will we miss such a unique opportunity? Absolutely not! Our Simcenter Physical Testing team from Siemens Digital Industries Software will be there, ready to make an impact (a big bang, if you will!) and shine like never before. They’ll dazzle the audience with their expertise and deliver cutting-edge advancements that push the boundaries of innovation. And of course, they will welcome you at the booths 111 and 113 to show you the latest Simcenter physical testing capabilities in structural dynamics. Discover innovations like multi-hammer impact testing with Smart Hit Selection and advanced modal testing. Plus, get an exclusive look at our prototype for Video Motion Magnification and explore our cutting-edge Simcenter Sound Camera in action.
Simcenter is powered by a robust, in-house research and development team, consistently leading the way with pioneering expertise and forward-thinking solutions. Attending IMAC is incredibly exciting for us, not only because we’ll proudly share our latest achievements with the community, but also because IMAC provides a valuable opportunity to connect with peers, explore key topics in structural dynamics, and understand the challenges industries face in leveraging these technologies today.
The IMAC-XLIII final program is now available. The contributions we’re bringing this year are falling into three key categories:
- Advanced modal applications
- Pushing the boundaries of experimental substructuring
- Cutting-edge experimental techniques
Here’s a quick preview to make it easier for you to explore! Note: all times are Eastern Standard Time (EST UTC−05:00).
Advanced modal applications
Optimizing NVH performance in electric vehicles through enhanced modal parameter estimation techniques
Presenter: Mahmoud Elkafafy
Monday, February 10 @ 10:20 a.m.
One of the biggest challenges in the NVH design of Electric Vehicles (EVs) is the effect of the battery on the dynamic characteristic of the body. The best approach to tackle this problem is to couple a test-based battery subsystem model to a finite-element-based representation of the body, which can then be optimized to meet the desired target. Easy, isn’t it? Actually, not so much, as the amount of frequency response functions (FRFs) needed to characterize the interface between the body and the battery poses serious challenges. To be able to effectively incorporate such a high volume of FRFs, our colleagues from the research and development division have worked out a new approach, relying on an improved version of our Maximum Likelihood estimation of a Modal Model (MLMM) algorithm. To convince the audience, they validated their techniques, not only through theoretical simulations, but also through experimental testing on FRFs measured from a battery structure provided by Hyundai Motor Company (HMC).


Operational modal analysis of satellites using direct-field acoustic test data
Presenter: Bart Peeters
Monday, February 10 @ 2:50 p.m.
Environmental testing is essential to ensure the survivability of hardware during the launch of space vehicles. One such test is Direct Field Acoustic Noise (DFAN) testing, where the hardware is blasted with the acoustic field it will experience during ignition and liftoff. In this paper, Bart Peeters investigates the possibility to derive the structural behavior of the PROBA-V satellite (made available for the study by the European Space Agency) by applying Operational Modal Analysis on the accelerations recorded on the structure during such a test. To validate the approach, and understand how the environment impacts the modal parameters, results are compared with those from preliminary tap and compact shaker tests.
Machine learning-based automated operational modal analysis for monitoring of large infrastructure
Presenter: André Tavares
Tuesday, February 11 @ 5:10 p.m.
If you want to showcase your recent achievements in modal analysis, IMAC is the place to go. André Tavares, from our research and development division, in collaboration with peers from KU Leuven, Construct-ViBest, University of Porto and Flanders Make, further built on his PhD research to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning in an innovative Automated Operational Modal Analysis. To proof the validity of the approach, the method has been applied to monitor the vibrations over long periods of time on the Infante Dom Henrique Bridge in Porto and an onshore wind turbine.

Pushing the boundaries of experimental substructuring

High-frequency dynamic characterization of rubber mounts through an enhanced virtual point transformation
Presenter: Bart Forrier
Tuesday, February 11 @ 3:10 p.m.
Component-based Transfer Path Analysis (TPA) and Virtual Prototype Assembly technology are changing the way vehicles are designed and studied to optimize their NVH performance. By characterizing and assembling individual components, the overall NVH behavior can be predicted and studied, without the need for building physical prototypes. Virtual Point Transformation (VPT) is a critical enabler for this technology, but it is only valid under the assumption that the interface behaves rigidly.
By interacting with customers and colleagues, Bart Forrier and his colleagues from our research and development division discovered that rubber mounts are particularly sensitive to this problem. They consequently investigated the possibility to include interface flexibility in the VPT formulation with the aim of extending the frequency range in which the resulting FRF are reliable. After an initial numerical validation, the team experimentally demonstrated that this enhanced VPT approach can extend by more than 30% the frequency range in which the transformation is valid.
Preliminary study in modal experimental substructuring for predicting test responses in a multi-axis vibration test rig
Presenter: Rúben Araújo
Wednesday, February 12 @ 9:00 a.m.
The ability to confidently predict a critical test article’s response under complex multi-axial loading is crucial for assessing test performance and ensuring the safety of both the test item and the hardware. For this reason, Rúben Araújo is focusing in his PhD on Virtual Shaker Testing techniques, which use a combination of experimentally-derived and numerical models to virtually replicate as precisely as possible the test environment.
In this presentation, Rúben focuses on the use of modal-based experimental substructuring techniques to couple a 4-axis test-rig to the Box Assembly with Removable Component (BARC) structure, highlighting the challenges of deriving reliable modal models and coupling them.

Cutting-edge experimental techniques

Expanding single frequency excitations to piecewise bandwidth excitations for low-speed cameras vision-based vibration measurements
Presenter: Davide Mastrodicasa
Thursday, February 13 @ 11:30 a.m.
“Our theme this year, Lights, Camera, IMAC!, highlights recent advances in optical measurement methods such as digital image correlation, laser Doppler vibrometry, photogrammetry and the associated technologies.“ Matt Allen, IMAC Conference Director.
Davide Mastrodicasa, our expert in the use of camera for vibration testing, will be there to share the valuable findings the team at Siemens Digital Industries Software achieved on this fascinating theme. In this presentation, he will showcase how cost-effective low-speed cameras can be smartly used to enable high-frequency measurement. In particular, by using this technique he extracted modes above 800 Hz, by sampling images at around 80 fps.
Fatigue damage detection in metal lattice structures using acoustic resonance testing
Presenter: Giancarlo Kososva
Monday, February 10 @ 10:00 a.m.
Our team at Siemens Digital Industries Software had the pleasure of collaborating with the brilliant minds at the MetaMat Lab of Politecnico di Milano. Having mastered nearly everything conventional, they decided to push the limits and venture into the world of unconventional geometries, like lattice structures!
They explored the use of the Acoustic Resonance Testing, available in our Simcenter Anovis platform, to detect fatigue damage in metal lattice structures by tracking changes in the acoustic resonance spectrum. And trust us, they achieved some truly impressive results!


Online merging of measurements from multiple hammers to extend the FRFs frequency range
Presenter: Simone Manzato
Tuesday, February 11 @ 9:20 a.m.
Last but not least, Simone Manzato, Product Manager for Structural Testing Solutions, will showcase the brand new capabilities of Impact Acquisition in Simcenter Testlab Neo, helping test engineers acquire high quality FRFs much faster than before. In particular, the new AI-assisted Smart Hit Selection function thoroughly evaluates each hit (in real-time) and decides whether to qualify it for final averaging. He will explain that this is a 2-stage process, and only the hits that pass both stages will be included in the final averaging, guaranteeing top quality results.
Mark your calendars for this unmissable event, we can’t wait to dive into the insightful discussions and groundbreaking discoveries! And don’t forget, you are warmly invited to visit us at booths 111 and 113!