{"id":63107,"date":"2025-01-15T11:10:24","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T16:10:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/?p=63107"},"modified":"2026-03-26T06:43:58","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T10:43:58","slug":"virtual-damage-sensor-a-new-smart-tool-to-measure-machine-failure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/virtual-damage-sensor-a-new-smart-tool-to-measure-machine-failure\/","title":{"rendered":"Virtual Damage Sensor: A new smart tool to measure machine failure\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Isambard’s Story Chapter Six -Smart Virtual Damage Sensors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Following Ismbard\u2019s<\/a> success in using Simcenter 3D<\/a> Smart Virtual Sensing to predict loads for the strength and fatigue analysis by combining test and simulation, the seamlessly integrated workflow optimized the working efficiency of his entire team. This approach also inspired the possibility of “measuring the unmeasurable” on a larger scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meet Jessika<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Isambard\u2019s colleague, Jessika, a mechanical structural engineer, was very interested in this new capability. Jessika wanted to analyze potential damage in all possible load scenarios to validate the design. Although she knows the basics of durability analysis, she is not as expert as Isambard. Her main goal is to design and validate the mechanical structure under both static and dynamic loads, ideally including operational loads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Isambard, she learned that by using smart virtual sensing, she could obtain operational loads for durability analysis. For Jessika\u2019s study, the remaining useful lifetime information is the most valuable. She started using the durability specialist tool, which provided all the information she needed, but for daily analysis, she was looking for a simpler and even more integrated method. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The old problem<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Traditionally, strain gauges are instrumented to prototypes to perform durability testing and validation. The challenge for Jessika was that critical damage often occurs in areas where it is difficult or impossible to get direct strain measurements due to geometry limitation. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The new idea<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For load prediction, Simcenter 3D Smart Virtual Sensing can use just a few strain gauges in easily accessible locations to predict operational loads. Jessika wondered if this approach could be extended to measure unmeasurable loads and predict structural failures. She sought advice from Isambard. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Isambard remembered a video about the new feature in Simcenter 3D Smart Virtual Sensing 2412, which provides a virtual damage sensor. He realized that this feature could help Jessika with her challenge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The workflow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

 The video also described the workflow to achieve this goal: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Step 1: <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Use Simcenter 3D Smart Virtual Sensing Optimal Sensor Placement to determine where to place the physical strain gauges <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Optimal<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"testing
Parallel instrumentation with Simcenter SCADAS RS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Step 2: <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Perform physical testing using Simcenter SCADAS and obtain strain measurements with operational loads. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Step 3: <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Predict operational loads by feeding the measurements and the reduced-order finite element model into Simcenter 3D Smart Virtual Sensing. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Plot<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Image<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Step 4: <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Complete the durability study in Specialist Durability by connecting it to the Smart Virtual Sensing events. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Step 5: <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Perform a durability study and figure out where the potential damage area is. (Step 4 and 5 are a recommended but optional way to find the critical areas)  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"results<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"In<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Step 6: <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Put virtual damage sensors on the potential damage area and run the smart virtual sensing solution to get damage information in the selected locations <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The results<\/h2>\n\n\n\n


As a result, Jessika can obtain the remaining useful lifetime, accumulated damage history, and damage increments, which explain the root cause of the damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"results<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jessika followed the instructions and was able to successfully analyze the damage of her structure. She was impressed with the results and realized that the smart virtual damage sensor is a valuable tool for design and validation. It provides a practical way to measure damage and assess the remaining useful life in critical locations.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She thanked Isambard for introducing her to this powerful new capability. Together they figured out that by making the damage sensor real-time, Jessika could also implement predictive maintenance. This will allow her to identify potential issues before they occur, thus avoiding costly downtime. This will also help optimize maintenance task scheduling and potentially reduce large safety factors included in worst-case scenarios. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Isambard’s story blog series<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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1- Meet Isambard<\/a> – Strength and fatigue analysis in Simcenter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2- Isambard learns to use Wizards<\/a> – strength and fatigue adhering to the FKM guidelines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3- More on templates and wizards to improve the life of Isambard<\/a> – Assess your fatigue analysis<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4- Isambard introduces strength and fatigue in different workflows<\/a> – Strength and fatigue analysis wizard guides you to the results <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5- Isambard’s great quest<\/a> – Predict loads for strength and fatigue analysis<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Simcenter Mechanical 2412<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Discover what else is new in the Simcenter Mechanical Solution 2412 release in our highlights blog<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Simcenter Mechanical 2412 highlights<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Title<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Free Trial<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Click the button and you can have a 30 day free trial of Simcenter 3D<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Simcenter 3D Free Trial<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Meet Isambard’s new friend Jessika, as they discover a new way of predicting their machinery’s end of life with damage sensors. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29611,"featured_media":63229,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spanish_translation":"","french_translation":"","german_translation":"","italian_translation":"","polish_translation":"","japanese_translation":"","chinese_translation":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,179],"tags":[243,82,572,63892,17763,18629,86,63710],"industry":[],"product":[577,34323],"coauthors":[63711,18475,5705],"class_list":["post-63107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-product-updates","tag-computer-aided-engineering-cae","tag-digital-twin","tag-durability","tag-isambards-story","tag-simcenter-3d","tag-simcenter-mechanical","tag-simulation","tag-smart-virtual-sensing","product-simcenter-3d","product-simcenter-3d-solutions"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/01\/Smart-durability-sensor-v3.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29611"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63107"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63595,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63107\/revisions\/63595"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63107"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=63107"},{"taxonomy":"product","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product?post=63107"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=63107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}