Category: Release

SDT 7.5 posted

For download, demos, … see here

SDT 7.5 is compatible with MATLAB 9.4 (2018b) to 24.1 (2024a). In the base and FEMLink modules, key changes of this release are

  • To answer customer requests on making numerical and test processes accessible through GUI, revision and extension work has continued. In particular
    • for the tabs Ident identification of modal tests, MAC shape correlation, MDRE expansion, Report automated report generation.
    • This is enabled by the continued rewrite of the SDT handle and sdtm allowed implementation of generic utilities transversely used in SDT. urn resolutions for object search urnObj. Callback and string formatting urn_fmt are now more explicitly documented. User readability of parameters is better supported using vhandle.uo objects. Integration of graphical tables is now uniformly supported by vhandle.tab.
    • code was made compatible with the deployment of GUI using the MATLAB Compiler and Runtime license.
  • Parametric superelement/reduced model handling continues to be a key capability that differentiates SDT from other software. The latest developments are
    • uniformisation efforts to render SDT a FEM code neutral import form the major software (NASTRAN, ANSYS, Abaqus, …). This has driven recent FEMLink developments of nasread, ans2sdt, abaqus, and documentation efforts SeImport.
    • to answer the need to efficiently animate models in tens of million of DOF and deal with confidentiality issues, new level-set based model selections for display as plane cuts combinations for feplot, see selcut.
    • GUI interactions between state-space building fe2ss  frequency response computations qbode, and state-animation have been notably extended.
    • ability to use superelements in test-analysis correlation processes
    • parametric superelements deal with reduced models with stiffness, complex modulus, mass, thickness, … aggregated in element groups zCoef or distributed in non-linearities NLdata.
    • Integration of parameter inputs in abaqus for SDT compatible types.
    • for large FEM, DOE, JobH applications, out-of-core functionalities have been thoroughly revised and extended. Revision of sdthdfmethods for HDF5 support with optimized read/write capabilities and improved robustness. Implementation of omat object for out-of-core numerical data handling, supporting several underlying file strategies (extended v6, low level HDF5 or high level MATLAB builtin commands HDF5).
    • job generation and monitoring for abaqus, combined with module SDT/JobH
    • cases reduced using nominal periodicity and extendend to variable properties  [2, 3, 4, 5]
  • In relation to the experimental vibration applications
    • ufread and fe_sens support better channel label translation
    • on the experimental modal analysis side, the handling of parametric tests (dependence on temperature, loading, amplitude, …)
  • To support of the development of efficient custom solvers
    • low level optimization associated with time integration continued with performance optimization in vhandle.matrix, viscoelastic transient models, …
    • Contact support for ans2sdt and abaqus, combined with SDT/Contact, or translated as MPC.
    • Moving contact of surfaces was notably extended for the simulation of rail-wheel contact problems.
  • Piezo capabilities for active control and SHM applications, were continued and the associated documentation (https://www.sdtools.com/help/piezo.pdf) will be updated soon.

SDT 7.3 posted

The major revision 7.2 was only made available as a beta version, with the stable version skipped due COVID related constraints.

SDT 7.3 is the only version fully compatible with MATLAB 9.4 (2018b) to 9.8 (2020a) mostly due to changes in the representation of complex numbers in MATLAB. Key changes of this release are

  • a major rewrite of the SDT handle object with major impact on GUI performance and compatibility with expect future changes in MATLAB GUI. sdth.urn provides a general mechanism for Uniform Resource Names which can now be used to designate and select many GUI or model components.
  • the introduction of the +vhandle package of classes to upgrade earlier functionality implemented in v_handle. In particular, vhandle.matrix provides a user readable access point to C libraries linked into the mkl_utils mex file corresponding to matrix like operators, but with possible parallel or initialization/repeated call (called inspector/executor by INTEL) optimization. This has provided speedup factors between 2 and 100 for a range of high performance time computations using both implicit or explicit time schemes. The SDT/nlsim token may be required for calls to the nl_solve diagNewmark solver (non-linear time domain transients in modal coordinates) and to the nl_solve expNewmark (explicit time solver). The vhandle.chandle object is used to provide init/call separation for non matrix like objects.
  • on the experimental modal analysis side, the handling of parametric tests (dependence on temperature, loading, amplitude, …)

For femlink the main changes were related to GUI and superelement import. For MATLAB compatibility see section 1.10.2.

SDT 7.4 posted

SDT 7.4 is the only version fully compatible with MATLAB 9.4 (2018b) to 9.12 (2022a) mostly due to changes in the representation of complex numbers in MATLAB. Key changes of this release are

  • the introduction of the +vhandle package of classes to upgrade earlier functionality implemented in v_handle. In particular, vhandle.matrix provides a user readable access point to C libraries linked into the mkl_utils mex file corresponding to matrix like operators, but with possible parallel or initialization/repeated call (called inspector/executor by INTEL) optimization. This has provided speedup factors between 2 and 100 for a range of high performance time computations using both implicit or explicit time schemes. The SDT/nlsim token may be required for calls to the nl_solve diagNewmark solver (non-linear time domain transients in modal coordinates) and to the nl_solve expNewmark (explicit time solver). The vhandle.chandle object is used to provide init/call separation for non matrix like objects.
  • on the experimental modal analysis side, the handling of parametric tests (dependence on temperature, loading, amplitude, …)
  • full rewrite of fluid structure interaction implementation in fsc. Added Transmission Loss and Rayleigh integral computation capabilities.

SDT 7.1 released

SDT 7.1 is the only version fully compatible with MATLAB 9.4 (2018b) to 9.6 (2019a) mostly due to changes in the representation of complex numbers in MATLAB. Key changes of this release are

    • A continued effort in making the experimental modal analysis part of SDT section 2.2 fully accessible without any script is nearly complete. Functions however obviously remain accessible from the command line to users will to learn how to use them. The associated docks Id (for experimental modal analysis see section 2.2), CoTopo (topology correlation see section 3.1) and CoShape (test/FEM correlation see section 3.2) have been extended and tutorials have been introduced.
    • A major effort was put on the documentation. The new structuration of demos into tutorials helps training. You can for example see tutorials in various files with d_mesh(‘tuto’), gartid(‘tuto’), d_cor(‘tuto’), d_cms(‘tuto’), …. Equations are now shown as SVG files which improves readability, but may pose problems on some older versions of MATLAB where the help browser does not support SVG.
    • We are still working with the MathWorks on improving reliability of the help browser. To bypass some bugs, you may have to change default location where the help is shown using sdtdef(‘browser-SetPref’,‘-helpbrowser’) or sdtdef(‘browser-SetPref’,‘-webbrowser’). For clickable areas of SVG figures, use Ctrl-Click to open in a new window or right-click and select Open in a new tab.

Outside improved robustness of the GUI, key changes for FEMLink are

    • ans2sdt extended BDF reading in particular for orthotropic materials and substructure export (to ease superelement import). Job submission integration is now supported as a consulting project feature.
    • nasread compatibility with NX Nastran BGSET and BSURFS cards. Documentation of superelement (see d_cms(‘TutoNasCb’)). Performance of MAT9 and set reading.
    •  abaqus significant .inp reading improvements *distribution,*hyperelastic, set handling, … Performance of large .fil reading. Robustness and performance enhancements of resolve commands. Introduction of a .dat reading framework for customer use, with complex modes output reading support.

You can download SDT 7.1 from www.sdtools.com/faq/Release.html

SDT 7.0 released

SDT 7.0 is now released.

SDT 7.0 is the only version compatible with MATLAB 9.2 (2017a), 9.3 (2017b) and 9.4 (2018b) mostly due to ongoing improvements of MATLAB graphics. Key changes of this release are

  • A full rewrite and major extension of modal analysis graphical interfaces and documentation detailed in section 2.2. Step-by-step tutorials, such as  section 2.2.1, include buttons of the form Run which you can use to execute a step. LSCF and stabilization diagrams are now supported.
  • The new notion of docks corresponds to MATLAB docks where multiple figures are combined for a typical use. Currently supported docks are
    • Id : for experimental modal analysis see section 2.2
    • TestFEM : topology correlation see section 3.1
    • MAC : test/FEM correlation see ii_mac.
  • A major update of SDT GUI with most existing tabs ported to Java mode and necessary in docks. You can set the default tab to Java mode using sdtdef(‘JavaUI’,1) or turn it off with sdtdef(‘JavaUI’,0). User documentation of tabs can be found in section 8.2. Developer level documentation of GUI functions is now included in section 8.
  • Use sdtweb(‘feplot’,‘webbrowser’) to bypass the not yet fixed MATLAB bug where the links within pages are not called appropriately.

Key changes for FEMLink are

  • ans2sdt improved import of .cdb and support of contacts.
  • nasread Direct import of EXTESOUT output to SDT superelement format. Continued enhancements of bulk and op2 reading. Initial support of .op2 format writing of responses.
  • abaqus continued enhancements of .INP reading in particular for composites and superelements, contact, … Significant writing enhancements.
  • GUI import of models is supported with the FEMLink tab, section 8.2.2.

You can download SDT 7.0 from www.sdtools.com/faq/Release.html