Ansys Rocky
Ansys Rocky is a particle dynamics simulation software that uses the discrete element method (DEM) to model and analyze the behavior of granular materials and particle flows. The platform enables engineers to simulate realistic particle shapes, including non-spherical particles, fibers, shells, and complex material interactions. Ansys Rocky leverages multi-GPU processing technology to accelerate large-scale simulations while maintaining high levels of accuracy. The software includes advanced capabilities such as wear prediction, particle breakage modeling, cohesion analysis, CFD coupling, FEA coupling, and multibody dynamics simulation. Engineers can use the platform to study particle movement, material handling, mixing, separation, and equipment performance across a wide range of industries.
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LIGGGHTS
LIGGGHTS is an open source Discrete Element Method particle simulation tool for modeling particulate materials, with a focus on industrial granular and granular heat-transfer simulations. LIGGGHTS stands for “LAMMPS improved for general granular and granular heat transfer simulations,” and it builds on the LAMMPS molecular dynamics platform to extend DEM capabilities toward practical industrial applications. It can be used to simulate systems where material behavior emerges from the motion, collision, friction, cohesion, heat transfer, and interaction of individual particles. It is suitable for analyzing powders, grains, bulk solids, particulate flows, packed beds, conveying systems, mixing processes, hopper discharge, material handling, and other granular systems where particle-scale behavior matters. LIGGGHTS is currently used by research institutions and companies worldwide for the simulation of particulate materials, especially where open source flexibility.
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Simcenter EDEM
Simcenter EDEM is a high-performance Discrete Element Method tool for bulk material and particle simulation, designed to give engineers crucial insight into how granular materials interact with handling equipment across a range of operating and process conditions. It accurately simulates and analyzes the behavior of coal, ores, soils, fibers, grains, tablets, powders, rocks, crops, and other real-world materials. Users can get started quickly with extensive pre-calibrated material model libraries representing rocks, ores, soils, and powders, while validated physics models support dry, sticky, compressible, and more complex material behaviors. Simcenter EDEM can simulate complex, industry-scale particle systems involving many millions of particles with fast and scalable compute performance across CPU, GPU, and multi-GPU solvers.
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PFC (Particle Flow Code)
PFC, or Particle Flow Code, is a general-purpose distinct-element modeling framework available as two- and three-dimensional programs, PFC2D and PFC3D. It is designed to simulate synthetic granular and solid materials as assemblies of variably sized rigid particles, including disks, spheres, rigidly connected clumps, and convex polygons or polyhedra. It provides an efficient and flexible way to model the motion, interaction, breakage, flow, deformation, and failure of particle systems across geomechanics, mining, civil engineering, materials processing, and industrial design. PFC is especially useful for problems where the behavior of a material emerges from particle-level contacts, bonding, friction, rearrangement, fracture, or flow rather than from a continuous mesh. Users can represent bonded materials such as rock, concrete, or cemented soil, as well as loose granular materials such as sand, gravel, ballast, ore, powders, and grains.
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