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Virtual development in the automotive industry like other development processes is always under pressure to improve the processes to save time and costs. In addition, the analyses should include optimization techniques to get the best relation between weight and stiffness. But it emerges that vibration analysis must also be included in the optimization at the same time. So, the situation in virtual development can be characterized by severe time constraints and a need to increase the complexity of the analysis and the processes. One possible solution for these conflicting positions is to improve the processes and methods for structural optimization and the meshing for fluid structure analysis.

Virtual development in the area of structural analysis is often divided in two different parts. First part is static analysis, second part is vibration analysis. For both parts the simulation is done by Finite Element (FE) analysis. In static analysis contact is the most frequently occurring nonlinear effect in mechanical engineering. Any assembly of parts contain one or more contact surfaces, where some parts are connected by bolts, rivets, or any other joint technology. Linear vibration analysis, based on modal methods, is defined for linear models, without contact, only. Methods are needed that derive a linear model from a nonlinear model with contact by taking into account the loaded state of the structure for the contact. Integration analysis merges linear and nonlinear simulation by an automatic method. Connections at closed contacts are frozen. For some applications also the state of friction is taken into account to define damping for vibration analysis.