M4 ENGINEERING INC

Founded in 2001, M4 Engineering M4 Engineering combines expertise in structures and composites, multidisciplinary analysis and optimization (MDAO), and state of the art software development capabilities to save time and reduce the cost associated with analyzing high performance structures and systems typically found in aerospace, automotive, construction, theme park attractions, and energy production including wind, oil, and coal.  Through grants provided by the SBIR/STTR programs, M4 develops world-class software applications for enhanced consulting services and direct customer access via commercial licensing. Additionally, our team can create new strategic software applications for commercial clients seeking to simplify existing engineering processes.

BondPredict:

An Abaqus-based software tool that guides practicing engineers thru all steps for creating and using efficient bond models for new and existing polymer-based adhesives.  It utilizes a best-in-class polymer model and enables cohesive zone modeling approaches with a limited number of physical experiments needed for material characterization and fracture definition.  This tool enables bonded joint design and analysis and failure post-mortem examination for bonds under complex loadings and environments, including accurate polymer adhesive response with compressive effects on failure, along with full temperature/moisture conditions and histories.  The tool is integrated into Abaqus/CAE and includes a linked compiled numerical library for utilization in Abaqus/Standard.

Panel Designer:

An Isight + Abaqus based design tool for tow steered composite panels augmented with curvilinear stiffeners is being developed.  Prior research developments by the project team will be leveraged in creating a computationally efficient design optimization methodology.  Critical to practical success will be the inclusion of realistic manufacturing constraints for achievable fiber tow paths with reasonable manufacturing times.  Different parameterizations with user-specified flexibility for increasing design degree of freedoms will be implemented for optimizing fiber angles directly in the primary top-level optimization. Constraints on primary fiber path parameters to enforce manufacturability will implemented. Computational efficiency will be achieved using efficient reduced order models within the optimization.  In order to deliver a capability that is primed for widespread utilization, an intuitive easy-to-use GUI interface which is integrated with Abaqus/CAE and Isight Gateway will be implemented.

Lung Blast Modeler:

A set of sophisticated Abaqus-based models for assessing human lung response to underwater explosion is being developed for consulting and licensing. High-fidelity models including all critical blast response features including organ-to-organ and organ-to-bone interactions are being created.  By providing a means for assessing potential injury risk, such models will have application for a wide range of scenarios involving underwater explosions including explosive ordnance disposal, as well as underwater construction and demolition. Other situations where divers may encounter hydrodynamically propagated shock waves such as for seismic response of the sea floor or construction pile driving would benefit as well. The models will provide a means to investigate various event scenarios to determine likelihood of injury, as well as safe stand-off distances. Finally, these models also could aid post-event forensics, especially for cases where sufficient direct medical data had not been collected. Additional models appropriate for assessing the injury risks to marine mammals and diving birds can be developed and marketed to help determine the potential environmental impact of planned activities involving underwater explosions.