In early 2020, we launched the SIMULIA Champions program. The 2020 SIMULIA Champions are the inaugural team of simulation experts, whose expertise and passion position them to advance the future of simulation technology. In this series of blogs, we introduce some of our individual SIMULIA Champions, finding out more about their history – and future – with the technology.
Stefanie Feih is a Senior Scientist and Group Manager for the Polymer Processing Group at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s (A*STAR) Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech). The institute is home to more than 400 employees and has a large manufacturing process division. Feih’s group focuses on lightweight high performance materials for fiber-reinforced polymer structures or polymer-based structures covering a range of advanced manufacturing processes. The group supports small and medium-sized enterprises, large local enterprises and multinational corporations in Singapore, targeting aerospace, marine and biomedical industry sectors.
Feih and her team are currently working on making polymer technologies more industrially sustainable by linking their processing technology with simulation tools and digitalizing their processes, optimizing them for sustainability purposes and efficiency. Abaqus is one of the software tools they use for process and performance simulation, particularly for additive manufacturing. Feih herself has been working with Abaqus since she completed her 1998 undergraduate thesis at the Technical University of Darmstadt. She used the software for her Ph.D. at Cambridge University as well after receiving a Master’s Degree from Cornell University.
Feih’s experience with Abaqus includes nonlinear analysis, explicit analysis, material failure models, and impact analysis, mostly for composite structures with composite failure models but also metallic structures with ductile failure models. In recent years, she has been using the software for process simulation and reliability studies for additive manufacturing.
Before joining SIMTech, Feih worked at the National Laboratory Risø in Denmark, where she was a colleague of fellow SIMULIA Champion Lars Pilgaard Mikkelsen, and RMIT University in Australia. An interest in math and physics led her to decide on a career in engineering.
“I’ve been very happy with the decision to combine chemistry, math and physics for my studies, and I use these skills on a daily basis,” she says.
One of the aspects of her daily work that Feih finds most inspiring is striking a balance between theoretical and practical engineering. She uses a combination of simulation and experimentation to guide her conclusions and describes the synergy of the two as rewarding when both approaches come together and result in advanced insight.
Her team has managed to reduce the weight of certain components by 20 percent to 30 percent while improving overall performance.
“Generally, engineering structures are very much overdesigned,” she says. “When we manage to achieve those weight savings and our clients actually manufacture their products, followed by testing and certification, that’s a fantastic moment and a great feeling.”
Outside of work, Feih enjoys fishing and biking, including mountain biking, and walking her dog.
SIMULIA is pleased to welcome Stefanie Feih into the 2020 SIMULIA Champions program and excited to continue working with her in the future. Stay tuned to the blog to learn more about our other 2020 SIMULIA Champions.
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