{"id":2534,"date":"2022-12-22T07:56:48","date_gmt":"2022-12-22T07:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edrmedeso1.wpenginepowered.com\/article\/ansys-blog-bianchi-takes-the-yellow-jersey-with-simulation\/"},"modified":"2025-02-14T10:23:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T10:23:15","slug":"ansys-blog-bianchi-takes-the-yellow-jersey-with-simulation","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/edrmedeso.com\/article\/ansys-blog-bianchi-takes-the-yellow-jersey-with-simulation\/","title":{"rendered":"Ansys blog – Bianchi Takes the Yellow Jersey with Simulation"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’ve ever watched the Tour de France, you may have wondered just how fast those riders actually go. Naturally, having the right bike is a good start. But what does the right tour bike look like? You might want to ask Bianchi. The Italian bike manufacturer\u2019s team is a force in both the race and the sport. Their riders (and bikes) are some of the best in the world, having enjoyed numerous victories finishing in the top spots.<\/h3>\n

One of the oldest and biggest names in cycling, Bianchi recently began using Ansys software in 2020 on its continued quest to build world-class tour bikes, as well as mountain bikes and e-bikes. In this context, \u201cpassing the test\u201d for Bianchi means finding the right stiffness, aerodynamics, and performance in a safe, ISO-compliant frame design enabled by Ansys simulation.<\/p>\n

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\u201cOur mission is to deliver the best bike in the world,\u201d says Daniel Teran, Product Manager and Design Engineer at Bianchi. \u201cOur analysis depends on what the customer needs. So, if the customer needs performance, then it\u2019s performance. If the customer needs a tour bike, then it should be the best tour bike in the world in terms of comfort or geometry or whatever is needed for that type of bike, which is only achieved by simulation.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A 70% Reduction in Physical Prototypes Helps Drop the Competition<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Bianchi\u2019s core business is producing bicycles for high-performance targets. In this case, the user is a road biker who looks for high-performance bikes with a focus on frame stiffness, weight, and aerodynamics.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe pressures for touring bike design are tied to the competitive nature of road racing,\u201d says Teran. \u201cThe focus is always on designing a lighter, stiffer, faster bike. Those are the three big words in cycling and the biggest engineering challenges we face.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

To this end, Ansys Mechanical<\/a> structural finite element analysis (FEA) software enables Bianchi to simulate viable design solutions in two to three tries, ultimately reducing the number of prototypes needed for safety testing by 70%. This methodology applies to every frame variation they plan to put on the market. A physical sample of every bike is tested, and if a particular sample does not pass, a second, third, or fourth sample is made until all of the necessary modifications have been completed.<\/p>\n

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Bianchi uses Ansys Mechanical to develop and optimize its bike frames as pictured above, from composites materials modeling (left) to structural performance testing for stiffness (right).<\/em><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe need three prototypes for every size bike we make,\u201d says Teran. \u201cIn the past we made basically four modifications to get an acceptable result. With simulation, we know what we have to modify if the frame is not passing, then immediately move on to solve issues. So, most of our frames pass the first time, or in the worst-case scenario, the second. When you\u2019re talking about three separate fatigue tests and two separate impact tests involving two frames, plus one as back-up, the savings can add up to anywhere from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Overall, Bianchi saves approximately 18 months across the entire development chain using simulation software, from initial design to testing and optimization. Going to market earlier means more sales and a greater competitive advantage in an environment characterized by constant change.<\/p>\n

Simulation Puts Riders In the Best Position<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Performance optimization of Bianchi\u2019s racing bikes begins well before race day with Ansys Fluent<\/a>. First, Bianchi engineers study the frameset (frame, seat-post, handlebar, and fork) with dummy components such as wheels and cranks to understand the general behaviour of the sections. In parallel, a 3D scan of the rider\u2019s body is used to obtain a polygonal model, which is imported into Ansys SpaceClaim<\/a> to generate a clean 3D model for further analysis using Fluent.<\/p>\n

In this way, Bianchi can study the behaviour of the new bike, including the presence of the rider. From this series of simulations, the team can further optimize the frame design to find that sweet spot where the frame works in harmony with the rider\u2019s volume for reducing drag force across different yaw angles (the angle between a cyclist\u2019s direction of motion and the relative wind vector, which is a combination of rider speed and ambient wind direction).<\/p>\n

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Bianchi uses Ansys Fluent computational fluid dynamics software to do path lines analysis of traditional handlebars (top, right) versus its OltreZero handlebars (bottom, right).<\/em><\/p>\n