STRUCTURAL SIMULATION FOR

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS DESIGN

Virtual testing including assembly stress, bending, drop
and water resistance
Consumers of smart mobile devices place conflicting demands on design and engineering teams:
smartphones, computers and fitness trackers need to be strong enough to withstand the rigors
of everyday life, like being pushed into pockets and sat on, or being knocked and dropped. At the
same time, the devices need to be affordable, durable, lightweight, stylish and feel good in the
hand.
These sometimes conflicting requirements necessitate trade-offs, careful balancing and innovative
approaches to optimize all the different factors. Our white paper will show how structural
simulation accelerates the design of stronger, more resilient devices, and how products can be
tested virtually without a physical prototype. Drop tests, stress tests, bending tests and splash
tests are among the protocols that can be replicated in SIMULIA’s simulation tools.
Simulation cuts development time and cost, and allows device designs to be evaluated much
earlier in the design process, reducing the risk of problems being discovered late in development
or emerging only after the device has entered the market. The innovative designs, faster
development cycles, and reputation for quality that simulation promotes, help manufacturers
stand out in a crowded market. Simulation can also reduce in-service device failures resulting in
lower warranty costs and protection of brand reputation, while helping meet sustainability and
“right to repair” targets.

THE CHALLENGES OF HIGH-TECH DESIGN

The smartphone is a constant companion for an ever-increasing number of people. Mobile devices
really are mobile: they accompany us while working, travelling, exercising, cooking and eating,
in all weather conditions. Fifty percent of all smartphone users have cracked their screen at least
once,[1] and after shattered screens, liquid ingress is the second most common cause of damage.
[2] Smartwatches and other fitness trackers even need to be able to function underwater in
bathtubs, swimming pools, and the ocean.
As a result, manufacturers are increasingly promoting the strength and water-resistance of their
devices to out-perform in the market.[2] Creating products that can withstand the stresses of daily
use increases the manufacturer’s reputation for quality and reduces the risk of costly warranty
repairs. Identifying improved processes and materials can increase product sustainability and the
manufacturer’s green credentials.
However, at the same time, customers demand devices that are lightweight, affordable and
aesthetically attractive. Current trends often mean narrow bezels and thin designs. These features
make the devices more likely to bend under stress and to shatter when dropped. There are also
numerous materials inside, with different failure modes—from glass that can chip or shatter, to
solder joints and adhesives that can undergo fatigue and creep.
The market for smartphones and other consumer electronics is extremely competitive in every
price segment. Manufacturers need to differentiate themselves among their competitors, and
they must keep up with the rapid pace of innovation. Development cycles need to be as short
as possible—but again without the risk of defects that cause expensive recalls and damage the
manufacturer’s reputation.
This is also a time when customers are increasingly aware of environmental and ethical concerns
in device manufacturing. A sustainable electronics industry requires devices that are built to last
and can be repaired or recycled by users. Manufacturers also need to comply with “right to repair”
regulations being introduced in some markets with repairability ratings and minimum lifespans
for products. France already requires that smartphones, laptops and other devices be graded on
how easy they are to repair, and a reliability and durability index will follow in 2024. Similar
legislation is planned across the European Union and in other jurisdictions.[3]

THE BENEFITS OF STRUCTURAL SIMULATION

The complexity and sheer number of use cases for consumer devices means that physical
testing can be time consuming and expensive. Simulation offers a viable alternative by enabling
engineers to perform virtual testing without a physical prototype. Potential design ideas can be
evaluated faster and earlier in the development process at lower cost.
Design of Experiments (DOE) simulation can perform hundreds or thousands of virtual tests
automatically, analyzing the device systematically across a number of parameters such as
2
glass thickness, corner radius and frame thickness, and varying material properties. DOE allows
exploration of the full design space to find a configuration that can withstand a wide range of
damage scenarios.
Simulation models can be built directly from the MCAD and ECAD design data, bypassing the
middle steps of manufacturing prototypes. Teams working on components such as the camera,
display or battery, can pass their simulation models directly to the system integration team,
allowing test-ready virtual prototypes to be assembled and prepared for simulation quickly.
This accelerates the design process and increases flexibility—if a component is redesigned, the
change can be reflected in the simulation model in real time. Reducing reliance on manufactured
prototypes can significantly cut development costs.
Real-world scenarios that are hard to test in the lab can also be examined with simulation. The
fatigue from many thermal or mechanical cycles or the accumulation of damage from multiple
drops can be calculated quickly. This gives designers increased confidence that their products will
withstand the trials of everyday use.
Modeling and optimizing the lifespan of their products over the course of thousands of cycles or
years of use will become increasingly important for manufacturers as customers and investors
demand sustainability and regulators impose “right to repair” laws that publicly index device
durability.

TYPICAL WORKFLOWS
Assembly stress
Attaching all the components and mounting them inside a case introduces assembly stresses
into the system. If not accounted for in subsequent simulations, these stresses can result in early
failures and weaken the device.
The inputs are the 3D geometries of all the different parts, stresses from manufacturing and
the loads of the bolts, clamps, and adhesives that hold the components together. The outputs
include the deformation contour, Von Mises stress contour and plastic strain contour—if stress
exceeds prescribed limits, these are highlighted and the root cause of the problem can be quickly SIMULATION OF A
discovered and redesigned. DROP TEST
Drop test Structural simulation of a drop test
for a consumer electronic device can
Accidental drops are a fact of life. Consumers expect that their devices will survive minor drops
replace many prototype physical
without significant damage such as cracked screens or deformation of the casing. There are
tests. The simulation can account
numerous ways a device can be dropped—from different heights and different angles onto
for the pre-stresses induced in both
various surfaces.
the assembly and manufacturing
processes.
Time duration for a drop test is
measured in fractions of seconds.
This requires the use of an Explicit
solution algorithm to model the
shock waves travelling through the
mobile device. Each component
within the device is subjected to
accelerations and transient stresses.
The simulation can compute the
stresses, deformations, failure
modes and damage for the drop
event. Additionally, this simulation
can be used as the starting
point for another drop test to
replicate accumulated damage
due to multiple drops in different
orientations.
Drop Test Design of Experiments (DOE) process.

3
The expected outcome of drop testing is a design that is robust enough to withstand everyday
drops while remaining slim and lightweight. In order to do this, design parameters such as
material composition, thickness of screen glass, thickness of back cover, thickness of frame,
corner radius and width of screen protector lining are varied using the DOE methodology. The
results include the deformation contour, Von Mises stress contour and plastic strain contour, as
well as a 3D visualization of deformation and cracking.

Three-point bending
One particular cause of damage to smartphones is bending in the user’s pocket when sitting
down. This not only affects the phone aesthetically, but can damage internal electronics. Several
high profile cases of damage to mobile phones caused by bending have been major news, leading
to reputational damage and class action lawsuits.
The propensity of a product to bend can be tested experimentally by putting it under force
between three metal bars. This test set-up can be recreated virtually with the model passed
from assembly stress simulation. The result of this simulation is the reaction force at the
roller—predicting the maximum force the device can withstand for bending before permanent
deformation or internal damage.
Virtual test of 3 point bending
of mobile phone.

Water-resistance
Not to be confused with waterproofing, water resistance is a
measure of how much water pressure the device can withstand
before its seals leak. This is important for many kinds of devices,
but particularly for smartwatches and other fitness trackers that
can be worn while swimming and need to be able to withstand
being submerged under many meters of water.
The seals and clamps are modeled in the simulation software,
and subjected to a given pressure. The output of the simulation is Simulation of a preloaded water seal
the deformation of the seal and whether it buckled or slipped. If around a mobile device button.
deformation is large enough to allow water ingress, the seal can be
redesigned.
In addition to the static water pressure simulation, the dynamic
situation can be simulated—for example a swimmer’s arms are
hitting the water at a certain velocity which may increase the
dynamic pressure. Simulation demonstrating seal failure.

4
SIMULIA STRUCTURAL SIMULATION FEATURES
The SIMULIA brand of Dassault Systèmes offers consumer electronics and mechanical engineers
the structural simulation tools they need to meet these challenges. Workflows for assembly
stress, drop test, three-point bending analysis, and water immersion quickly give designers the
KPIs they need to make informed decisions.
Support for high-performance computing (HPC) and cloud computing means that accurate, high-
fidelity simulations can be performed quickly. From a CAD model of a smartphone, for instance,
a drop test can be simulated and the results obtained rapidly.
The 3DEXPERIENCE® platform links SIMULIA’s structural simulation tools with other simulation
disciplines, such as electromagnetics for antenna placement and electronics analysis, and
fluids for air cooling. This means that different engineering teams can collaborate on the same
simulation model and work together to find solutions to multi-disciplinary challenges—for
example, if electromagnetic simulation reveals a metal part is affecting antenna performance,
structural simulation can be used to investigate whether the part can be redesigned or replaced
with a different material without affecting strength.

MODELING AND SIMULATION—THE BENEFITS OF CO-DESIGN

MODSIM is the integration of modeling and simulation in an integrated environment.
Combining the two can accelerate the entire development process by allowing potential
issues to be identified much sooner and giving design engineers insight into how their
product works.
To demonstrate the benefit of MODSIM, a multidisciplinary study between structural
performance and antenna performance was performed during the development of our
mobile phone model. The structural team used an aluminum internal frame for rigidity.
This frame was found to attenuate the antenna signal significantly. As a result the
frame was modified to an ABS plastic material. The antenna performance was verified
to meet requirements, but the loss of rigidity resulted in a fracturing of the display in
the drop test performance. Subsequent modification of the display retaining structure
enabled achieving the structural KPI’s while retaining antenna performance.
This multidisciplinary study was enabled by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform where the
CAD geometry updates were available to both simulation groups.

SUMMARY
Drops onto hard floors, bending in pockets, splashes and spills—there are many risks to mobile
devices. SIMULIA’s structural simulation tools allow engineers to model stresses and strains and
understand how the device withstands impacts and water pressure. Products can be optimized
to improve durability and ensure that reliability targets are met. This can accelerate development,
reduce the warranty costs and the risk of recall, improve brand reputation, and help compliance
with “right to repair” regulations.

[1] “How bad is the cracked smartphone screen epidemic? Motorola gives us the lowdown”,
Robert Nazarian, Digital Trends, https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/motorola-shattershield-
cracked-smartphone-screen-survey/
[2] “A Problem with Mobile Phones That Is No Longer Acceptable (Part I)”, Francisco Jeronimo,
International Data Corporation, https://blog-idcuk.com/a-problem-with-mobile-phones-that-is-
no-longer-acceptable-part-i/
[3] “The French repair index: challenges and opportunities”, Right to Repair, https://repair.eu/
news/the-french-repair-index-challenges-and-opportunities/

5
 or registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes, a French “société européenne” (Versailles Commercial Register # B 322 306 440), or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners. Use of any Dassault
©2021 Dassault Systèmes. All rights reserved. 3DEXPERIENCE, the Compass icon, the 3DS logo, CATIA, BIOVIA, GEOVIA, SOLIDWORKS, 3DVIA, ENOVIA, EXALEAD, NETVIBES, MEDIDATA, CENTRIC PLM, 3DEXCITE, SIMULIA, DELMIA, and IFWE are commercial trademarks
Our 3DEXPERIENCE® platform powers our brand applications, serving 11 industries,

Systèmes or its subsidiaries trademarks is subject to their express written approval.

and provides a rich portfolio of industry solution experiences.
Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, is a catalyst for human progress. We provide business and people with collaborative
virtual environments to imagine sustainable innovations. By creating ‘virtual experience twins’ of the real world with our 3DEXPERIENCE
platform and applications, our customers push the boundaries of innovation, learning and production.

Dassault Systèmes’ 20,000 employees are bringing value to more than 270,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140
countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com.

Europe/Middle East/Africa Asia-Pacific Americas

Dassault Systèmes Dassault Systèmes K.K. Dassault Systèmes
10, rue Marcel Dassault ThinkPark Tower 175 Wyman Street
CS 40501 2-1-1 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Waltham, Massachusetts
78946 Vélizy-Villacoublay Cedex Tokyo 141-6020 02451-1223
France Japan USA