Case Study: Yamaha Motor Company achieves accurate radiator-strength predictions and reduced physical testing with Dassault Systemes' Abaqus FEA (SIMULIA)

Yamaha Motor Company - Customer Case Study

Yamaha Motor Company faced repeated small‑speed tip‑overs that could deform liquid‑cooled off‑road motorcycle radiators and their plastic side covers, and the engineering team wanted to reduce time‑consuming, error‑prone physical testing. To address this, Yamaha turned to Dassault Systemes, using Abaqus FEA from Dassault Systemes’ SIMULIA on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to develop validated virtual tests of radiator and cover behavior.

Using Abaqus FEA, Yamaha built quasi‑static explicit simulations that included strain‑rate sensitivity and fin behavior, calibrated against push‑jig bench tests. The simulations reproduced buckling and overall damage with close correlation—fins were shown to contribute roughly 50% of radiator reaction force, simulation peak loads were about 10% higher for the plastic cover and ~20% higher for the radiator versus tests, and kinetic energy levels confirmed the quasi‑static approach—giving Yamaha confidence to identify optimal countermeasure locations, reduce physical prototyping, and accelerate development of more robust designs with Dassault Systemes’ tools.

Yamaha Motor Company

Masakazu Yamaya

Supervisor, Research & Development Section, Technology Center