The world’s first online DEM literature database has reached the milestone of up to 5000 users in its first year and now features 4000 abstracts of papers on Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulation technology that are available to the worldwide industry and academic audience.

Created and maintained by Discrete Element Method specialist DEM Solutions, the extensive digital library was designed to be a user friendly database and is searchable by title, author, keywords, publisher, and year of publication. Full references are provided as well as links to publisher’s websites.

The most popular papers so far have featured information on DEM simulation, mixing, grinding, segregation, comminution, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This simulation technology is a growing field of interest as in the last 10 years. The number of publications related to DEM has expanded three fold with an average of 400 papers now published each year.

“The level of response in the first year shows that the DEM literature database is a valuable resource for anyone interested to know more about DEM technology, key application areas in various industries, and engineering disciplines,” said Ian Williamson, DEM Solutions VP of sales & marketing. “The key facility also allows users to keep up to date with the latest developments in the field. With around 400 visitors per month, it has become a key resource across the industry and academic world.”

DEM Solutions created and developed the database in 2013 and recently featured the 4000th abstract, which is on the subject of tablet coating in a pan coater. The database references papers where commercially available DEM software, such as EDEM, are used, as well as open-source DEM software and in-house DEM code. It also includes papers where DEM is being coupled with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA) to investigate multiphase systems.

 “We are seeing increasing use of DEM coupled with other CAE tools such CFD, FEA and MBD for simulating complex multi-physics applications,” said Williamson. “We want to meet the needs of the wider DEM community and will continue to expand the interfacing capability of our EDEM software platform to allow co-simulation with all the major CAE tools.”

DEM Solutions would like to encourage the ongoing support of the DEM community to ensure the database stays up to date and references as many DEM papers as possible. Researchers are invited to send details of their published DEM papers to [email protected] for inclusion in the database. The DEM literature database is open to all and can be accessed on www.dem-solutions.com

For related articles, news, and equipment reviews, visit our Equipment Zones