Neper-3D-CAE: The Interface Script between Neper and Abaqus for Polycrystalline Modeling Used in Crystal Plasticity Simulation

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Mehran Araghi 1
Ali Nayebi 1
Hojjatollah Rokhgireh 2
1 Solid Mechanics Department, Mechanical Engineering School, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Larestan, Lar, Iran
10.22055/jacm.2025.48554.5322
Abstract
Neper-3D-CAE is a Python script that seamlessly converts polycrystalline tessellations from Neper into fully partitioned Abaqus CAE models for crystal plasticity finite-element simulations (CPFEM). The tool accommodates any number of grains, arbitrary grain-face topologies, and curved external boundaries without manual intervention. Its versatility is demonstrated using representative volume elements: a cubic sample containing a central cylindrical void with 41 Voronoi grains, and microstructures comprising 10, 50, and 100 grains. Meshes produced in Abaqus CAE faithfully reproduce Neper’s reference geometries, enabling straightforward stress–strain analyses under complex loading. Neper-3D-CAE bridges a critical gap in CPFEM preprocessing, streamlining microstructure-informed simulations and accelerating research in crystal plasticity and additive manufacturing.
Keywords
Crystal plasticity
Polycrystalline microstructure
Python interface
CPFEM
Voronoi tessellation
Subjects

Publisher’s Note Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Journal of Applied and Computational Mechanics

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 08 November 2025