Syncing up with CAD
Thanks to a number of emerging technologies, including relatively inexpensive workstation horsepower, deeper integration with familiar tools like CAD, and the advent of cloud computing, simulation software vendors seem armed with a better plan to make analysis-led design more accessible to mainstream engineers.
Five years ago, a specialist might tie up a workstation for hours to crank out a single simulation for determining the optimal load balance on a structure or part. Today, thanks to multicore processors, multithreading capabilities, and increasing use of graphics processing units in both desktop and laptop systems, those results are available in a matter of minutes, helping reduce iterative development cycles. This opens the door to more frequent use of simulation, making it far less cumbersome to integrate analysis earlier and throughout the design process.
As part of its simulation portfolio, the SolidWorks Flow Simulation CFD tool lets users run what-if scenarios to analyze the effects of fluid flow and heat transfer quickly.
John Buchowski, vice president of product management at PTC, told us cultural shifts have also advanced the cause as more powerful simulation capabilities get folded into 3D CAD tools and, as a result, get put in the hands of the engineers responsible for the design work.
"One of the big changes is that more engineers are actually doing engineering work in the CAD tool," he said. "That's feeding a need to give people actually doing the product design in CAD the capability to evaluate the performance and the ability of their design to satisfy functional requirements, rather than
relying on an outside resource or a physical prototype."
According to Buchowski, giving a CAD-proficient engineer a simplified version of a traditional FEA or CFD tool doesn't go far enough in making simulation mainstream; the engineer still needs to know the tool to get an accurate answer. "They need to choose the right element formation, know when to use linear tests, and all the knowledge around the tool specifically," he said. "On top of that, they still need to be a good engineer and know what kind of results they are looking for. We believe the idea is to make the [simulation capabilities] more robust and make it easier for design engineers to get accurate results."
To achieve that goal, Creo Simulate has been designed with more powerful solvers that add a higher degree of math definition to the model, so engineers or designers can get a predefined answer more quickly, Buchowski said. The tool has also been designed to lead engineers through the simulation process in much the same way they would set up simulation in a physical environment. "The user has to be a good, smart mechanical engineer, but they no longer have to be an expert FEA driver."
Beth, the cost factor is really the main issue. I remember, in the third quarter of the last century of the last millenium, buying the large number crunching computers and analysis software for a spacecraft plant. Of course, simulation of all kinds was done early and often. Money was not much of an issue. On the other hand, the software cost as much as the hardware (almost exactly). And the hardware was much more expensive then.
Making it easier to use is also a big advantage. Even so, the software does not solve the problem for you. It makes it easier to explore more design options and to avoid more prototypes. I have a neighbor, a PhD in Mechanical Engineerin, who was published using one of the major CAE tools. When I asked him about his experience is was somewhat less than enthuastic about it. He did see value in the tool, but the tool does not solve your problem. It still takes time and effort. The tools are just that. They are far superior than not using a tool, but there are still groups that I run into that use their own software for their own model. I see that as a long term risk, but they still do it.
I am intrigued by the cloud model for this. Adapting the algorithms to a cloud environment is a lot of work, but of course you are selling it to a large number of customers. One outcome of that is that the techniques are being used for products like bicycles. In the past, you might have thought that overkill. Not anymore.
Thanks for your input, Naperlou. It is amazing how the cost of the hardware, and hence the software, has come down in price so significantly essentially putting this kind of capability in the hands of the smaller companies like specialty bike manufacturers or sporting goods makers. I completely agree with your comments that the tool can't solve the problem. I think we made it very clear in the piece that you have to understand the engineering problem and the science in order to put these tools to use and get accurate results. Definitely a learned skill set, no doubt.
Great article, Beth. Putting CFD and FEA in the hands of non-specialists is a worthy goal. When I took a couple of classes in FEA in 1976, seasoned engineers would ask me, "What's that?" By now -- 36 years later -- it seems to me we should have been able to find ways to make it accessible to people who have engineering backgrounds, but don't have FEA expertise. Same goes for CFD.
Enjoyed your exploration of the subject Beth. I too see a growing desire among ANSYS customers to drive simulation further up stream in the design process and make simulation tools more accessible to non-specialists. Making the tools easier to use is something that many of us in the industry are focused on, but as Keith points out, it doesn't address all of the challenges. I see a number of best practices emerging in our customer base that both small and large companies can benefit from:
Documenting simulation best practices for specific points in the design process (and for specific products)
Automating simulation workflow – either with off the shelf tools, or through customization to include these best practices
Instituting internal certification and training programs specific to these best practices
Capturing and reusing design knowledge from past designs
@Gregfallon: Thanks so much for those great suggestions. All really good stuff. It definitely puts into perspective that even if the tools are becoming easier to manuveur, this is still hard stuff and new policies, training, and workflows are essential for managing and coordinating simulation initiatives as they move from isolated one-off studies to a more concerted, enterprise effort.
I recently heard a story from a test Engineer. When he failed a design in the lab, the design Engineers told him that his test setup was wrong. He challenged them on that, and they responded, "It has to be wrong, the design passed simulation."
Simulation is a great tool, but its users must understand that it is an approximation. The real world is far more complex, and often takes a design outside what the simulation can handle. The best the simulation can do is detect some of the flaws early. It will never replace thorough testing. It is just another way of improving the odds that the design will pass.
Finally, let's be clear on this "cloud computing" thing. "The Cloud" has been used as a catch phrase to cover a wide variety of Internet enabled processes. In this case, they are talking about a company providing high-performance computing services. It is really no different than what was done 20 years ago, except that a clever web-based interface means that you can submit your design directly to the computer through the Internet, instead of sending a file to a "Customer Support Engineer" who would translate it and run it through the computer when your reserved slot became available.
A convenient step forward, no doubt. But hardly the radical paradigm shift that it is being hyped as.
The 3D printing revolution seems to have a knack for quickly moving technology ahead by way of collaborative effort and even a little friendly competition -- all of course in the name of scientific advancement.
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