Advanced Computing in the Age of AI | Thursday, March 28, 2024

Simulation Management: "A Vision of PLM-to-Simulation Workflow Supported by Customized Software Modules" 

<img style="float: left;" src="http://media2.hpcwire.com/dmr/truck.jpg" alt="" width="80" height="66" />Here's a summary of a report recently published by CIMdata on the topic of simulation management. A free download of the report is available.

Based on a presentation at PLM Road Map 2011 by Thomas Walker, Manager, CAE Custom Tools Worldwide Engineering Services, CD-adapco; with added participation by Walter Bauer, Manager, Vehicle Thermal Management, Daimler AG.

 Daimler and CD-adapco are 80%-85% complete in the full integration of a simulation management system into a PLM environment that eases the challenge for a non-CAE expert to run simulations. This paper highlights the body-in-white analysis and how conduction and the CFD link together seamlessly. PLM/XML provides the foundation to drive the data across the whole process. STAR-CCM+ performs the analysis on both the CFD side and the solid conduction side.

Daimler and CD-adapco are working collaboratively on a combination of commercial software with scripts and custom programming to address the integration of CAD into the CAE world. The general-purpose multi-disciplinary software solution, called STAR-CCM+, performs the analysis on both the CFD side and the solid conduction side. The goal targets a reduction in turnaround time and an increase in the number of simulations. 

The vision and implementation of integrating a simulation management system into a PLM environment at Daimler is now mostly in place. Customized add-on modules for the simulation make it easier for a non-CAE or -CFD expert to perform the work. PLM/XML provides the foundation to drive the data across the whole process. Geometry and material data are imported into the system, and temperature results and the recommendations for placing thermocouples for physical testing are generated. The results are extraordinary because the level of simulation here is second to none.

Today, the process handles some variants, but in the future it should address all product variants to check if any results are out of line. That can only be accomplished with the automation and customization of the simulation. Also, the documentation should clearly cover what has actually been performed, the particular version of the CAD parts included in the analysis, and the applied load cases. Then, those results should be available to the people who matter most. Those results should not just be some simple CFD or colorful images, but something that is real, that a designer can actually review and evaluate to perform their work correctly.

The report was published March 6 by CIMdata, Inc.

This paper can be downloaded in its entirety at: https://plmforesight.cimdata.com?download=SimulationManagement

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