Simulation "Answer critical design questions early on"

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Simulation-based design is a crucial lever for efficient frontloading in the product development process. Learn about the solutions PTC and Ansys provide to their users and what currently drives the partnership between the two companies in the interview.

Since 2018, the two companies PTC and Ansys have been working together in partnership. What does their shared vision look like in terms of engineering?

Todd Kraft: If you look at the Discovery website and the website for Ansys products by PTC, you see the same vision for simulation-driven design: integrating simulations earlier in the process by providing designers with easy-to-use simulation tools. This makes it possible today to answer critical design questions earlier in the design process. This proactive approach to simulation saves time and effort in prototyping, as designers can explore multiple design concepts in real-time without having to wait for simulation results. This fits perfectly for our Creo users, and that's why PTC provides this technology.

What solutions have emerged from the partnership so far?

Todd Kraft: So far, there are four products. Creo Simulation Live, Creo Simulation Live Advanced, Creo Ansys Simulation, and Creo Ansys Simulation Advanced. All of them share one thing: they provide the designer with Ansys technology in a form that integrates perfectly into their daily workflow. The live simulation allows for the rapid assessment and comparison of different variants. With Creo Ansys Simulation technology, even more complex simulations can be performed. And the user doesn't even have to switch systems, but works in their familiar user interface.

These solutions also contribute to the digital thread, which today—given the increasing time and cost pressures—is often referred to as an enabler. What are the advantages in your view?

Todd Kraft: With the digital thread—and improved access to it—developers unlock new value through enhanced collaboration, increased efficiency, reduced risks and waste, and accelerated innovation. In my view, eliminating simulation product data scattered throughout the company is a critical advantage. When you import a STEP file here into this system, make a copy for another user of another solution, create a copy of a copy of an assembly for another specialist so they can use it in their solution, you end up with more than four copies of the data. Sometimes, it even has to be remodeled. Naturally, efficiency suffers. Attempting to consolidate all these data at a central location for digital recording is a challenge.

For the product lifecycle, PLM Windchill is instrumental. Mr. Vidal, what does the connection to simulation look like in this context?

Marc Vidal: This is where SPDM, or Simulation Process and Data Management, comes into play. We find that many of our clients want to extricate simulation data from data silos. They desire consistency and traceability to reduce efforts. To enable this, a management system that truly understands simulation data is needed. It's about taking the requirements of simulation users seriously. CAE processes are iterative processes that can occur at all stages of the overarching development process. It involves organizing large volumes of data and integrating many different tools that may not all come from one manufacturer. This is precisely what the SPDM system Ansys Minerva does: it links the simulation data with the digital thread in PLM systems like PTC Windchill.

A topic that is becoming increasingly important today is multiphysics simulations. Don't SPDM systems also support this?

Marc Vidal: The main point is the traceability of decisions, especially in the context of multiphysical simulations where typically various people and departments are involved. When was which model tested with what boundary conditions and what decisions were derived from it? Which subsequent simulations were conducted using the previous results as input? What needs to be updated if new insights emerge upstream? This traceability is vital because it ensures that every step in the simulation process is documented, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of why decisions were made. This not only improves collaboration across different teams but also enhances the reliability and accuracy of the simulation outcomes.

Today, we are discussing with many clients how they can integrate CAE/simulation at various stages of the development process. To ensure traceability, the digital thread must capture simulation data at all these steps and connect it with existing systems in the company, such as PLM. Furthermore, simulation data is naturally a perfect source for training AI—professional data management is essential. This approach not only facilitates a deeper integration of simulation into the development process but also leverages the rich data generated to enhance predictive analytics and machine learning models, which can lead to smarter, more informed decision-making across the organization.

Speaking of AI—Mr. Kraft, how do CAE and AI fit together in your view?

Todd Kraft: PTC has been pursuing an AI strategy for its products such as Creo, Windchill, Service Max, Codebeamer, and Thingworx for many years. Examples close to my products include Prescriptive with Co-Pilot projects in Creo and Windchill. In Creo, the focus is on making decisions and automating the process. In Windchill, we integrated a co-pilot for the reuse and classification of parts to support decision-making. Other products are on similar co-pilot paths with varying degrees of maturity. PTC has partners working to make CFA (Corrective and Forensic Action) more usable. Automating steps—from eight steps to three steps through AI—illustrates this effort to streamline processes and enhance efficiency. This utilization of AI not only simplifies workflows but also ensures more accurate and reliable outcomes in manufacturing and product management processes.

Marc Vidal: May I add something here? From our experience, particularly in medium-sized enterprises, three questions are central: Where can we profitably deploy AI? Where do we get our training data from? How can we build knowledge? Cadfem, with its sister company PI Probaligence, has an approach to implement AI in engineering easily and with few resources. It is impressive to see how long tests and extensive simulations are supplemented by rapid AI calculations. The applications and the training data are usually already available or can be easily generated in the form of simulations. Therefore, the barriers to getting started are truly minimal. This makes AI accessible even for companies without extensive resources or specialized knowledge, democratizing advanced technology applications in the engineering field.

Another current and important topic is sustainability—how important is this issue for your users and how do the PTC-Ansys solutions support this?

Marc Vidal: My impression is that the topic of sustainability ranks among the top three concerns for our clients. Particularly our portfolio, along with PTC Creo, opens up opportunities for Design for Sustainability. This means evaluating and optimizing not only for function via simulation during the design phase but also considering sustainability criteria such as CO2 emissions, water, and energy usage. All the necessary data and tools are available through Ansys Granta MI for Sustainability, which integrates with the CAD model and the BOM from PTC Creo. The same technology and connections are also used for checking Restricted Substances. This is equally relevant in terms of sustainability—consider, for example, the ban on PFAS. This approach not only ensures compliance with regulatory requirements but also promotes the development of more ecologically responsible products right from the design phase.

Mr. Vidal, how does Cadfem come into play—what role does this partnership play?

Marc Vidal: At Cadfem, we are one of the few channel partners of Ansys with APEX partner status. This confirms our ability to provide enterprise-level consultancy on integrating CAE into the development process. We have a longstanding, friendly relationship with PTC. At our mutual clients, where both PTC and Ansys products are used, this is very beneficial for rapidly achieving effective solutions. This partnership enhances our capability to offer tailored solutions that seamlessly integrate the strengths of both Ansys and PTC products, optimizing the engineering and design processes for our clients.

Thank you for the conversation!