Editor’s Pick: ANSYS Issues Extensive Update to Leading Engineering Simulation Platform 

ANSYS announces a wide array of new features and capabilities in ANSYS 2020 R1. From major improvements to product development workflow management with ANSYS Minerva to running complex simulations with streamlined workflows with ANSYS Fluent to optimizing electromagnetic design processes with ANSYS HFSS, the company says ANSYS 2020 R1 enables companies to “pioneer trailblazing innovations and create highly cost-effective designs.”

ANSYS Minerva helps companies transform simulation intellectual property into a corporate asset by capturing best practices for reuse. It also offers digital thread simulation and optimization more broadly across the enterprise. There are also new technologies in Minerva for the emerging discipline of simulation process data management (SPDM). 

OptiSlang—a technology now owned by ANSYS as a result of the recent acquisition of Dynardo—now teams with Minerva’s SPDM solutions to help users reduce development time and expedite the evaluation of optimal design alternatives.

There are also additions to the ANSYS flagship simulation platforms including ANSYS Mechanical, Fluent, HFSS and Maxwell to help customers substantially enrich their electromagnetic design processes.

ANSYS 2020 R1 Mechanical includes added features and enhancements to better handle complex, highly nonlinear and massively large models. Additional functionality streamlines workflows, including post-processing of reinforcements and easy drag-and-drop of external models right into ANSYS Mechanical.

ANSYS says new features in its fluids simulation suite Fluent make it easier for nearly anyone—from novices to experts—to run complex multiphase computational fluid dynamics simulations using a simplified and streamlined workflow. Fluent 2020 sports a new immersive and intuitive graphical user interface.

Fluent’s new release also introduces an algebraic interface area density model that accounts for differences in drag and interfacial area to accurately simulate complex multiphase transitions between liquid and gas flows. 

The electromagnetic suite ANSYS HFSS includes new features for quickly and accurately modeling antenna arrays—an important feature for 5G antennal development. For high-speed electronics, HFSS improves solving speed for very large simulations. The upgrade also allows users to predict and resolve printed circuit board electromagnetic interference and run transient thermal analyses to ensure reliable designs.

ANSYS Maxwell delivers a new multiphysics solver designed to predict noise and vibration in electric vehicle (EV) powertrains.There are also new simulation technology additions (from the acquisition of Livermore Software Technology Corporation) for predicting EV reaction times and passenger safety. 

ANSYS’ materials suite updates ANSYS GRANTA MI, focusing on optimizing user experience for enterprise-wide implementations. The suite also introduces ANSYS GRANTA MI Pro, a new fast-start data management solution for design and simulation.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) gets a boost from ANSYS Additive Prep, which writes build files for multiple AM products including leading printers from EOS and SLM. 

ANSYS Discovery Live has a new steady-state fluids solver and an updated structural solver. There are also new upfront design insights based on the use of manufacturing constraints and multi-analysis optimization for generative design. 

ANSYS Cloud offers new licensing options for greater business flexibility. 

ANSYS VRXPERIENCE adds new features for sensor, human-machine interface, and sound simulations. There is also a reduced-order model (ROM) radar simulation for industrial automation applications and a new Light Simulation feature. 

ANSYS 2020 R1 is now available directly from ANSYS. 

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website. 

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