Editor’s Pick: Refine product design faster with upfront simulation

Ansys has released a significant update to its groundbreaking simulation-driven design tool, Ansys Discovery. The new release builds on the advancements made by the original Ansys Discovery Live, providing what Ansys calls a “comprehensive solution that combines interactive real-time simulation, high-fidelity Ansys solver technology and direct modeling in a single tool—powering cross-team collaboration to cost-effectively develop high-quality products.”

Discovery combines instant physics simulation, accurate high-fidelity simulation and interactive geometry modeling into a single, easy-to-use interface. Conducting real-time, rapid iterative design explorations, Ansys says engineers can explore larger design spaces and quickly answer critical design questions earlier in the product design process.

This update offers a completely redesigned user interface, replacing a text-based interface with work screens more in tune with today’s leading enterprise and consumer applications. There is now in-context guidance and an increased use of push-pull interaction.

“Because of the games people play and new technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), there is a change in expectation for the user experience,” notes Mark Hindsbo, general manager, design business unit at Ansys. “We wanted to create an experience that is engaging and supports the process of exploration, helping simulation become a valuable tool early on in the design process.”

From the unified user interface, engineers can incorporate simulation into all stages of the design workflow. First, they can tap Ansys Discovery’s direct modeling and real-time physics simulation capabilities to understand the impact of design decisions early on. Users can explore more iterations, ask more questions and see immediate results. Once the design space is narrowed, engineers can dig deeper by using various Ansys high-fidelity solvers to do more robust and intensive simulations as part of design validation.

Before Ansys Discovery, engineers and analysts would run a potential design through various solvers, with adjustments to the model required for each simulation. Using Discovery a complete simulation workflow can be managed and accessible through the Discovery single user interface. 

“Discovery equips our team with a much better understanding of the physics behind our products very early in the design process, enabling them to meet customer requirements more precisely, avoid overengineering and eliminate uncertainties,” says Stefan Macho, head of R&D Simulation, HAWE Hydraulik. “This has resulted in improved product performance, increased design efficiency and shortened product development cycles.”

Discovery can reduce engineering labor costs by 26%, enable evaluation of 60% more design alternatives and reduce physical testing and safety costs by 19%, according to Ansys.

Ansys released a virtual launch event for Discovery on July 29. The product will be available directly from Ansys. 

Click here to see a video of Ansys Discovery Live in action.

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

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