PTC Offers Cloud-Native Simulation in Onshape

PTC makes available cloud-native simulation as part of its Onshape product development platform.

Onshape Simulation enables designers and engineers to perform finite element analysis (FEA) and to make informed design decisions with structural analysis throughout the product development process.

It is a computer-aided design (CAD) and product data management (PDM) tool designed to offer simulation that is interwoven with the core design and assembly environment, according to PTC.

“This is the first time that CAD, PDM, and simulation have all been unified in one cloud-native environment,” says Greg Brown, vice president of Onshape Product Management. “This is an extremely efficient way for designers to simulate full assemblies, helping them make important time, material, and quality decisions earlier in the design process.”

Features and benefits of Onshape Simulation include:

• Designers receive accurate mechanical guidance, such as strength and rigidity, without leaving the design environment. The CAD model and simulation model are the same definition, simplifying the assembly setup for simulation.
• Onshape uses existing assembly mates in the definition of the part-to-part interactions, eliminating a need to defeature, simplify or set up connections for their models before running simulations.
• Explore design variations quickly by simultaneously designing and analyzing assemblies with no preprocessing or meshing required. Simulation results are automatically refreshed when changes are made to Onshape models.
• As part of an Onshape document, simulations are version-controlled with built-in PDM—including simulations for all design variations—and can be shared instantly with other users for simple collaboration and decision-making.
• Cloud computing allows simulations to be conducted fast and interactively, with no need for specialized local hardware.

Simulation is available now for Onshape Enterprise users, with availability for Onshape Professional users to follow shortly.

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