A smart building uses technology to obtain data. The data is then used to enable automatic, efficient, and economical use of resources while maintaining a safe and pleasant environment for occupants.&nbsp;Typically, a smart building is a “new build”, but the term can also apply to legacy buildings retrofitted with smart technology. In either case, Internet of Things (IoT), building management systems, and artificial intelligence are used to control and optimize the performance of the building. This includes:<ul><li>Energy efficiency and sustainability</li><li>Occupancy utilization</li><li>Environmental optimization</li><li>Security</li><li>Health and Safety compliance</li></ul>In this article, we showcase 5 smart buildings that use technology in different ways to the same end: sustainability, productivity, and wellbeing.<h2>#1 - The Crystal, London</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1639917600033-The+Crystal.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><a href="https://www.thecrystal.org/" target="_blank">The Crystal</a> is located in London's Green Enterprise District and became the first building to achieve&nbsp;<a href="https://www.breeam.com/" target="_blank">BREEAM</a> Outstanding and Platinum LEED sustainability rankings when it opened in 2012.The building generates around&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gazprom-energy.co.uk/blog/how-smart-buildings-work-a-complete-guide-with-examples/" target="_blank">70% less CO2</a> than similar buildings through a combination of rainwater harvesting, black water treatment, solar heating, and automated building management systems.Key features of the building include:<ul><li>It is a 100% electric building, around 20% of which is generated by the 1580 m2 of solar photovoltaic roof panels that cover two-thirds of the roof</li><li>Ground source heat pumps that supply virtually all of the building's heating and most of its cooling. By using 100% natural heat sources, the building receives no heating bill.</li><li>A sophisticated building management system that monitors every all electricity usage</li><li>Self-shading facades that use high-performance solar glass to allow around 70% of visible light through each window but only about 30% of the solar energy</li><li>A lighting control system that manages all lamps for optimized electricity consumption</li><li>A window control system to allow air in from outside during hot weather, which automatically closes windows and puts an interior ventilation system during extreme weather.</li></ul><h2>#2 - DPR Construction Net-Zero Energy San Francisco Regional Office</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1639917680977-DPR.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">When the DPR regional office in San Francisco was being designed, its goal was “<a href="https://www.resonai.com/blog/4-best-intelligent-buildings" target="_blank">to incorporate cost-saving and environmentally-friendly features</a>” that would achieve net-zero energy certification and serve as a ‘living lab’ to test the newest and most intelligent energy-efficient products on the market.As a result, it uses many smart features, including:<ul><li>Net-Zero Building (NZEB) Certification. NZEB means that the total amount of energy used yearly by a building is equal to or less than the amount of energy created onsite through the use of innovative technologies and renewable power generation</li><li>300 photovoltaic panels to generate renewable energy</li><li>Rooftop solar thermal water heating system</li><li>Electrochromic windows</li><li>8 solar-powered, automated skylights over an atrium</li><li>Ultra-energy efficient ceiling fans</li><li>3 living walls and a living wine bar</li><li>Use of reclaimed redwood and Douglas fir</li><li>Ultra-low flow and flush plumbing fixtures</li></ul><h2>#3 - The Edge, Amsterdam</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1639917697995-The+edge.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><a href="https://edge.tech/developments/the-edge" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Edge</a>, in the Zuidas business district in Amsterdam, has been described by many as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2015-the-edge-the-worlds-greenest-building/" target="_blank">the smartest building in the world</a>.It has perhaps the world's largest deployment of IoT sensors in a single location (28,000), with the collected data used to adapt the building to meet real-time requirements. For example, areas can automatically be shut down or closed when no one is present, thereby saving energy.Other smart features in The Edge include:<ul><li>Sensor data for motion, light, temperature, and humidity</li><li>Solar panel roof</li><li>Energy reuse – excess ventilation air from offices is reused to air-condition the atrium space</li><li>Rainwater reuse – collected rainwater is used to flush toilets and irrigate the green terraces in the atrium and other garden areas surrounding the building</li><li>Thermal energy storage – Two 129m deep wells reach down to an aquifer, allowing thermal energy differentials to be stored deep underground.</li><li>An employee app, combined with data from sensors, provides:<ul><li>personalized schedules</li><li>access control around the building</li><li>assistance finding a workspace or parking place</li></ul></li><li>Adjust the office temperature has 98.4% sustainability rating from&nbsp;BREEAM</li></ul><h2>#4 - Allianz Arena, Munich</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1639917715477-Allianz.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The&nbsp;<a href="https://allianz-arena.com/en" target="_blank">Allianz Arena</a> located in Munich, Germany is a football stadium with a capacity of 70,000 spectators.It is nicknamed the Inflatable Boat (Schlauchboot) and has a unique lighting feature. The arena’s exterior, through the control of 3,000,000 lights, can change color e.g. have rainbow colors during Pride month.Internally, the stadium uses the latest smart technology to provide a pleasant and safe environment for both the football club and its supporters. For example:<ul><li>sensors and cloud-based analytics to monitor the health of the grass on the pitch if the temperature is too cold the grass will be heated and if the ground is too dry it will be watered.</li><li>acoustic cameras with sound mapping software are used to study how fans respond throughout the game</li></ul>The external lighting system is energy efficient and saves approximately&nbsp;<a href="https://naylor.iotm2mcouncil.org/bayall" target="_blank">60 percent on electricity and 362 tons of CO2 per year</a> compared to other similar facilities.<h2>#5 - Leadenhall Building, London</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1639917740585-5.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theleadenhallbuilding.com/" target="_blank">Leadenhall Building</a> is London’s second-tallest building.Known as the “cheesegrater”, owing to its shape, extensive use of IoT technology was made during its construction. RFID-based data tags helped builders and construction companies to track the location of components and installation.This enabled around 83% of the construction to be completed off-site, streamlining the building process, improving project management and control of the building works.The 48-story building includes many smart features, including:<ul><li>293 energy meters on-site to monitor the use of lighting</li><li>Intelligent and state of the art lifts that can go from the ground floor to the top floor in 30 seconds</li><li>low-flow water fixtures and fittings</li><li>external glazing which includes vents every seventh floor to let air circulate freely, reducing the need for AC systems</li></ul><h2>Conclusion</h2>These five examples demonstrate how buildings can integrate IoT and smart building technology in many different ways.From the initial design and construction, where RFID tagging was used to track building components through renewable energy production and sustainability, to intelligent working and sporting environments, energy savings, recycling of air and water, and access control smart buildings are now on the rise.As the world&nbsp;<a href="https://www.disruptive-technologies.com/blog/is-this-our-last-chance-to-control-climate-change" target="_blank">continues to fight against climate change</a> and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a greater need for buildings to become more energy-efficient and to lower their CO2 footprint. In addition, after millions of employees successfully adapted to working from home, the office workspace needs to be more wellness-aware in order to attract workers back.Intelligent buildings are here to stay.

A smart building uses technology to obtain data. The data is then used to enable automatic, efficient, and economical use of resources while maintaining a safe and pleasant environment for occupants. 

5 Smart Buildings You Have Not Heard About

With the Adriatic Sea carving its coastline, Croatia has a long-standing history with ships—whether for fishing, piracy in the Middle Ages, or today’s ever-popular sailing and diving tourism. For centuries, sailing traffic across the Adriatic Sea has been dense, with unfortunately many ships not reaching their final destinations. Croatian waters are home to several shipwrecks and local heritage organizations are leveraging the performance of 3D scanning to document and even restore ships that were lost so long ago.<a href="https://viakornel.com/?lang=en" target="_blank">ViaKornel</a> is a Croatian-based team of engineers and 3D modelling specialists that have spent years <a href="https://viakornel.com/3d-visualization-and-3d-modeling/?lang=en" target="_blank">documenting, carrying out 3D visualizations and participating in historical reconstructions</a> of many different types of artefacts and vessels. In particular, ViaKornel has extensive expertise in the 3D reconstruction of shipwrecks that date back to the 19th and 20th centuries.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1637836898102-WhatsApp-Image-2021-04-30-at-08.40.49-5.jpeg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 id="isPasted">A new project to restore two shipwrecks with significant national importance</h2>Recently, the team was tasked to participate in a project called Condura Croatica. The project involved completing the 2D CAD documentation and 3D model reconstruction of two shipwrecks located in the small town of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nin.hr/en/cultural-heritage/condura-croatica" target="_blank">Nin in the Museum of Nin Antiquities</a>, which is associated with the Archaeological Museum in Zadar. The ships were originally found at the port of entrance of Nin in 1966—but actually date back to the end of the 11th century. They represent a significant important for Croatian maritime heritage.<h2>Turning to Creaform’s technologies to accelerate the 3D measurement process</h2>Before using 3D measurement technologies, the ViaKornel team spent a lot of time collecting measurements of various shipwreck parts. What’s more, traditional measurement-taking processes did not always provide the level of accuracy required to restore complex and worn-down parts in the most authentic way possible.ViaKornel decided to acquire a Go!SCAN SPARK, a portable 3D scanner from Creaform who is represented in Croatia by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.niteh.hr/" target="_blank">Niteh d.o.o</a>.. With its measurement rate of 1,500,000 measurements per second and accuracy of 0,050 mm, it was the ideal solution for ultra-fast and precise 3D scan data for the shipwrecks’ components.<a href="https://www.creaform3d.com/blog/pun5th75ef_wp/wp-content/uploads/Condura_Croatica_2D_3D_Restoration_Project_ViaKornel_2021-2.jpeg" target="_blank"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1637836934877-Condura_Croatica_2D_3D_Restoration_Project_ViaKornel_2021-2.jpeg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></a>Together with a Creaform application engineer, ViaKornel specialists were able to quickly scan the shipwrecks’ parts of varying degrees of complexity and generate meshes right on site. According to Nikola Budimir, one of ViaKornel’s engineers, thanks to Creaform’s 3D scanner, the team saved at least 2 weeks of full-time work in acquiring 3D measurements.<h2>Condura Croatica: Sailing towards a complete restoration</h2>ViaKornel used the Go!SCAN SPARK to finalize a complete 3D reconstruction of the shipwrecks with existing—and missing—parts. In addition, they developed a 3D model of the ships’ hulls that accurately represents how the ships used to look. The first phase of the reconstruction project is on track for completion at the targeted date!<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1637837015963-1244141.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">

Shipwreck is the property of Archeology museum in Zadar

Croatian waters are home to several shipwrecks and local heritage organizations are leveraging the performance of 3D scanning to document and even restore ships that were lost so long ago.

3D scanning and sailing heritage: Restoring two shipwrecks in Croatia

This is the fourth of <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/simulation-driven-design-the-secret-to-better-products-in-less-time" target="_blank">five articles</a> in a series about simulation tools sponsored by Altair. Altair is hosting the free virtual global event,&nbsp;<a href="https://hubs.ly/H0-wpBD0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Don&#39;t Be Late To Simulate</a>&nbsp;on November 30, 2021: 2:00 p.m. (Paris) and at 8:00 a.m. (New York). &nbsp;As part of the program, Altair&rsquo;s director of global business development manager, and applications engineer Ujwal Patnaik and Chris Sambell will present the one-hour workshop: The Role of Simulation From Concept Development to Final Design. They will use the example of a belt-sander to demonstrate the many ways simulation can be used to optimize and improve the design process, leading to more efficient products and reducing time to market.&nbsp;<h3 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">The new paradigm of product development</h3>While most product design companies plan new product road maps with a customer-centric approach, many products still fail in the market. Common reasons for this failure include:&nbsp;<ul><li dir="ltr">New products evolve from customers&#39; functional requirements but are often compromised with strict time-to-market timelines.</li><li dir="ltr">Products are becoming more complex, and product teams do not have time to innovate, which may lead to mediocre product design or over-design.</li><li dir="ltr">In the product development cycle, teams may struggle to have the expertise to run simulation - missing out on valuable insights.</li><li dir="ltr">Because of a lack of simulation experts, some companies only use simulation to validate designs after most product choices have been determined explicitly or implicitly, leading to product failures or products with manufacturing defects.</li></ul>Product teams see the benefits of incorporating simulation into their design process in three key areas:<ul><li dir="ltr">Time-to-Market. Research has shown that 72% of products created with simulation meet product launch date targets, versus only 50% of products for non-simulation users. 1</li><li dir="ltr">Cost. Simulation assists in meeting costs in both design and manufacturing. &nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Quality. Companies that have switched to an incorporated simulation report a 27% increase in meeting quality targets.&nbsp;</li></ul>In the <a href="https://hubs.ly/H0-wpBD0" target="_blank">upcoming workshop</a>, engineers from Altair will go through the product engineering of a belt sander using the Altair Inspire and Altair SimLab products.&nbsp;<h4 dir="ltr">Multiphysics Simulation with Altair</h4><a href="https://www.altair.com/inspire/" target="_blank">Inspire</a> enables design engineers to create, modify, and defeature solid models quickly, enabling the creation, optimization, and study of innovative, structurally efficient parts and assemblies. The software assists both simulation analysts and designers to perform what-if studies faster, easier, but most critically earlier, encouraging collaboration and reducing product time to market.<a href="https://www.altair.com/simlab/" target="_blank">SimLab</a> is a process-oriented multidisciplinary simulation environment to analyze the performance of complex assemblies. Multiple physics, including structural, thermal, and fluid dynamics, can be easily set up using automated modeling tasks, helping to reduce the time spent creating finite element models and interpreting results.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM3NjU3MDA3ODQ4LUlNQUdFIDUtMDEgKDQpLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Simulation reduces the design cycle length.</div><h3 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Using Simulation From Concept Development to Final Design: Workshop</h3>A belt sander is used in shaping and finishing wood and other materials. It&rsquo;s a complex tool that has an electric motor that turns a pair of drums on which a continuous loop of the sandpaper smoothes the surface. While a very practical object, the design must also consider aesthetics and ergonomics, as well as user comfort by controlling noise and vibration levels. There are many steps to the design and simulation plays a critical role in not only designing an efficient and desirable product but is used to test manufacturing possibilities, durability, and safety.&nbsp;A belt sander has a lot of plastic parts in the casing and handle. It&#39;s important to ensure that these parts of the belt sander are within the range of the required dimensions and that the resulting design can be effectively and efficiently manufactured. To achieve this, the first step is to conduct a concept design analysis of the belt sander external housing and optimize the internal rib pattern to improve stiffness and reduce weight.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM3NjU2NDE0NzkzLUJlbHRfU2FuZGVyX0dSSVQxMl80S19BQjAyIHNtb2wucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Later in the process, the optimized design will go through the manufacturing process with a filling, packing, cooling, and warpage analysis. A material characterization (short fibers) is also completed to conduct stress analysis and detail validation studies. This battery of tests includes drop tests, &nbsp;3-point bending, and fluid dynamic analysis to interrogate the product&#39;s cooling ability. In this test, the conjugate heat transfer is tested while the motor is in function to clearly understand the cooling and heating cycle of this product. Once it satisfies all the design &amp; validation requirements, you have a belt sander ready to manufacture.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1637656802209-ezgif.com-gif-maker+%282%29.gif" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The workshop will go into detail about how to resolve the above challenges and will also &nbsp;showcase a few additional benefits, including:<ul><li dir="ltr">Identifying the right simulation tool for the right job</li><li dir="ltr">Simulation continuity&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Unified interface for multiple physics.</li></ul>The workshop is part of the global virtual event, <a href="https://hubs.ly/H0-wpBD0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Don&rsquo;t Be Late To Simulate</a> on November 30. Register to secure your place in the workshop and check out the full list of speakers on the <a href="https://hubs.ly/H0-wpBD0" target="_blank">event page</a>.&nbsp;This is the fourth of <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/simulation-driven-design-the-secret-to-better-products-in-less-time" target="_blank">five articles</a> in a series about simulation tools. The series covers case studies on using simulation in product design and explores the applications of multiphysics simulation.&nbsp;Article #1 is about <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/simulation-driven-design-the-secret-to-better-products-in-less-time" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">how simulation tools improve the development process, enabling engineers to deliver better products in less time.</a>Article #2 <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/why-cad-based-simulation-can-become-a-game-of-cat-and-mouse" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">demonstrates w</a><a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/why-cad-based-simulation-can-become-a-game-of-cat-and-mouse" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hy CAD-based Simulation Can Become a Game of Cat and Mouse.</a>Article #3 is for <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/pressing-for-change-at-atna" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">advanced simulation tools that helped this German startup design a press machine that plays a role in reducing carbon emissions.</a>Article #5 speaks for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/an-engineers-guide-to-multiphysics-modeling-real-world-behaviour-and-predicting-performance" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">advances in software and increased access to inexpensive compute power means more and more engineers can use Multiphysics analysis to improve their design processes.</a><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">About the sponsor: Altair</h2>Altair is a global technology company, which provides software and cloud solutions in the areas of simulation, high-performance computing (HPC), and artificial intelligence (AI). Altair enables organizations in nearly every industry to compete more effectively in a connected world while creating a more sustainable future. &nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM3NjU3MTc1NDg4LWxvZ28gYmFubmVyLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> <h2>References and further reading</h2><ol><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aberdeen.com/featured/meeting-manufacturing-business-goals-multiphysics-simulation/" target="_blank">https://www.aberdeen.com/featured/meeting-manufacturing-business-goals-multiphysics-simulation/</a></li></ol>

Article #4 of our simulation series. This article previews a workshop that will take place at the Don’t be Late to Simulate event on November 30. 

Simulation-driven design for product engineers

<a href="https://www.atna-solutions.com/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ATNA Industrial Solutions</a> GmbH started as a spin-off of the German Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg (TU Freiberg) following a research project funded by the German program EXIST for business startups. As part of this two-year project, four engineers developed a new hydraulic press machine for briquetting &ndash; a technology compressing material into solid shapes/ briquettes &ndash; and built their first prototype.&nbsp;The success of this prototype, which delivered high quality at a high throughput, inspired the team to start ATNA &ndash; a startup with the vision to revolutionize briquetting by building better and more efficient briquetting presses. The concept of briquetting has become popular for various raw materials (wood, straw, coal) and waste materials (sludge, PU foam, plastic shreds) and so the demand for flexible and efficient pressing machines is high.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">The Challenge</h2>The demand for biomass briquetting is steadily increasing as the use of brown coal fuel is being dramatically reduced to meet CO2 emission targets in the near future. Many big plants across Europe will stop producing brown coal briquettes by the end of 2022. To address this trend and growing demand for alternative fuel options, ATNA set out to develop a new generation of briquetting presses.&nbsp;While conventional briquetting presses such as the roller press achieve high throughputs, they have limitations in producing high-quality briquettes of difficult raw material. On the other hand, conventional hydraulic presses can achieve a high quality, but deliver only a low throughput. &nbsp;ATNA&rsquo;s goal was to design an improved hydraulic press which can achieve the high throughput of a roller press while delivering a high briquette quality.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM3MTQxNzI2MTU1LWJyaWNrLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">A briquette produced by ATNA.</div>To begin to design this system, the team used a CAD embedded FEA system available to them, to study subassemblies. However, limitations in the system made this a cumbersome and time-consuming task and ATNA were not able to analyze the entire system. As a result, simulation was strictly limited to absolutely necessary calculations of forces and resulting stresses on the parts. To accomplish their design targets, however, the startup needed simulation tools that help them to get the bigger picture and would deliver an overall assessment of their new designs to speed up their development process.&nbsp;<hr>Thomas M&uuml;ller co-founder and Commercial Manager, ATNA Industrial Solutions will present at the Don&rsquo;t Be Late to Simulate event on November 30. Thomas will discuss the story of ATNA outlining the challenges and benefits of using simulation and how it now drives their design process. <a href="https://hubs.ly/H0-wpBD0" target="_blank">Learn more about Thomas&rsquo;s presentation here.</a>&nbsp;<hr><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Simulation Solutions with Altair</h2>ATNA was offered to implement Altair SimSolid&reg; under the global Altair Startup program which is tailored to the needs of high-tech startups offering access to all types of simulation, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence solutions at an affordable price. Altair SimSolid&reg; is a simulation package that enables fast structural analyses. It eliminates geometry preparation and meshing: the two most time-consuming, expertise-extensive, and error-prone tasks performed in a conventional structural simulation. For the ATNA engineers, the structural simulation tool allowed them to virtually simulate entire machines quickly and efficiently with a high degree of accuracy.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM3MTQwODU5MjcxLW1hY2hpbmUuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Altair&reg; SimSolid&reg;simulation result of all load-carrying elements of the ATNA briquetting press.</div></div>The developers applied SimSolid to structurally design their briquetting press that can produce briquettes in a multistage pressing process (pre-compacting, pre-pressing, main pressing, and extraction) and realized high throughputs with low energy consumption. &nbsp;SimSolid enabled the ATNA team to study complete complex assemblies, including more than 2800 parts, accurate forces, and resulting stresses of the entire system, and provided an overall structural insight on the machine&rsquo;s behavior.&nbsp;It allowed the engineers to make assessments during design revisions by running simulations on the fly to detect disadvantageous operational conditions and design faults. While it took the ATNA engineers several days to calculate even small model changes with the traditional finite element method (FEM) tool, SimSolid provided them with initial results within 30 seconds.&nbsp;ATNA also applies SimSolid to customize presses tailored to customer requirements, such as special operating conditions including high pressures up to 5600 kilonewtons. With SimSolid, ATNA can now study how the design affects the deflection of these pressures and thus the entire structure.<h2 dir="ltr">Why fast innovation is more important than ever</h2>Responding to the climate crisis must be a priority for engineers everywhere. Simulation will play a key role in delivering the exponential innovation needed to transform industries away from fossil-fuel dependency. In the past simulation was limited to large design teams with expansive budgets, but now specialized simulation software is available more democratically and designers at all levels can incorporate simulation from the very beginning of their design cycles.&nbsp;Simulation offers the possibility for rapid iteration and testing as seen by Atna to help develop products not only with more speed but with a finished product that is more efficient, and specific. Simulation can be applied not only in the design stage of product development but in the monitoring and revision of existing systems such as through the use of digital twins as well as a low resource method to speculate on future technologies and products.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM3MTQwOTI5MTk5LUFUTkFfU2ltU29saWRfVGFiZWxsZSAoMSkuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Speed up of the simulation process with Simsolid at ATNA</h2>This is the third of five articles in a series about simulation tools sponsored by simulation software provider Altair. Future articles will cover case studies on using simulation in product design, workshops on how to get started with advanced simulation software, and explore the applications of multiphysics simulation.&nbsp;Altair are hosting the free virtual global event, <a href="https://hubs.ly/H0-wpBD0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Don&#39;t Be Late To Simulate</a>&nbsp;on November 30, 2021, | 2:00 p.m. (Paris) and at 8:00 a.m. (New York).Thomas M&uuml;ller co-founder and Commercial Manager, ATNA Industrial Solutions will present the session titled, Simulation under Pressure: How SimSolid Changes Everything in FEA about ATNA&rsquo;s use of simulation. He will discuss the design process of ATNA outlining the challenges of fulfilling both customer flexibility and rigorous adherence to quality and safety standards. With limited resources, ATNA was able to use simulation as a design tool to deliver a machine design that exceeded both expectations. <a href="https://hubs.ly/H0-wpBD0" target="_blank">To check out this session, or any of the others register on the event page here.</a>&nbsp;Article #1 is about <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/simulation-driven-design-the-secret-to-better-products-in-less-time" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">how simulation tools improve the development process, enabling engineers to deliver better products in less time.</a>Article #2 <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/why-cad-based-simulation-can-become-a-game-of-cat-and-mouse" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">demonstrates w</a><a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/why-cad-based-simulation-can-become-a-game-of-cat-and-mouse" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hy CAD-based Simulation Can Become a Game of Cat and Mouse.</a>Article #4 <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/simulation-driven-design-for-product-engineers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">previews a workshop that will take place at the Don&rsquo;t be Late to Simulate event on November 30.</a>Article #5 speaks for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/an-engineers-guide-to-multiphysics-modeling-real-world-behaviour-and-predicting-performance" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">advances in software and increased access to inexpensive compute power means more and more engineers can use Multiphysics analysis to improve their design processes.</a><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">About the sponsor: Altair</h2>Altair is a global technology company, which provides software and cloud solutions in the areas of simulation, high-performance computing (HPC), and artificial intelligence (AI). Altair enables organizations in nearly every industry to compete more effectively in a connected world while creating a more sustainable future. &nbsp;Wherever you are and whatever you&rsquo;re doing, Altair&rsquo;s solutions surround you &ndash; keeping you safer, more connected, and more productive. They can be found in big places and small &mdash; on highways, hospitals, and hockey rinks, in stadiums, skyscrapers, and subways, and in banks, bikes, and boats.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM3MTQwNTE5MzQ3LWxvZ28gYmFubmVyLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">

Article #3 of our simulation series. Advanced simulation tools helped this German startup design a press machine that plays a role in reducing carbon emissions. 

Pressing For Change at Atna

Innovation in product-development is a demanding task. Engineering teams across all industries are continuously facing the challenge to create innovative and increasingly complex products while meeting all kinds of requirements such as target costs, time constraints, regulatory requirements, and improved product performance.&nbsp;In today&#39;s fast-moving world, these requirements are constantly evolving. Fortunately, there is a solution to overcome these engineering challenges, CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) tools. These tools facilitate computerized simulations that can solve all kinds of engineering challenges and help product developers achieve their design goals while reducing costs and time-to-market.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Why use simulation?</h2>Simulation is not a new method. Thousands of engineers and companies have been using various simulation tools to improve their development processes and products for many years. However, for many others, simulation is not leveraged due to implementation costs and efforts or lack of human resources. These engineers and companies have not yet realized that CAE tools can help them develop innovative products while reducing costs and development cycles at the same time. This article demonstrates the benefits of simulation and virtual development processes using two real-life case studies.&nbsp;The value of a comprehensive simulation-driven design approach is made clear by showing how the modeling and prediction of part behavior can be produced more accurately, as model features and fidelity can be modified to fit the needs of a particular analysis. By importing CAD into CAE-centric analysis software, the user gains more control over the accuracy and speed of analysis.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM2Mzc4MTE1MDY2LW1vZGVsIGFuYWx5c2lzLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Image Caption: Modal Analysis with Altair Simsolid on the parameterized complete assembly. Image caption: Altair.&nbsp;</div><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Examples of a successful implementation of simulation-driven design</h2>There are countless examples of engineers seeing tangible results in their design process and quality after integrating simulation. Many designers who were using CAD integrated simulation features realized at a certain point that these native tools were not sufficient for what they wanted to achieve. Iconic bike manufacturer Brompton Bike is an excellent example of this.&nbsp;The Brompton team started with a CAD solution but at one point realized that this would not be sufficient for their needs. Jonathan Heath, Lead Mechanical Engineer Brompton Bicycle describes the evolution to using advanced simulation tools:<blockquote>&quot;The step we made was moving from an embedded FE system within CAD, which has huge limitations. It had a purpose. But we outgrew that purpose. And moving to a specialized simulation software package gives a more comprehensive FE system - greater flexibility - greater breadth. And that&#39;s opened up the mindset, not just of the design engineers, but of management and how we can use this tool on design problems we never really knew we had. We know where the failures are likely to be if we&#39;re going to see failures before we start the test cycle. And that improves the design robustness and allows us to move to the next development cycle quickly and with more understanding of the design.&quot;</blockquote><div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM2Mzc3OTY3MDY1LWJyb21wdG9uLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Brompton uses specialized simulation software to test and develop new products. Image credit: Altair.&nbsp;</div>The use cases for a simulation-driven design process are not limited to the bike industry. Similar stories can be found from small startup companies to world-leading providers of passenger transport systems (skiing lifts) such as <a href="https://www.altair.com/resource/topology-optimization-improves-gondola-lift-station-building" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Doppelmayr</a>. With the application of specialized simulation tools to their development processes, the Doppelmayr engineers were able to increase the lifetime of a seam weld while reducing the length of each component&#39;s weld seam by 3.5 meters. In addition to that Doppelmayr also reduced manufacturing time and costs by approximately 10% for the new design.&nbsp;Other examples come from industrial machinery, heavy equipment, or <a href="https://www.altair.com/resource/nolato-autoinjector" target="_blank">medical devices</a>. What they all have in common, is that at a certain point in time they had to start applying simulation into their processes, to get products faster to market, increase product quality or performance, or make their products lighter.&nbsp;As shown in the examples above, increasing innovation, product performance, and customer satisfaction can go hand in hand with reducing development time, manufacturing risks, and overall development costs. CAE tools offer multiple opportunities to drive the development of innovative products from the first concept up to series production.&nbsp;Linking test, design, and simulation and the implementation of a simulation-driven design process right from the start of a project can tremendously streamline the entire process and thus foster innovation - providing all industries and companies relying on simulation with the most valuable assets of all: the competitive edge to stay ahead in innovative product development and satisfied customers.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM2Mzc4MzI3MzQwLXN0cnVjdHVyZWFsIGFuYWx5c2lzLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Structural analysis with Altair SimSolid&trade;. Image credit: Altair</div><hr>Whether you are completely new to simulation or looking to expand your capabilities, the free one-day virtual event, Don&#39;t be Late to Simulate, on November 30 is a great way to expand your knowledge. Learn more about using simulation for more efficient and effective product design, hear from startups who are using simulation in their design process and take part in hands-on workshops. <a href="https://hubs.ly/H0-wpBD0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Learn more about the event here.</a><hr><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">How to apply simulation efficiently with Altair</h2><a href="https://www.altair.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Altair</a> is one of the leading simulation software providers, they offer solutions to help engineers make the first step to incorporating simulation into their design process.Altair Inspire&trade; provides intuitive surface modeling and geometry modification tools to help users prepare models for analysis at the fidelity that best suits the analysis detail and solver performance needed at that stage of the development process. This ensures that iteration and comparative studies are possible in early-stage design while offering the flexibility to model at higher fidelity for performance validation and detailed physics assessments.Altair SimSolid&trade;, is a solver available within the Altair Inspire product. Users can import intricate CAD geometries and assemblies, including connections, contacts, welds, detailed dimensions and angles, and more without model simplification or modification. This solver produces results in seconds to minutes, enabling multiple concepts to be assessed in less time than one typical CAD-based simulation run, shortening the design cycle while increasing the insight into the product&#39;s behavior.&nbsp;Altair SimLab&trade; offers more detailed multiphysics analyses, including structural, thermal, and fluid dynamics. It has an intuitive user interface that enables geometry to be imported and updated via the bi-directional CAD coupling.&nbsp;All of these tools are straightforward to learn and can be implemented in whatever your design and development process currently is. Interfacing with all common CAD and CAE tools, Altair offers also a flexible licensing scheme so you can step up your use of simulation without unnecessary investment.&nbsp;This is the first of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/altair" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">five articles&nbsp;</a>in a series about simulation tools sponsored by Altair. Future articles will cover case studies on using simulation in product design, cover workshops on how to get started with advanced simulation software, and explore the applications of multiphysics simulation.&nbsp;Altair is hosting the free virtual global event, <a href="https://hubs.ly/H0-wpBD0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Don&#39;t Be Late to Simulate</a> on November 30, 2021: 2:00 p.m. (Paris) and at 8:00 a.m. (New York).&nbsp;If you are interested in moving from CAD-based simulation to a more robust solution or if you have looking to expand your capabilities, this free to attend virtual event offers a mix of keynotes, case studies, and workshops to help you to be more efficient and effective in how you develop new products.<a href="https://hubs.ly/H0-wpBD0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Register to attend here.</a>Article #2 <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/why-cad-based-simulation-can-become-a-game-of-cat-and-mouse" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">demonstrates w</a><a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/why-cad-based-simulation-can-become-a-game-of-cat-and-mouse" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hy CAD-based Simulation Can Become a Game of Cat and Mouse.</a>Article #3 is for <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/pressing-for-change-at-atna" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">advanced simulation tools that helped this German startup design a press machine that plays a role in reducing carbon emissions.</a>Article #4 <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/simulation-driven-design-for-product-engineers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">previews a workshop that will take place at the Don&rsquo;t be Late to Simulate event on November 30.</a>Article #5 speaks for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/an-engineers-guide-to-multiphysics-modeling-real-world-behaviour-and-predicting-performance" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">advances in software and increased access to inexpensive compute power means more and more engineers can use Multiphysics analysis to improve their design processes.</a><h2 dir="ltr">About the sponsor: Altair</h2>Altair is a global technology company, which provides software and cloud solutions in the areas of simulation, high-performance computing (HPC), and artificial intelligence (AI). Altair enables organizations in nearly every industry to compete more effectively in a connected world while creating a more sustainable future. &nbsp;Wherever you are and whatever you&rsquo;re doing, Altair&rsquo;s solutions surround you &ndash; keeping you safer, more connected, and more productive. They can be found in big places and small &mdash; on highways, hospitals, and hockey rinks, in stadiums, skyscrapers, and subways, and in banks, bikes, and boats.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM2Mzg2OTM0MDkyLWxvZ28gYmFubmVyLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">

Article #1 of our simulation series. Simulation tools improve the development process, enabling engineers to deliver better products in less time.

Simulation-Driven Design: The Secret to Better Products in Less Time

From the automobile industry to food container businesses and everything in between, the use of prototyping has long been widespread across a range of manufacturing sectors.Being able to spot issues with a product before it enters mass production has the potential to save vast amounts of time and money, which might otherwise be spent on a product which – for whatever reason – was never going to be a success.&nbsp;Prototyping is a particularly vital part of the iterative design process, enabling teams to touch and hold real-world versions of their designs, see how they work, and share them with clients and internal stakeholders. It is at these stages of modeling, testing, and evaluating that they are able to spot any problems early on before going back to the drawing board for the modification stage if needed.&nbsp;When it comes to prototyping for larger products there are three constraining factors at play. Speed, cost, and of course – size. Traditional prototyping methods can slow the iterative process down, leading to long delays which prevent the finished product from going to market in a timely fashion, while incurring increased development costs in both staff and materials which can spiral out of control. &nbsp;Newer prototyping methods that harness 3D printing are going some way to alleviating the issues of speed and cost, but their small scale is restrictive to a range of industries that require large prototypes such as the automotive, marine, rail, and renewable energy sectors. So being able to find a prototyping method, which can sit within the iterative design cycle, cut costs and time while also being able to produce larger scale prototypes, is something that is a potential game-changer for the manufacturing sector.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Challenges with prototyping&nbsp;</h2>Constructing a workable prototype of a product via traditional methods is no easy task. Standard prototyping methods are time-consuming, cumbersome, and do not always produce accurate results. This laborious process means an accurate prototype may not always be produced, with huge potential for production delays and wasted spend&nbsp;These costs in time and money also rise exponentially when the concept of iterative design is factored in. In many prototyping processes, it would be the case that such prototypes – which themselves have required a huge amount of effort to produce – are sent back to the drawing board, requiring yet another version of the prototype to be produced using those same time-consuming, traditional methods.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjI1NjU5MTk5ODUyLWRlc2lnbiBjeWNsZS5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">A diagram of an iterative design cycle. Image credit: Chris Becker</div>Each iteration of this process brings the prototype closer to what the client or customer or management might want to see realized, but each iteration is also just as lengthy and costly as the last. &nbsp;This part of the cycle – waiting for a newer prototype to be created that incorporates feedback from the last – is essentially dead time. A time during which the overall project is effectively stalled and no forward progress is being made. &nbsp;This means each cycle is also pushed back the release plans for the envisaged product, or the company might find that even after many iterations, the product was still not viable. This means all the time and money invested in that hugely complex process had effectively been wasted. &nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">3D printing prototyping</h2>The advent of 3D printing has been revolutionary in the field, enabling faster prototyping that allows multiple iterations of a design to be created, in a short, iterative design cycle with many of the speed and cost limitations of traditional methods removed.&nbsp;3D printing, in resin, plastic, or sometimes also metal produces prototypes that look, move, and feel much more like the real thing compared to an object created from less highly finished materials such as foam or clay. They are also often sufficiently realistic enough in both form and function, that they do not require the design team to undertake the painstaking process of crafting an actual one-off ‘real’ version of the end product.&nbsp;This is particularly important when it comes to iterative design, allowing the team to ‘fail fast’ if necessary. They can 3D print a prototype, handle it, view it, demonstrate it, but then take on board feedback and make the necessary changes. The new version can then be 3D printed. This can be repeated again and again until the design is refined to the desired level. Each iteration is relatively simple and inexpensive to achieve compared to the alternatives.&nbsp;In a design context, the impact of this technology cannot be overstated. While the older, slower methods of prototyping meant each iteration was essentially a roadblock – the next stage of refinements to a design could not go forward until a prototype had been built and examined – 3D printing adds speed and ease to the whole cycle. Because of the swiftness, ease, and relatively low cost of this 3D printed prototyping process, the number of iterations is essentially limitless and does not hold up the iterative design process.&nbsp;But while 3D printed prototyping might be highly effective for concept designs that are small enough to hold, they are of little use when what is required is something on a much larger scale. The marine, automotive, and rail sectors for example require prototypes every bit as much as the hinge or guitar manufacturing industries do. Traditional 3D printing though, often cannot handle prototyping on that scale.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Prototyping with 3D printing at scale with Massivit 3D</h2>For designers working in these fields, the cost and time implications of having to build a life-size boat or car using traditional prototyping methods and then, after feedback, potentially having to do it again and again and again, is enormous. But new technology is changing all that.&nbsp;<a href="https://massivit3d.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Massivit 3D</a> is all about doing things big. Like other 3D printing companies, its technology allows designers to create prototypes quickly. But unlike them, it can produce 3D printed objects of much larger sizes, enabling the development <a href="about%3Ablank" target="_blank">prototypes, and molds for boats, cars, and buildings.</a><div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjI1NjYwMDMwNzA4LTNEIHByaW50ZWQgcGFydHMgZm9yIFBlcmZvcm1hbmNlIFRlc3QgZm9yIEFMU1RPTSB0cmFpbiAzLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The scale of the single-piece prints is clear, as a Massivit 3D print is fitted to the front of a train. Image Credit: ©ALSTOM&nbsp;</div>To put the difference in context, <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/massivit.3d" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Massivit 3D’s</a> technology can print a tall human in full-scale, while the largest FDM printers can only manage something under 1.5m in build height. This is achieved using its proprietary Gel Dispensing Printing (GDP) which uses instantly curing gel that cures with the help of UV light. This enables the production of full-scale parts up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall at 30 times the speed of existing technology. Being able to produce full-scale prototypes, molds, and models within hours instead of days provides a huge boon to the iterative prototyping process.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LtZeEiRnGiU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" style="width: 774px; height: 457px;"></iframe> One striking recent example was the world’s first 3D printed, full-scale concept car. The vehicle, designed in tribute to legendary music artist David Bowie, was a joint project between&nbsp;Massivit 3D, Marie 3D, and renowned car designer <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/the-first-ever-3d-printed-concept-car-to-honor-david-bowie-s-legacy" target="_blank">Takumi Yamamoto</a>. The star attraction at the Festival Automobile International (FAI) in Paris, its creation was a seminal moment that announced the arrival of a technology every bit as innovative and groundbreaking as the music of the man himself.&nbsp;From a prototyping perspective, imagine the difference between being able to see a full-size prototype of a <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/david-bowie-tribute-car-to-be-first-ever-full-scale-3d-printed-concept-car-exhibited-at-festival-automobile-international" target="_blank">new vehicle</a> sat on the road outside the design studio, with all the contours and curves appearing just as they would in the finished version. Then imagine how much would be lost by having a prototype of the same vehicle that can only be held in the palm of your hand. The difference is huge – literally.&nbsp;By being able to 3D print larger objects at realistic sizes while retaining the efficiency and savings potential of traditional 3D printing technology, designers and manufacturers can see and touch the prototypes of their creations in a way that has significant practical, real-world benefits for product development.

How large-scale 3D printing is helping manufacturers expedite product design cycles.


Overcoming size and speed limitations for prototyping

Have you ever purchased a new device and struggled to find how to connect it to your existing device? You bring the tool into your workspace only to find that it does not connect to your PC directly with a USB or HDMI. Now you must find an adaptor to connect your devices together – sometimes you need multiple adaptors!This is the same challenge that CAD designers have when first adapting full color 3D printing.Instead of needing adaptors, it is software that can convert your files into the file extension type that allows you to print without losing the design intention of your file. This process is frustrating as the best CAD software for your functional design process doesn’t have tools for the aesthetic requirements of the design – forcing you to now learn a new software in order to bring your ideas to life in the third dimension.These are the challenges when designing for full color additive manufacturing.The main files that are used for printing colored models are STL, VRML, and OBJ. While these are far from the only files used, they are the core file extensions used without being software specific.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1625055526147-Workflows_1-768x549.png" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Files that are native to a specific CAD software can be used in certain instances, but they require plug-in development in order to be directly supported by the slicing software. As such, I try to avoid talking about them as their functionality is reliant on features that may be released down the line and would make what I say now outdated. To ensure that this information is relevant to a broader audience, I will be focusing on the file extensions that are not software specific.STL (Standard Tessellation Language), VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language), and OBJ (Wavefront Object) are the most used file extensions for 3D printing colored models on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stratasys.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Stratasys</a> printers. While each of these store different sets of data, at the coding level, they are very similar. Each file extension uses a three-point coordinate system to define individual points that make up a series of triangles to for the surface geometry of the model. The main area they differ is in how they store their color data.STL files are the simplest. They store their color data as a single piece of information and are limited to a single hex code. STLs are unable to store more than a single color for the entire model. There isn’t a line of data in the format to specify anything more than that.VRML files take this one step further. They have a reference line that specifies an external file to be used as the appearance for the outside of the model. This works very similarly to wrapping paper or how a piece of candy would be wrapped. It defines the name of the file, searches for its specific name in the same location that the .VRML file is located, and then assigns it as the “wrap” for the set of specific data points that are listed below. The reference line of code looks like the what you see below:appearance Appearance {material Material { diffuseColor 0.141260 0.141260 0.141260 }texture ImageTexture { url “Base_-_Default_Texture.JPG” }}#AppearanceOBJ files go another step forward in terms of organizing texture data. Instead of referencing a separate texture file for each set of data points, it has a secondary file with the .MTL file extension. The MTL file stores the texture files as “materials” which are then referenced in the .OBJ file. What this does is allow the same texture file to be used for multiple sets of data points without needing to have duplicate textures in the same folder as the .OBJ file. The reference lines for these files look like the following:OBJ usemtl BaseMTL newmtl Base Ns 323.999994 Ka 1.000000 1.000000 1.000000 Kd 0.141260 0.141260 0.141260 Ks 0.500000 0.500000 0.500000 Ke 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 Ni 1.000000 d 1.000000 illum 2This is especially useful for models that have repeating items. An example of this would be a model of a rose. Instead of needing a separate texture for every leaf, resulting in potentially 30+ duplicates, the leaf can be defined as a material and reused for each set of data points.<hr>This article was first published on the&nbsp;<a href="https://ntopology.com/blog/2020/11/06/what-is-dfam-vs-design-for-rendering/" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nTopology blog</a>.

Designing a product for full color 3D printing can be a bit of a nightmare because you need a way to convert your files into the file extension type that allows you to print without losing the design intention. Read further to learn how I do it at Stratasys.

What is DFAM vs Design for Rendering

Together with Ansys, a developer of simulation software, we are creating&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/decarbonization-sustainability-and-innovations-in-transportation-and-mobility" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a series of content</a>&nbsp;about the technologies that make sustainable transportation possible.This article was based on case studies from Ansys&nbsp;with significant editing and additions by Wevolver,&nbsp;and motorsport journalist&nbsp;Tom Phillips.<h2>Pure ambition</h2>Enzo Ferrari, famed founder of the eponymous Ferrari racing teams and sports car brand, believed that it was through the cut and thrust of wheel-to-wheel competition that true innovation could occur. So just like the Ferrari logo features the famous Cavallino Rampante &ndash; the little prancing horse &ndash; Ferrari&rsquo;s race cars are honed thoroughbreds. Refined through highly attentive design processes that combine cutting-edge technology with a thirst for victory.Unlike in Enzo&rsquo;s day, a significant part of Ferrari&rsquo;s development of new race cars now takes place in the virtual world using multiphysics simulation software. This article looks at the history of Ferrari&rsquo;s racing success and the way they are using simulation to push innovation and continue their legacy.&nbsp;<h2>Ferrari&rsquo;s simulation successes</h2>For Competizioni GT, Ferrari&rsquo;s sports car racing division, simulation is an essential tool for both the design of its vehicles and their on-track performance. Each of its racers is campaigned for three years, with major updates being rolled out each and every season. Such an intense work rate demands solutions that save time, increase accuracy, and deliver the required information to make fast data-driven decisions.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjI1NzI4NzY0MzU3LWZlcnJhcmkgd2lubmVyLmpmaWYiLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">On the track. Image credit: Ferrari</div>Aerodynamic testing and analysis is a well-known tool that enables the simulation of real-world conditions. Where once the team would have to work in a traditional wind tunnel, essentially a large tube with air blowing through it to replicate the interaction between air and a moving vehicle, simulation allows for this to be done virtually. Not only does this provide benefits of reduced cost and time, but simulated aerodynamic testing also offers a much more detailed view of the analysis of the results and combined with 3D modeling allowed for almost real-time tweaks to be made to designs for immediate testing. &nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1625485639076-compressed.gif" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Ferrari GT in aerodynamic testing. Image credit: Ansys</div>Ferrari uses <a href="https://www.ansys.com/products/fluids/ansys-fluent/mosaic-meshing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ansys&rsquo;s Fluent Mosaic Meshing CFD software</a> for its aerodynamic testing. This software enables resource-efficient aerodynamic testing with a lower mesh count. Aerodynamic testing and mesh modeling is about more than just reducing drag. Simulations can also include geographic data, for example, mimicking race conditions in the desert heat of Bahrain. Advanced simulations also provide insights into how the car&rsquo;s aerodynamics are impacted by turbulence from other competitors, or what happens to a car&#39;s drag after suffering a crash or with a different driver weight.&nbsp;<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HsuqVzNCG2g?&wmode=opaque&rel=0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" style="width: 785px; height: 456px;" frameborder="0"></iframe> <h2 dir="ltr">Head-up display presents information at race pace</h2>It&rsquo;s not just the exterior design of the car that benefits from next-generation simulation technology. Competizioni GT is also currently at work with colleagues at the road car department and Ansys to develop a<a href="https://www.ansys.com/blog/hud-design" target="_blank">&nbsp;head-up display (HUD)</a> for the Ferrari 488 GTE car.&nbsp;Similar to a fighter jet, a head-up display allows the driver to be fed essential information about the vehicle, their performance, and the race almost in their eye line. That way, the driver knows how the car is performing while still being able to concentrate on the physical and cognitive aspects of racing. Without this, a driver receives critical race information such as upcoming road conditions and fuel status via radio.&nbsp;Using Ansys SPEOS and VRXPERIENCE software, the team could <a href="https://www.ansys.com/products/av-simulation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">test and evaluate</a> the HUD system in the safety of its race headquarters. The simulations analyzed a huge variety of possible data layouts, ensuring total readability from 0-200mph.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjI1NDg1ODI2MDAxLUhVRC5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="View looking from inside a Ferrari race car onto the track. A red car is to the right. The steering wheel and dash are seen in the bottom half of the image.">Ferrari&#39;s HUD. Image credit: Ansys</div>Feedback from the team&rsquo;s drivers allowed Competizioni GT&rsquo;s engineers to create a HUD that included speed, time behind the car in front, lap time, and warning flag data. That feedback was captured by a specially constructed HMI that allowed the team&rsquo;s drivers to figure out specifically what was relevant to them.What&rsquo;s more, in addition to refining the data design, using simulation allowed the team to test a huge range of variables, for example, to check the display&rsquo;s legibility in all weathers, sun angles, and at all times of the day.&nbsp;&ldquo;We have been considering adopting a HUD system for our race cars for a long time,&rdquo; says Mauro Barbieri, Ferrari Competizioni GT racing engineer. &ldquo;But we were concerned about the amount of time and effort it would take to design and test such a system. Collaborating with simulation engineers minimized the time it took to prove the concept of using a HUD in race cars. Now we plan to continue using simulations as we further develop a working model for use on the track.&rdquo;<h2 dir="ltr">Ferrari looks to innovate at endurance event</h2>In exciting news for fans of innovation and endurance racing alike, Ferrari has announced that it will join the top World Endurance Championship Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) class in 2023. The Hypercar rules are the new top-tier in endurance racing, allowing carmakers to choose to develop a racer from a road car, build a bespoke prototype, and add hybrid electric components, too. The team will take on the likes of Peugeot and Renault&rsquo;s Alpine brand, plus current champions Toyota in the fight for overall championship honors.The new category features very strict rules based on set dimensions, meaning that aerodynamic advantage will only be obtained by designing and iterating with the most sophisticated CFD technology. Ansys will be a partner in the Ferrari project, continuing its support of the race-winning team, and providing solutions to help innovate to win on the track and thus continue to win the race to the transportation and mobility experience of the future.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjI1NDg1OTgwNDAyLUZlcnJhcmlfaG1pLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Simulation in driver training can provide the edge for challenging race conditions. Image credit: Ansys</div>The crowning glory of the championship is the Le Mans 24-Hour race, held annually at the Circuit de la Sarthe in northern France. Ferrari has a rich history of racing at Le Mans, taking nine overall wins in total, including six in a row from 1960-1965. &nbsp;From next year, the race will be open to LMH cars like the forthcoming Ferrari, plus the sister Le Mans Daytona Hypercar (LMDh) category. This category includes Ferrari&#39;s major Le Mans rivals, and current teams with the most wins at the French event, Audi and Porsche, plus BMW and Acura.&nbsp;Where better than to demonstrate the true progress of the Ferrari brand than taking on its closest competitors wheel to wheel at Le Mans and winning? Enzo would be proud.<h2 id="isPasted">About the sponsor: Ansys</h2>Ansys provides engineering simulation software used to predict how product designs will behave in real-world environments. Founded in 1970, Ansys employs more than 4,400 professionals, many of whom are expert M.S. and Ph.D.-level engineers in finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics, electronics, semiconductors, embedded software, and design optimization.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjI1NzI4MDk1ODQ0LUFuc3lzIGJhbm5lciBpbWFnZS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">

A look at the way Ferrari uses simulation to stay cutting edge. 

Ferrari: Innovating and winning with Simulation Technology

A simulation workflow that progresses from concept design to detailed multi-physics analyses can assist in rapid design cycles necessary to meet the challenges of the climate crisis.  Image credit: Ansys.

With transportation responsible for a significant percentage of global CO2 emissions, simulation technologies can be applied to all aspects of vehicle design to enable rapid innovation for greener vehicles. 

How simulation is used in automotive design to decarbonize the industry

<h1>The Pay Per Part Model</h1>A typical manufacturing service model often looks like this: a manufacturer purchases a piece of high-tech equipment from a supplier. They then need to have enough demand to keep that machine running at a capacity that delivers adequate return (as well as managing skilled staffing requirements, maintenance costs, upgrades, etc.). The constraints to all stakeholders in the design, procurement, and design cycle are evident.The<a href="https://www.trumpf.com/en_INT/presse/global-press-releases/press-release-detail-page/release/pay-per-part-trumpf-and-munich-re-plan-new-business-model-for-the-manufacturing-industry/" target="_blank">&nbsp;pay-per-part</a> manufacturing model enables a specialist manufacturer to use a full-service machine without buying or leasing any equipment. Instead, they pay a previously agreed price for each produced part. For a laser cutter, this would be the price for each cut sheet metal part. In other words, they only pay for what they need. This allows the manufacturer (i.e., the company using the machine) to make their production processes more flexible and react faster to market changes.<h2>Agility for all stakeholders</h2>Typically manufacturing service companies design their business model around long lead times, continual capacity, and high volumes necessary to justify the investment in specialized equipment. The pay-per-parts model presents the opportunity for an entirely new business model that includes smaller batch sizes, shorter lead times, and low-cost product development cycles designed with the security of a set price.Where previously a service such as a metal sheet cutting facility would require a minimum order volume to ensure relevant costs are met, a pay-per part model allows facilities to offer short runs for prototyping and development by drastically reducing the processing cost. &nbsp;This creates space within the manufacturer’s own working cycle for innovation, testing, and experimentation and enables innovators to iterate designs earlier in the design process. This combination contributes to better end products coming to market more quickly.<h2>Laser-cutting leads the way</h2>The first iteration of the pay-per-parts model is being rolled out in a collaborative project in Germany. <a href="https://www.munichre.com/en.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Munich Re</a> is covering insurance, IoT service provider <a href="https://relayr.io/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">relayr</a>, provides the data analysis for the financing model while manufacturing specialist <a href="https://www.trumpf.com/en_INT/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TRUMPF</a> supplies customers with the required production components, namely the machines for their factory lines and the corresponding software and services for manufacturing sheet metal parts.<a href="https://www.kloeckner.com/en.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;Klöckner &amp; Co.</a>, one of the world's largest producer-independent steel distributors, will be a business model development partner and eventually supply the raw material. Initially, the partnership will commence as a project under an agreed-upon learning phase.The model will see manufacturing services providers gain access to the latest automated laser cutting technologies without the need for upfront investment; in addition, they are given the tools and insight to adjust production volume to demand. The planned performance guarantee offered by Munich Re, means businesses are insured against the financial impact of potential production downtime.<h1>Goodbye Request-for-Quote</h1>Airbnb began on the premise that you could rent spare rooms in your house to host travelers looking for accommodation. Utilizing under-used resources has been adapted to everything from the extra seats in your car as you drive to work (the initial offering of Uber) to the excess space in your garage (such as the app Neighbor). Now this concept of reorganizing resources and demand is coming to manufacturing.The pay-per-part business model frees up high-tech manufacturing services equipment from the bonds of long lead times and high volumes, opening the possibility for a new era of customer procurement based on data-driven resource management.Just like a host on Airbnb communicates their availability through the company’s website, manufacturers can now log their manufacturing capacity via a platform such as German-based <a href="https://kreatize.com/" target="_blank">Kreatize</a>. The platform allows companies that offer their machine on a pay-per-parts model to mitigate their risk. In case the machine user cannot fully utilize its capacity, it can get additional orders from a platform like Kreatize. Manufacturing service providers feed their capacity status to the platform and, in turn, are offered jobs that match their capacity and expertise.&nbsp;On the other side, customers can order parts through the platform and connect to the right manufacturer who has the equipment and availability necessary for the job. By accessing hundreds (potentially thousands) of suppliers, customers can expect parts to be delivered faster, as the platform does the hard work of matching capacity and expertise via one customer request. The costs for both parties are clear, determined upfront, and managed through a single source. &nbsp;This model covers traditional fabrication processes (turning, milling, waterjet cutting, laser cutting) and additive manufacturing processes (FDM, MJM, SLS &amp; SLM).Manufacturers are relieved of sourcing, managing, and retaining customers. Conversely, customers (i.e., engineers, designers) access an intuitive platform that makes ordering parts super simple, significantly reducing the procurement burden. The days of Request-For-Quote processes are over.<h1>A leap towards Industrie 4.0</h1>Essential to the pay-per part and resource sharing model is a robust IoT infrastructure. Data is now at the core of manufacturing as the industry edges towards fully realized <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/industrie-40-technology-deep-dive" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Industrie 4.0.</a> The widespread deployment of sensors and smart devices throughout production facilities means massive amounts of data is available to enable advanced algorithms to be applied for decision-making.Data analytics for industrial processes traditionally relied on conventional statistical modeling approaches. Companies in manufacturing industries have now successfully integrated engineering, science, and statistical modeling tools to develop large-scale process automation platforms. These systems are often known as ‘AdvancedProcess-Control’ (APC) systems. They enable companies to optimize the efficiencies of their machines and processes. For example, an inspection tool in a sheet metal cutting facility might measure cut quality at the source and store the data in associated databases. The APC system, analyzing these output parameters, decides whether the laser settings (the input parameters) need to be altered to adjust for particular conditions.As more industrial IoT devices and metrics become embedded within automated processes, different types of structured and unstructured data, including sensor data, images, videos, audios, and log files are being collected. More advanced data processing and analysis approaches will allow manufacturers to continue to leverage their data to inform decision-making and identify new or un(der)-used opportunities to improve productivity and efficiency. The growth of the pay-per-part and resource sharing model to work is pegged to broader developments in the quality of the gathering, analyzing, and applying data across the process.<h1>Sustainable collaborations</h1>Data-driven manufacturing efficiency, resource sharing, and innovative economic models are successes within themselves. &nbsp;However, the potential for a more sustainable and waste resistant manufacturing industry is essential for growth and innovation in the digitally advanced but resource-constrained conditions of the present. Lessons learned from the initial pay-per-parts pilot will be valuable across the sector and drive the program’s expansion into other manufacturing processes.

The "pay-per-part model" reduces risk, increases flexibility, and supports agile sustainability.

Pay-per part business model disrupts manufacturing industry

This year, GlobalData <a href="https://www.nsmedicaldevices.com/analysis/coronavirus-ventilators-global-demand/" target="_blank">estimated</a> the need for an additional <a href="https://www.nsmedicaldevices.com/analysis/coronavirus-ventilators-global-demand/" target="_blank">880,000 ventilators worldwide</a> to cope with the demand caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Ventilators get oxygen to a person’s lungs while removing carbon dioxide, essential for patients who are too sick to breathe on their own. Using a ventilator can give the patient time to fight off the infection and recover.&nbsp;Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) took on the challenge to design a ventilator tailored to treat coronavirus (COVID-19) patients that could be mass-produced and gain government approval. It took just 37 days for the team to create a device called VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally). VITAL will free up the nation's limited supply of traditional ventilators.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Fast track FDA approval</h2>NASA received expedited approval from the United States national health and medical approval body, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the device via an emergency use authorization, a fast-track approval process developed for crises that take just days rather than years. Since VITAL’s development, <a href="https://medeng.jpl.nasa.gov/covid-19/ventilator/registration/" target="_blank">28 manufacturers</a> around the world have been licensed to make the device. Another iteration of the ventilator that uses an air compressor also received a ventilator Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA.VITAL can be built faster and maintained more easily than a traditional ventilator and is composed of far fewer parts. It can also be modified to fit alternative health care settings such as the coronavirus specific field hospitals, which are being set up across the country and around the globe. Like all ventilators, VITAL requires patients to be sedated and an oxygen tube inserted into their airway to breathe. VITAL isn’t a replacement for traditional high-end hospital ventilators that can last for years and be used on patients with multiple complex conditions, rather the device is intended to be used during the duration of the pandemic and is specifically tailored for COVID-19 patients.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjA2ODE1MjgyNDEwLUpQTDIuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==">Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech&nbsp;<h1 dir="ltr">VITAL and Supplyframe</h1>Visibility into global electronics supply chains was essential for JPL to be able to create a device that others could replicate without facing any component or part supply issues. In the video above, Erika Earl shares her experience working with the JPL team on the VITAL project. She discusses how Supplyframe’s software solutions helped her and the team quickly pinpoint components that would benefit their design and keep the pressure off conventional medical supply chains.&nbsp;To build supply resiliency into the design while avoiding interfering with existing medical supply chains already under strain. Erika used Supplyframe’s design intelligence software to search for similar components to their needs outside of the medical industry. The platform allowed the hardware and supply chain engineers to see into suppliers’ stock levels and availability. Supplyframe's Design to Source Intelligence uses data from the electronics value chain to surface Insights for stakeholders across the design cycle. Read a more in-depth look at the way DSI is collapsing the electronics industry design cycles<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/supplyframe" target="_blank">&nbsp;here.</a>&nbsp;Supplyframe recognizes the impacts on the global electronics supply chain and has begun developing resources that can help organizations better cope with the current situation and future product designs. These resources include their white paper on the <a href="https://supplyframe.com/solutions/downloads/npi-whitepaper" target="_blank">mandate for transformation in NPI</a> and supporting a global survey of stakeholders across the electronics supply chain to identify opportunities for improvement across the industry.&nbsp;<h1 dir="ltr">Innovation in scarcity</h1>The demand for ventilators has spurred many design teams to deliver a robust, scalable design within a short time frame. Dyson reportedly spent 20 million pounds developing a new ventilator called CoVent in just two weeks in response to a UK government request. <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/combating-covid-19-with-open-source-behind-the-scenes-at-respiraworks" target="_blank">RespiraWorks</a> is an open-source volunteer-run organization developing a ventilator that is affordable and easy to build in countries with developing economies and low-resource communities. The team described their own challenges working with an under-pressure supply chain <a href="https://vimeo.com/455530740" target="_blank">in this webinar.</a>&nbsp;Other ventilator related projects are also underway. Researchers at Eindhoven University have improved ventilators performance by a factor of ten using a technique based on self-learning algorithms. The <a href="https://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/" target="_blank">Institute for Manufacturing (IfM)</a> is developing a device that could be attached to a ventilator to enable two COVID patients to receive tailored respiratory support if needed in an emergency.<h1 dir="ltr">Looking forward</h1>The need for resilient supply chains that can respond to the fluctuations created by unexpected events such as the global coronavirus pandemic is clear. Leveraging existing data within design cycles and from the supply chain is essential to creating future-proof and resilient products and systems critical to beating this crisis while preventing the next.&nbsp;<hr><h1 dir="ltr">About the sponsor: Supplyframe</h1>This article is sponsored by Supplyframe. Supplyframe aligns electronics demand with supply and brings new levels of resiliency to the global electronics value chain, with transformative, intelligence-based solutions to deliver insights at key decision points throughout the entire design-to-source product lifecycle. Leveraging billions of continuous signals of design intent, demand, supply, and risk factors, Supplyframe’s Design-to-Source Intelligence (DSI) Platform is the world’s richest intelligence resource for the electronics industry. Over 10 million engineering and supply chain professionals worldwide engage with our SaaS solutions, search engines, and media properties to power rapid innovation and optimize in excess of $120 billion in annual direct materials spend. Supplyframe is headquartered in Pasadena, Calif., with offices in Austin, Belgrade, Grenoble, Oxford, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. &nbsp;<img class="fr-fic fr-dib" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjA2NDk5ODY5ODEzLXN1cHBsZXlmcmFtZSBsb2dvIGJhbm5lci5qcGciLCAiZWRpdHMiOiB7InJlc2l6ZSI6IHsid2lkdGgiOiA5NTAsICJmaXQiOiAiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 788px;">

Article 3 in our PCB design series: Quickly finding relevant and available components was essential to achieving this ambitious life-saving project.

Supplyframe Aids Rapid Development of Supply Chain Resilient Ventilator

In our <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/the-printed-circuit-board-design-and-manufacturing-cycle-symbiotic-relationships-engage-innovation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">previous articles&nbsp;</a>on the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design and manufacturing cycle we focussed heavily on the role of online CAD libraries. In this new article, we look at the broader electrical design cycle and examine the services that are assisting engineers to make intelligent data-driven design decisions.<h2 dir="ltr">The electronics design cycle</h2>The development of any new electrical device or system requires an enormous amount of stakeholders, talents, technologies, and markets. As manufactured products across industries are increasingly electrified, this design cycle must evolve, and embrace the technologies that accelerate innovation and speed to market. Two of the most influential players in this system are the development engineers, who are designing devices and integrated systems, and the manufacturers who are providing the components for use within those systems. Each relies on the other to continue innovation, however, the gap between these two groups has been significant, resulting in an inability for either party to peer inside the design ecosystem and understand the impact of the others design considerations.&nbsp;<h1 dir="ltr">Designing with Intelligence</h1>The electronics design cycle involves massive amounts of data associated with parts, components, and interoperability requirements each step in the process requiring deliberate and consequential decision making. Harnessing this data, and analyzing usage trends, design intent and demand creates a massive potential for better decision making, reduced costs, faster time to market, and better collaboration. &nbsp;Recognizing the value of this data and engaging in ways to collect, distill and apply it will radically improve the overall design cycle, reduce time to market, improve the resilience of product, ensure a more competitive market and create space for innovation.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Where is the data and how can it be captured, synthesized, and applied?</h2>This data comes from several sources. A good starting point for understanding the amount and value of the data is the way part and component assets are provided to engineers. All engineers must go through a process of researching and selecting components for use within their design, the individual properties, size, and quality of the components have a massive impact on the end product. As described in <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/alex-macdougall-is-on-a-mission-to-solve-a-problem-at-the-core-of-the-electronics-industry" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">previous articles</a>, the biggest change in CAD-based PCB design is the advent of free online CAD component libraries. These libraries allow engineers to download clean CAD models directly to their workspaces. &nbsp;While this supports the engineer’s efficient workflow it also creates a very valuable insight into which components are being downloaded where, essentially giving suppliers a view into the future by seeing which components will be in demand. Further analysis and integration of design tools would provide insights into exactly what products these components are being used in.Looking the other way, designers using these <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/alex-macdougall-is-on-a-mission-to-solve-a-problem-at-the-core-of-the-electronics-industry" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">libraries</a> can see quickly the cost, inventory, and iteration of the components they choose, allowing them to make decisions that will future proof designs against lack of supply, etc. These data-gathering points can be further broken down into categories and examined for value opportunity for both designers and suppliers to the system to find the opportunity to insert intelligence into decision making across the design cycle.<img class="fr-fic fr-dib" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjA1NTMzMDMwMzY0LW1hbnVmYWN0dXJpbmcgZWxlY3Ryb25pY3MuanBnIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;"><h2 dir="ltr">Search Intelligence</h2>As discussed above, search intelligence provides designers not only with fast high-quality CAD models for direct integration into design software, but also a way to understand the demand and inventory on these items anticipating future demand and supply which provides visibility into futureproofing, allowing the designer to decide based on this knowledge if they are making the most resilient choice. We dived deeper into the benefits of intelligent component search for designers in <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/samacsys-power-user-case-study-icarus-design" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our interview</a> with PCB designer Johnnie Howman and the benefits for the supplier side in a discussion with semiconductor manufacturer, Nexperia.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Price analytics</h2>Insight into the price of components across manufacturers with the context of the market gives the opportunity to make informed decisions for overall product competitiveness and resilience. This data not only informs overall product cost but insights into the risk and availability of components that can affect time to market, assembly timelines, and iteration planning. From a supplier perspective, understanding the consequences of the pricing and availability data gives guidance to marketing and manufacturing design decisions.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Overview design history</h2>Knowing the design decisions of engineers in similar workflows to your own provides the ability to design with full authority. This use of data intelligence collapses organizational structures and increases visibility and collaboration across the industry. It can be thought of as like checking for 5-star reviews on Amazon - reassuring yourself as a potential consumer of a product that it meets the quality, performance, and availability requirements of your peers, as well as vouching for the service from the product manufacturer.&nbsp;For designers, if they can see that a particular component has proved highly popular with other designers (as indicated by stock availability in the market for example, perhaps due to competitive pricing from the manufacturer) then this helps add confidence to their decision to design with it. This increased confidence has other knock-on effects such as shorter design cycles more space for innovation.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Behavior modeling</h2>Behavior modeling allows component manufacturers to get an early view of what parts designers are using, in order to influence their plans for the parts proving "popular". This essentially gives suppliers an ‘over the shoulder’ view of the design process that they can use to inform decisions on asset delivery and marketing as well as engage and influence decision-makers at the design end.<h2 dir="ltr">Data backed pricing analysis</h2>Traditional ‘request for quote’ processes is a potential bottleneck in an efficient road to market. &nbsp;Aggregating pricing data across the entire supply chain can provide an opportunity for engaging in the quoting process in a whole different way that provides benefits to all stakeholders. Suppliers can combine market intelligence with customer account purchase patterns to optimize quotes for margin. While designers can optimize designs for target costs, and mitigate the risk of downstream supply disruption.<h2 dir="ltr">Supply Intelligence</h2>Supply intelligence reveals stock and inventory data, as well as critical timelines that may influence design decisions. It’s hugely beneficial for all parties and is a key data point that has previously been extremely difficult to access. Take the following example; some highly popular components or at times, component categories (e.g. Tantalum capacitors) can go into long-term supply issues due to the high demand. They end up being designed-in to huge numbers of products (for all the right reasons) and hence demand soars. Usually, manufacturers forecast and position themselves to meet the demand but in some cases a critical part of supply chain breaks (perhaps cobalt supplies for Lithium-ion batteries) creating shortages and long lead-times. Many designers are oblivious to this until it's too late as they are typically separated from the purchasing/supply process. So by having true supply intelligence available at the time of designing, they can be aware of any product issues or shortages, then make appropriately informed decisions.&nbsp;<h1 dir="ltr">Data into intelligence</h1>It's easy to see just how much data exists in the electronics value chain and the benefits that using that data can provide. However, it's also clear that much of this data is either locked away in inaccessible channels or if possible to access is so complex, the analysis and presentation is far too resource-heavy an investment. The answer to this is two-pronged, the first is a recognition by all players across the chain that a data-driven approach is essential for the next leap in innovations, and secondly dedicated players in the space to act as the gathers and filters for the ‘data.’<h2 dir="ltr">Supplyframe</h2>SaaS company, Supplyframe, has built a software product that enables this existing data to be converted into insights that support decision making and offers resilience. Supplyframe’s goal is to allow engineers and suppliers to inject data-driven intelligence into their processes resulting in innovation across the space. They do this by providing a suite of applications useful for all players in the space to access relevant data and the context to apply it. For suppliers and distributors, this means delivering actionable insights that drive better decisions across new product development initiatives, full product life cycles, and strategic sourcing of direct materials. For designers and manufacturers, this is access deep into the decision-making process, transparency across component supply, and insights into design trends and strategies.&nbsp;<h1 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h1>The electrical design cycle is a data-rich space that requires a layer of analysis in order to create a connected, intelligent design-to-source lifecycle. The road to the ubiquitous use of data-driven intelligent decisions making for all stakeholders in the electronics design cycle is prepared and will be unlocked by engagement with the right applications across the industry.&nbsp;<hr><h1 dir="ltr">About the sponsor: Supplyframe</h1>This article is sponsored by Supplyframe. Supplyframe aligns electronics demand with supply and brings new levels of resiliency to the global electronics value chain, with transformative, intelligence-based solutions to deliver insights at key decision points throughout the entire design-to-source product lifecycle. Leveraging billions of continuous signals of design intent, demand, supply, and risk factors, Supplyframe’s Design-to-Source Intelligence (DSI) Platform is the world’s richest intelligence resource for the electronics industry. Over 10 million engineering and supply chain professionals worldwide engage with our SaaS solutions, search engines, and media properties to power rapid innovation and optimize in excess of $120 billion in annual direct materials spend. Supplyframe is headquartered in Pasadena, Calif., with offices in Austin, Belgrade, Grenoble, Oxford, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. &nbsp;&nbsp;<img class="fr-fic fr-dib" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjA1NTMyMTQxNjcyLXN1cHBsZXlmcmFtZSBsb2dvIGJhbm5lci5qcGciLCAiZWRpdHMiOiB7InJlc2l6ZSI6IHsid2lkdGgiOiA5NTAsICJmaXQiOiAiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 788px;">&nbsp;

Insights derived from engagement with technical digital content are assisting designers and component makers at every stage of the electronic design process.

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