This is the second part of a two part article, Accessing the Latest Simulation Technologies from SIMULIA On The Cloud, from the December 2017 issue of SIMULIA Community News magazine. Check out the first part, here.
Let’s take a look at how the cloud can help different kinds of users overcome a variety of challenges:
Experts at large OEMs may already have a license that covers hundreds of thousands of simulations throughout the year. But suppose a new product is about to be launched, more validation tests need to be done quickly, and the existing token pool is being fully utilized by another internal team. Rather than raise the company’s entire annual subscription, the additional software and compute capacity can be leased as a service from the cloud, for just a single business quarter (three months), in order to finalize the new product design.
Another benefit of the cloud for large OEMs is global reach. A company may have offices spread across the planet—say, Detroit, India, China and Brazil. But their data hub is located in Detroit, so any simulation-file traffic between offices involves copying and sending files over the network, requiring huge amounts of time for downloads. Instead, by centralizing everything on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud infrastructure, users can log into the platform and view all their data on a secure web browser for instant access, easier sharing with colleagues, and enhanced collaboration throughout the enterprise.
Experts at small- and medium-sized companies (SMBs) can have very different needs from larger companies, which is where the cloud can provide real value in terms of competitive advantage. If they are a Tier 1 or 2 supplier to a large OEM, the SMB may be required to use the same FEA software tools as their clients. But if that work typically only comes in a few times a year, the cost of an annual Abaqus software license can be prohibitive. Instead, through the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud, the supplier can subscribe to an Abaqus license for only a three-month period, doesn’t need to hold onto a license that’s not being used in the interim, and can re-subscribe when the next project comes in. Expertise, and the ability to compete at the highest levels, can be established and maintained by a smaller company without a huge advance investment.
Designers, design engineers, and other non-expert users will find that the advent of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud dramatically changes the landscape for them in other powerful ways. Those who are using our sister brand CAD tools like CATIA and SOLIDWORKS may not have been able to afford, or had the expertise to run, realistic simulations in the past. But now the user roles on the cloud come with what we call “embedded compute,” so you can virtually test your product designs without having to purchase any additional coupons. And the best part is that, underneath the ease-of-use design tools created specifically for your non-expert role, runs the very same 40-year-proven Abaqus solver technology that the experts use. So the floodgates are opening for the design engineering community to access the resources they need to fully engage the power of simulation for product development.
SECURITY IS PARAMOUNT Your data on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud is more secure than what most customers have access to on premise. That’s due to data centralization, stringent procedures enforcing regulatory standards and best practices, and proven technologies from experienced cloud providers at both infrastructure and application levels. For more information see our whitepaper on Security in Depth.
THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF SIMULATION Cloud computing on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is available to every kind of simulation user, regardless of the size of your team and company or your personal level of design engineering sophistication. By providing unprecedented access to industry-leading tools and hardware capabilities, as well as ease-of-use that enables everyone to collaborate from their own level of expertise, the cloud has truly democratized the use of simulation so that everyone can take advantage of its benefits. Many of our customers have already adopted cloud computing to help them achieve sustainable innovation. Let us know how we can help you begin your own cloud journey!