The Evolution of MODSIM: From Concept to Application

In the past two decades, simulation technology has revolutionized industries by providing insights that enable precision engineering, reduce costs, and enhance product performance. Yet, as technology and market demands evolve, the role of simulation must also expand to meet new challenges such as electrification, sustainability, and resource conservation.

The journey of MODSIM from a theoretical concept to a fully integrated application in various industries is a fascinating tale of technological evolution, reflecting broader trends in product development and manufacturing. This transition not only showcases how the software has adapted but also highlights the significant benefits of integrating modeling and simulation early in the design process.

Early Days of Modeling and Simulation

Historically, modeling and simulation were separate processes handled by different teams within an organization. Engineers used computer-aided design (CAD) systems to develop models, while analysts applied computer-aided engineering (CAE) software for simulations. These tasks were often performed in isolation, leading to inefficiencies and miscommunications between design and analysis phases. The insights from simulations typically came too late to influence the initial designs significantly, limiting their impact on the final product.

The Rise of Integrated Systems

The realization of these inefficiencies prompted the development of integrated systems that could unify CAD and CAE functionalities. The primary goal was to streamline workflows and enhance collaboration between different engineering disciplines. By integrating these systems, companies hoped to speed up the design process, reduce costs, and improve product quality and performance.

So, What is MODSIM?

MODSIM is more than just a function — it’s a powerful approach that empowers engineers, designers, and simulation experts to drive innovation and streamline their workflow. By unifying modeling and simulation on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, MODSIM enables unprecedented collaboration, optimizes designs and accelerates product development.

For designers, analysts and engineers, it offers powerful and efficient capabilities like advanced sub-D modeling, fast geometry creation and reuse, and automatic meshing – along with user guidance and dedicated learning content to help you master the solutions on your terms. This is more than just CAD-CAE tool integration. It is about accelerating the efficiency of simulation-based design by bringing together the right people, their processes, and best-in-class tools to automate data transfer, geometry clean-up, and model building for product assemblies of all sizes.

Breaking Down Silos

People want to co-create, co-simulate and collaborate. MODSIM gives you the environment to do just this. One of the fundamental advantages of MODSIM is its ability to break down the silos between different engineering tasks. By fostering a unified environment, MODSIM allows engineers and simulation analysts to collaborate more closely. This collaboration is facilitated by a common data model and a shared user experience, which helps eliminate the traditional barriers that often delayed or complicated simulations.

Impact on Product Development

The impact of MODSIM on product development is profound:

• Reduced Time to Market: By integrating simulation early in the design process, MODSIM dramatically cuts down the time required to develop new products. Prototyping stages are minimized, as simulations can predict how changes in design will affect performance.
• Cost Efficiency: The ability to test and modify designs virtually reduces the need for physical prototypes, which are often expensive and time-consuming to produce.
• Single-source Data: Designers and analysts work on the same model thus avoiding translation and version control issues between CAD and CAE.
• Enhanced Innovation: Engineers can explore a wider range of design alternatives quickly and with greater confidence, leading to more innovative solutions and better product performance.
• Reduce Late-stage Failures: MODSIM enables a simulation-empowered shift-left strategy that pulls verification and validation upfront in the design concept stage and reduces the risk of late-stage failures and reworks.

Application Across Industries

MODSIM has found applications across a wide range of industries, from automotive and aerospace to electronics and healthcare. In each sector, the ability to rapidly simulate and modify designs not only speeds up the development process but also enhances the quality and functionality of products. For instance, in the automotive industry, MODSIM helps engineers optimize designs for performance and safety before any physical model is built.

Addressing Major Industry Challenges

• Electrification and Renewable Energy

As industries move towards electrification, particularly in automotive and energy sectors, simulation plays a critical role in experimenting with new materials and designs. For instance, in electric vehicles, battery management systems and the integration of electrical components are complex areas where simulation can predict performance outcomes and optimize designs without the need for physical prototypes.

• Sustainability and Circular Economy

Sustainability efforts benefit significantly from MODSIM. By simulating the life cycle of products, companies can design with an eye towards reuse and recycling. For example, using simulation to optimize material usage and minimize waste during manufacturing can lead to more sustainable production practices.

• Resource Efficiency

In sectors like manufacturing and construction, resource constraints are a significant challenge. MODSIM can help by optimizing the use of materials and energy. Simulating different construction scenarios or production methods can result in more efficient processes that consume fewer resources.

Customer Success

One standout example of MODSIM’s practical application is seen in the innovative transportation solutions provider, QARGOS. By integrating MODSIM, QARGOS reduced their vehicle weight by 30%, optimized aerodynamics, and minimized the need for physical prototypes, enhancing the design of their F9 model. Their approach included advanced simulations for aerodynamics, battery thermal management, and structural integrity, which not only sped up the market release but also maximized performance and cargo space, significantly cutting down both time and costs associated with physical prototyping.

Another significant example of MODSIM at work is Resemin, a leading manufacturer known for its innovative approach to equipment design. Resemin has harnessed the power of MODSIM through SOLIDWORKS® 3D CAD modeling and the 3DEXPERIENCE Works simulation portfolio to not only improve equipment performance but also bring a level of customization to its offerings that was previously unattainable. The ability to quickly iterate designs and simulate performance under various conditions means that Resemin can offer mass customization—an increasingly important capability in today’s market where customer preferences and requirements vary widely.

These are just some examples, but the successes of QARGOS and Resemin serve as compelling endorsements of the potential that MODSIM holds for the future of design and manufacturing across all industries.

Future Trends

Looking ahead, MODSIM is set to become even more integral to product development as the complexity of products increases.

Cloud-Based Collaborative Platforms

The future of MODSIM lies in cloud-based architectures that facilitate real-time collaboration across global teams. These platforms can host validated simulation workflows and models that are accessible to all stakeholders in the product development process. By enabling seamless collaboration, these platforms reduce the time from concept to market and foster innovation.

Integration with AI and Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are set to deepen the capabilities of MODSIM. AI algorithms can predict outcomes from simulations with higher accuracy and at a fraction of the time it takes using traditional methods. Moreover, machine learning can automate the refinement of models based on simulation results, continuously improving the quality of simulations.

Enhanced Virtual Prototyping

As virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies mature, their integration into MODSIM processes could revolutionize how designers and engineers interact with their creations. Imagine a designer in automotive engineering walking around a full-scale model of a new car design in a virtual environment, tweaking designs in real-time based on simulation data.

Are You Ready for MODSIM?

The question for businesses today is not if they should adopt MODSIM, but how quickly they can integrate it into their processes. The future of design and development is here with MODSIM’s ability to bring together people, tools, and data in a transformative synthesis that drives innovation at unprecedented speeds.

The MODSIM user community gathers simulation, modeling and design experts of CATIA and SIMULIA. Our aim is simple: break down the silos between design, modeling and simulation and see the value that looking at the product design and validation process as a whole can bring.

Join the community to unlock a world of expertise with presentations, demos, tutorials! Find also replays, presentations, speakers of all MODSIM 3DEXPERIENCE conferences.