By Ed Fontes, Chief Technology Officer, COMSOL

Trends in Computer-Aided Engineering: A Multiphysics Perspective

Ed Fontes

In the last decades, modeling and simulation (M&S) has become essential for understanding, predicting, and optimizing the behavior and design of processes and devices. Moore’s law, new numerical methods, and new software have facilitated this development.

M&S was once exclusive to R&D departments at large companies, universities, and governmental labs but has since spread to the design departments of both large and small organizations. The use of models has also changed. For decades, models were used in the exploratory and development stages of a project. Today, models can be incorporated into devices and processes to continuously adapt to, extract information from, and control them during operation. For example, models can be incorporated into digital twins in order to determine when a wing should be replaced in a fighter jet or when a wind turbine needs service.

Due to this expanding scope of use, the expectations for computer-aided engineering (CAE) software have grown together with the demand for M&S. Although CAE software has become more user friendly, most products still require some degree of knowledge about mathematical and numerical modeling. Ease of use — in terms of assisting engineers and scientists with modeling issues such as consistent initial conditions, boundary conditions, loads, and constraints — is an important aspect of CAE software design. Additionally, making user interfaces more self-guiding is something that most software developers are spending considerable resources on, partly driven by increased demand but also by the scarcity of M&S specialists. In this context, the use of bots may become more important to guide users in the general modeling process and give instructions for specific modeling steps.

(more…)

By Oleg Zykov, CEO, C3D Labs

Oleg Zykov

In 2024, the boom of new CAD/CAM/CAE developments continues, both by independent vendors and within corporations. China is obviously becoming the epicenter of CAD development. Just look at the number of Chinese companies among the founding members of ODA or at the Open Geometry Group. Under the conditions of significant time constraints, the industry imposes high requirements to CAD software components and the speed of their development. What technologies will be most in demand in the new year? Let’s note two.

The first trend is the web: a huge number of products for data management, both in engineering and construction, are moving or being written from scratch to work in the browser. To ensure comfortable work with large assemblies, these products must be built on modern web visualization components. This is largely why C3D Web Vision module has become one of the drivers of our business in 2023.

Next trend – the boundary representation is no longer enough for CAD. Too much data has started coming to designers in polygonal representation. Here we are talking about data coming from 3D scanners, and about the results of generative design. CAD must have tools both to convert such models to solids and to work directly with polygonal models using traditional methods. Working ahead of the curve, we started a project to create a polygonal geometry kernel.

(more…)

(R)evolution in Manufacturing Space in 2024 by Dr. Yavuz Murtezaoglu

Dr. Yavuz Murtezaoglu

Revolutions happen overnight, whereas evolutions happen over a longer period. But sometimes revolutionary changes happen over a long period of time silently in the background. This is the case in Manufacturing space.

Discrete Manufacturing (Milling, Turning, Drilling) utilizes CNC Machines and CAD/CAM Software to produce parts worth trillions of US Dollar. Although CNC controls are already smart devices and CAM software is quite powerful, the digital transformation in Manufacturing has still a long way to go.

Different software and hardware vendors have their own languages to describe the machining process which makes it hard to have reliable and resilient fully digital workflows. It requires skilled operators and CAM programmers to keep the systems working at the required productivity. Since the output of manufacturing is growing year by year, this means a growing need for more people to be trained, which is getting quite a challenge due to demographic constraints in many countries.

(more…)

By Paul Van Metre, ProShop ERP

Paul Van Metre

Reflecting on the Past: Insights from 2022 and 2023

As we move into 2024, it’s crucial to reflect on the predictions made in the preceding years. TheCNC machining/manufacturing sector witnessed significant shifts, primarily influenced bytechnological advancements, cybersecurity concerns, and market segmentation.
In 2022, we observed the pivotal role of cloud-based ERP systems in streamlining supply chainsand enhancing operational efficiency. Some shops embraced a heightened focus on sales andmarketing strategies, which became increasingly important as competition intensified.Cybersecurity emerged as a critical concern as CMMC 2.0 loomed on the horizon, withcompanies struggling to understand the costs and impact on their systems to safeguardcustomer and business data.
2023 was a dichotomous year, bringing record-breaking success for some while othersstruggled to survive. The industry saw a clear division between companies that embraced asales-driven approach and those that did not. Compliance with cybersecurity regulations likeCMMC and NIST 800-171 became ever larger in the windscreen, with the release of theproposed rule in December. Furthermore, certifications such as AS9100 and ISO 13485solidified their importance, underpinning business efficiency and opening doors to high-endmarkets. Many shops pursued certification to help open doors to new markets and reaped thebenefits of doing so.

(more…)

By Terry Wohlers, Head of Advisory Services and Market Intelligence, Wohlers Associates, powered by ASTM International

Terry Wohlers

The following forecasts are related to additive manufacturing (AM) and related processes. The impact of new developments in AM is almost never like flipping a switch. Most require many years to unfold and mature to full commercialization.

The architecture and construction industry continues to explore ways to put AM to work. Some examples are interesting, but many are not. Even so, organizations are beginning to determine when and where AM produces real value. Until better materials and business cases develop, much of the value will come from improved aesthetics and architectural creativity.

Automotive chassis, suspension, brakes, and other major subsystems will be produced for high-end cars from Aston Martin, Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, and others. Divergent Technologies is leading much of this work and paving the way for mainstream (i.e., more affordable) automobiles, which will take several more years.

Expect to see increased use of AM for heat exchanger design and production. One has been certified for use on the F-35 combat aircraft, with Sintavia playing an important role.

(more…)

By Andre Wegner , CEO, Authentise

Andre Wegner

2024: Solutions to the Supply Chain Crunch 

The world’s supply chains have been tightening for years now. Covid first taught us the risks of a Just-in-Time mentality. War, terrorism and increasing geo-political tensions have done the rest. It seems that 2023 was the year everybody finally accepted that business-as-usual was no longer an option. In 2024 we’re going to figure out what to do about it.

If Just-in-Time delivery isn’t an option, Just-in-Time production may be. The emerging opportunity is that we need to move from idea-to-part much faster. The government is focusing on increased speed in Replicator and similar programmes. Companies are also realizing this and investing in System of Engagement tools to liberate their design and engineering decisions, speeding up the product design process. The industry is learning from additive and other (relatively) new manufacturing processes how agility in manufacturing is possible, and how an increased connection between manufacturing and engineering enables this. Data will remain a focus for this task, quality control and increasing the control-loop from the machine to the whole value chain: We’re seeing the fruition of decades of labour in generative design algorithms and similar tools that can have a dramatic impact on design speed if utilized correctly. 2024 is the year in which we set the pathway to do just that. Improved intent capture from engineering will interface directly with the generative design algorithms, which in turn smoothly control devices. The systems, factories, tools and algorithms to support it have all been independently built. It now needs to be added to a smooth, end-to-end process.

(more…)

By Dr. Kenneth Church, Founder and CEO, nScrypt

Dr. Kenneth Church

As we stand at the threshold of 2024, advancements in technology continue to transform our industry. Two key areas that are poised to shape the future are technological innovations in electronics and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI).

Electronics has been on an evolutionary track for decades. Tubes and wires have been replaced by physically smaller transistors and traces. Now, driven by the demand for higher frequency and higher power, glass and cloth are emerging as the next frontier. Intel’s announcement about the advantages of glass in accommodating tightly packaged and heat-resistant circuitry signals a pivotal shift toward more advanced, next generation solutions.

6G will be talked about more before true implementation, but discussions have prompted industry to brace for what is coming by making sure that new demands on data flow and data handling is more fact than fiction. Traditional users are already consuming vast amounts of data, usage will continue to surge in 2024, and this is just the beginning. Next-generation packaging, particularly in the realm of 3D technology, offers a lifeline as the limitations of 2D packaging become increasingly apparent. 3D packaging will enable industry to chase what consumers want – data, and a lot of it.

(more…)

By Andrei Kharatsidi, CEO & Co-Founder, SprutCAM Tech Ltd.

Andrei Kharatsidi

Let’s be honest, predictions for the industry in 2024 won’t differ much from what we expected in 2023. However, the CAD/CAM industry still might see the emergence of trendsetters.

The development of our industry is significantly influenced by, firstly, key technologies of Industry 4.0, secondly, the high degree of consolidation of the engineering software market, and thirdly, the shortage of qualified professionals in various industrial sectors.

Considering the main themes of Industry 4.0 in relation to CAD/CAM in the near future, we are betting on artificial intelligence and machine learning, augmented and virtual reality, robotics, 3D printing, and additive manufacturing.

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

There are still high hopes connected with the implementation of AI technologies for achieving a level of fully automatic machining of parts. For now, machine learning in CAD/CAM systems solves more down-to-earth tasks, in particular, optimizing the workflow and interface, suggesting commands that users will need for subsequent actions. SprutCAM X introduced Ency, a smart chatbot based on ChatGPT, which explains G-code and can answer various questions. However, this is clearly not enough, and just as automakers are working on increasing the level of autonomous driving, CAD/CAM software vendors are investing more in industrial AI solutions.

(more…)

By Christian Buckner, SVP, Data Analytics and IoT,
Mark Do Couto, SVP, Data Analytics
Yeshwant Mummaneni, Chief Engineer, Cloud
Keshav Sundaresh, Global Director of Product Management, Altair

Christian Buckner Mark Do Couto Keshav Sundaresh Yeshwant Mummaneni

Data/AI

1. AI Fuels the Rise of DIY Physics-based Simulation. The rapidly growing interaction between Data/AI and simulation will speed up the use of physics-based simulations and extend its capabilities to more non-expert users. (Christian Buckner, SVP, Data Analytics and IoT, Altair)
2. AI Will Need to Explain Itself. Users will demand a more transparent understanding of their AI journey with “Explainable AI” and a way to show that all steps meet governance and compliance regulations. The White House’s recent executive order on artificial intelligence will put heightened pressure on organizations to demonstrate they are adhering to new standards on cybersecurity, consumer data privacy, bias and discrimination. (Mark Do Couto, SVP, Data Analytics)
3. Blockchain Plays the Hero in Securing Data Lineage. As AI/ML models play key roles in critical decision-making, whether supervised by humans or in a completely autonomous fashion, model provenance/lineage becomes crucial. The foundational technology that powered blockchain to provide immutability of records, digital identities, signatures, and verifications leveraging cryptography will become a key aspect of enterprise AI to provide tamper proof model provenance. (Yeshwant Mummaneni, Chief Engineer, Cloud, Altair)
4. MLOps Moves to the Edge. MLOps (Machine Learning Operations) will significantly evolve to not only provide operational capabilities such as deployment, scaling, monitoring etc. but will include model optimization. This will encompass everything from hyperparameter tuning to tweak model performance to model size/quantization and performance optimization for specific chipsets and use cases such as for edge computing on wearable devices or cloud computing. (Yeshwant Mummaneni, Chief Engineer, Cloud, Altair)

(more…)

By Doug Lawson, CEO, ThinkIQ

Doug Lawson

The Future of Manufacturing: AI, Industry 4.0, Sustainability, and Global Collaboration

As pressure from impending ESG regulations, economic headwinds and geopolitical tensions grow, manufacturers are increasingly looking at cutting-edge technologies to help navigate these challenges. While many manufacturers are still effectively blind to a staggering percentage of events on the factory floor and in their supply chains, Smart Manufacturing solutions will be key in the next year to reduce manufacturing inefficiencies, increase productivity and, ultimately, weather the economic storm.

Here are a few manufacturing technology trends we expect to see in the coming year.

Manufacturers Will Increasingly Embrace Artificial Intelligence to Combat Inflation

With inflation wreaking havoc up and down the entire supply chain, manufacturing companies are looking for ways to stabilize their operations and increase efficiency. The constant increase in prices of raw materials has forced manufacturers to look for ways to improve efficiency and productivity, at reduced costs, with a dependable output of high-quality products. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is opening up greater possibilities for more optimized manufacturing processes to these ends.

Over the next year, we expect inflation to drive more and more manufacturers to look to AI to successfully navigate the challenges posed by a higher cost in materials.

(more…)