TECH TRENDS IN
Three trends will gain importance in 2021:
Simulation, Designing with Artificial Intelligence, and Model-based Definition
(MBD), according to Brian S. Thompson, DVP and GM, CAD segment, PTC.
In 2021, PTC predicts the industry
will realize that simulation
capabilities are a necessity, not a
luxury. Manufacturers will view
simulation as something they must
do, not only for the obvious reasons
of cost and efficiency, but because
innovation drives positive business
results. Innovation is more likely to
occur when simulation results are
available early in the design process
instead of at the end. Additionally, the
pandemic is keeping engineers out
of their product labs, which further
underscores the urgency of using
simulation in 2021.
PTC partnered with Ansys, the
world-leader in simulation, and
integrated the Ansys solvers directly
into our Creo solution to ensure that
every design engineer has the benefit
of simulation in his CAD environment.
The product designer should not have
to flip between windows, use another
software package, or click and wait.
Designers that use real-time
simulation within their engineering
tool can test basic scenarios, rapidly
iterate, and advance their models
enabling analysts to spend more time
on issues that merit their expertise.
This impacts the economics of
product development efforts and
makes room for innovation because
the designer can explore more ideas
to a higher standard, fewer decisions
have to be reworked, and a higherquality
product gets to market faster.
DESIGNING WITH
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Generative design is the new
technology everyone is talking about
and I predict use to further expand in
2021. At its heart, generative design
is about co-designing with artificial
intelligence, building on generative
studies, and encoding company
approaches to design.
The idea behind generative design
is that early concept development
leading to final designs is
faster, more efficient and
more complete. Based
on design constraints,
loads, and materials,
the system provides
optimized solutions that
lead to better, higher-quality
designs with efficient material
DESIGN SOFTWARE | TRENDS
usage, which has an impact on Cost of
Goods Sold (COGS).
When the generative design tool
uses the cloud, has a world-class
engine, and is closely integrated into
the CAD tool, the expanded compute
power allows for multiple studies
simultaneously. PTC has just released
Creo Generative Design Extension
that does just that.
It’s also important to understand
there are long-term benefits from
repeatedly using generative design
to solve problems. First, engineers
learn and build experience faster,
and the input of experienced
engineers means that knowledge,
expertise and sound judgment
is built into the experience of
the system, from which the next
generation of engineers’ benefit.
Secondly, the system will learn
from its own experience, and will
continue to generate solutions faster
over time.
MODEL-BASED
DEFINITION (MBD)
I predict this approach
becoming more pervasive
FEBRUARY 2021 | WWW.EUREKAMAGAZINE.CO.UK 19
© Alexander Limbach - stock.adobe.com
TAHBOE UT AUTHOR
Brian S. Thompson
DVP and GM, CAD
segment, PTC
/WWW.EUREKAMAGAZINE.CO.UK
/stock.adobe.com