they will be able to introduce
applications when working with
customers.
At AltaSim, applications come
into play after learning more about
what their customers need. “We
go through a lot of discovery with
our clients to understand what
it is, exactly, that they’re looking
for,” says Kyle Koppenhoefer of
AltaSim, “and if we fi nd some key
parameters, then we typically
suggest an application.”
Building Specialised
Applications to Meet a Variety
of Customer Needs
Even the most complex models can
translate into easy-to-use interfaces
(applications). Veryst’s customers
use applications to simulate design
variations and perform parametric
studies and sensitivity analyses,
which “helps them focus on their
core expertise of improving the
product,” says Elabbasi, “and not
worry about the simulation settings.”
Some of Veryst’s customers just use
applications as interactive model
viewers that enable them to visualise
model results in 3D, including
rotating the model, looking at results
at different cross-sections or at
different times and more (see above).
That helps them better understand
the model predictions.
Applications enable
organisations’ internal simulation
experts to focus on more advanced
modelling projects by distributing
applications to other teams.
Koppenhoefer says that applications
give fi eld engineers a better
understanding of how their designs
operate, so they are better able to
make design decisions.
AltaSim assists with their
customers’ challenge of reducing
rework. For example, variations in
factors like temperature and fl ow
rate make it diffi cult to accurately
predict a device’s real-world
behaviour, leading to designs
that have to be continuously
reworked. This process can be
A spring calculator application. Image courtesy Veryst Engineering.
greatly reduced with applications,
because engineers from a range of
specialties can run as many tests
as they need, leading to increased
productivity and revenue.
Many of GLL’s customers are
medical device startups that often
perform their own experiments.
GLL simulates these experiments
to demonstrate the accuracy of
modelling to their customers.
“It’s very powerful to see the
simulation results and compare
them to experimental results,” says
Long. They then build applications
from the validated models to get
simulation engineers, application
users and other team members
(often doctors) on the same page
by visualising simulation results in
real time.
GLL built a medical device
application that simulates thermal
and nonthermal tumor ablation. The
application helps engineers design
devices that ablate cancer cells,
visualise ablation zones and even
import MRI and CT scans for specifi c
anatomies. The user interface for
the application includes a menu
so that users can easily choose a
study. For instance, because the
temperature and thermal necrotic
zones are time dependent, users
can specify a time at which they
can see the damage due to the
heat or temperature profi le in the
results. The application includes
three inputs for parameters: thermal
voltage, nonthermal voltage and
electrode spacing. The current can
be plotted via the experimental
current so that users can easily
validate the simulation.
Collaboration Promotes
Innovation
As illustrated by these three
simulation experts, the
democratisation of applications is
well underway. The Application
Builder makes it simple to build a
simulation application in as little as
a few minutes, and COMSOL Server
and COMSOL Compiler help bring the
applications to the people. Through
the democratisation of simulation,
specialists, researchers, engineers
and customers can develop and
innovate by working together.
Trademarks are the property of
their respective owners.
See: www.comsol.com/tm.
WEN ZHANG
Managing Director
COMSOL Ltd
COMPANY PROFILE
COMSOL
The COMSOL Group provides
software solutions for
multiphysics modelling.
www.comsol.com
COMSOL is a global
provider of simulation
software for product design,
engineering and research
in technical enterprises,
labs and universities.
COMSOL Multiphysics® is
an integrated environment
for creating physics-based
models and simulation
applications. Simulation
experts use COMSOL
Server™ and COMSOL
Compiler™ to deploy
applications to design
teams and customers
worldwide.
MARCH 2020 | WWW.EUREKAMAGAZINE.CO.UK 29
/tm
/www.comsol.com
/WWW.EUREKAMAGAZINE.CO.UK