Case Studies

As more companies use engineering simulation tools at various product development stages, problems can be designed out before they are manufactured in — making airplanes and automobiles, for example, safer. Vehicle manufacturers constantly work to provide better-looking, better-performing and more cost-efficient transportation, and virtual analysis helps the industry reach its goals. In the consumer product, businesses that emphasize product development use simulation tools to evaluate alternatives, exclude bad ideas, spot and fix mistakes early on, and optimize designs. And in areas such as construction, industrial equipment, home appliances and plant machinery, Simulation-Driven Product Development meets the needs of engineering customers by providing solutions from concept through production.

Best-in-Class Swimsuit
Researchers investigating shark behavior used modeling to analyze how water flows around the fish as it moves. Simulation revealed micro-flow patterns that can significantly impact resistance to motion. Extrapolating this approach to a virtual swimsuit on a virtual swimmer confirmed the positive impact an advanced swimsuit could have on the swimmer’s performance. At the Beijing Olympics, sporting equipment contributed to some amazing performances.

 

          Courtesy SPEEDO®.
Plastic Soda Bottles
Every day around the world, we consume 200 million water and soda plastic (PET) bottles — more than 10,000 tons of PET discarded into the environment every year. One careful investigation employed engineering simulation to test different shapes and adjust manufacturing processes, significantly reducing bottle weight without impacting its resistance to shock and dropping. This result has the opportunity to save the planet from 10 percent of current plastic waste, to reduce manufacturing costs, and to consume less raw materials.		  
Life-Saving Electronic Devices
Implantable defibrillators have saved countless lives, and the new generation of these devices will do even more for patients. In the event of a heart attack, a modern defibrillator can simultaneously send a pulse to reset the heart while automatically transmitting a message to the healthcare team stating that the patient has experienced a major cardiac problem before even he or she knows it. Signal interference, a common challenge for electronic devices, can lead to dramatic consequences. Engineering simulation of electronic devices ensures that signal integrity, and in this application the patient’s life, is not endangered. Wireless devices today use rechargeable batteries so repetitive replacement surgery is not needed; but it is crucial that the recharging process design doesn’t induce inconvenience or injury. Consider this case application: If battery recharge results in local heating, virtual prototyping helps to minimize it, making the patient safer and more comfortable.		  
Olympic Stadium
The Beijing Olympics stadium, the Bird’s Nest, is an amazing construction achievement. During its anticipated lifetime, it will host exceptional events that draw huge cheering crowds; it was designed with the expectation that it would survive devastating winds and a major earthquake. But it was impossible to create prototypes of the intricate structure prior to construction. Similar to other landmark stadiums built over the last few decades, engineering simulation validated its stability and behavior under a wide range of circumstances. In another application, designers used engineering software to verify parts of the retractable roof over Centre Court at Wimbledon, one of the most famous tennis venues in the world.

      Courtesy ACA Engineering Consultants. 
Resistance to Earthquake
Despite their rarity, disasters such as devastating earthquakes and tsunamis do happen. Commercial buildings as well as important energy and industrial facilities must survive the blow. Simulation can predict a structure’s exact behavior in the wake of tremors. If the facility fails virtually, parametric numerical simulation can suggest modifications that would ensure its integrity. Catastrophic disasters can be virtually modeled via engineering simulation, ensuring that a product’s final design will successfully survive any real-world event.		  
Cerebral Aneurysm
A cerebral aneurysm, the ballooning of an artery in the brain, could be life threatening if it ruptures. While minimally invasive solutions exist — such as coiling and stenting — they are not risk free; they should not be considered if the risk of rupture is minimal. Currently, surgeons are making decisions based on aneurysm morphology, in which the healthcare team assesses the risk of rupture driven by hemodynamics, or blood flow. Using a patient’s head scan, researchers extract patient-specific aneurysm geometry and model the exact blood flow. The process results in providing the surgeon with more information, such as peak pressure, blood flux at the neck, wall shear stress — valuable data that can assist in making the right treatment decision. This experimental approach is currently being tested by a number of hospitals.

 

Courtesy @neurIST Project.