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18.06.26
CAD simulation: Integrating early on to create better products
CAD simulation: Integrating design and simulation at an early stage
In today’s fast-paced product development environment, the pressure to bring innovative products to market more quickly and cost-effectively is enormous. A key technology that provides crucial support in this regard is CAD simulation. But how can this be optimally integrated into the development process to maximise its benefits? This article explores how combining design and simulation at an early stage is revolutionising product development, and how the d.u.h.Group – as experts in CAE-CAD integration – supports you with solutions from Altair and NX.
Motivation: Why use simulation as early as possible?
The need to integrate simulations as early as possible into the development process stems from a fundamental principle of product development: the cost curve versus the ease of making changes.
Cost curve vs. modifiability in the development process
At the very start of a project, changes to a design are relatively simple and cost-effective to implement. However, the further the development process progresses and the more details are finalised, the more the costs of subsequent changes rise exponentially. If, for example, a problem is only discovered during the prototyping phase, the costs of rectifying it are many times higher than in the concept or early design phase. Early simulation in engineering makes it possible to identify and rectify critical design errors before they become costly.
Common problems:
- Simulation comes too late: Simulation is often only used once the design is already at an advanced stage. As a result, any problems identified can only be resolved at great expense or by making compromises.
- Design decisions are made without physical validation: Without simulation results at an early stage, many design decisions are based on empirical values or assumptions that may later prove to be inadequate.
What does ‘CAD simulation’ actually mean?
The term ‘simulation in CAD’ is often used, but what exactly does it mean? It involves integrating simulation tools directly into the CAD environment or linking them closely to it, so as to enable designers to carry out physical analyses whilst the design process is still underway.
Definition:
- CAD-integrated simulation: This refers to simulation functions that are available directly within the CAD software. The designer can start an analysis with just a few clicks, without having to leave their familiar working environment. This significantly lowers the barrier to entry.
- Traditional CAE: Traditional Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) is usually carried out by specialist CAE experts who create complex models and perform detailed analyses using sophisticated tools. The focus here is on precision and the investigation of complex physical phenomena.
Which questions can be answered at an early stage – and which cannot
Simulation within CAD is excellent for validating fundamental design decisions. This includes questions regarding stiffness, deformation under load, thermal expansion or flow behaviour. It is ideal for trend analyses and variant comparisons.
CAD-based simulation is less suitable for highly complex, non-linear analyses, such as those required for crash simulations, fatigue analyses under complex load cycles or the modelling of composite materials. For these purposes, specialised CAE tools and the expertise of CAE specialists remain indispensable.
Altair Simulation in conjunction with NX
The combination of Siemens NX, a leading CAD system, with Altair’s powerful simulation solutions provides an ideal platform for CAE-CAD integration.
Typical application scenarios:
- Preliminary strength assessment: Even in the early design phases, designers can quickly and easily check whether a component meets basic strength requirements. This avoids costly over-design or critical under-design.
- Variant comparisons: Different design variants can be simulated quickly and compared with one another to find the optimal solution in terms of weight, stiffness or performance.
- Geometric sensitivities: How does a small change in geometry affect performance? CAD-integrated simulation provides quick answers here and supports the optimisation process.
Data flow:
A smooth flow of data is crucial for an efficient Altair NX simulation.
- CAD geometry: The direct use of native NX geometry in Altair tools eliminates sources of error caused by data conversions and speeds up the process.
- Simplifications: Geometric simplifications are often necessary for early-stage simulations. Intelligent tools help to remove irrelevant features without compromising the validity of the simulation.
- Transfer to CAE: Where required, the prepared geometry can be seamlessly transferred to more detailed Altair CAE tools to carry out more complex analyses.
Combining design and simulation – from an organisational perspective
New roles:
- Design engineer with simulation expertise: The design engineer becomes a ‘simulation user’. They understand the basics of simulation, can carry out simple analyses and interpret the results. They know when to consult a CAE expert.
- CAE expert as an enabler: The CAE expert develops best practices, creates templates, validates methods and trains the design engineers. They act as a facilitator and adviser, carrying out complex simulations when the limits of CAD-based simulation are reached.
Governance:
- Who is authorised to carry out which simulations? Clear guidelines must be defined to specify what types of simulations design engineers are permitted to carry out and when the involvement of a CAE expert is absolutely essential.
- Which results are relevant to decision-making? It must be clear which simulation results serve as a reliable basis for decision-making and which should be regarded merely as trend indicators.
Limitations of CAD-based simulation
- Mesh quality: CAD-integrated solvers are often designed for faster, less detailed meshing, which is sufficient for early trend analyses but may be inadequate for high-precision results.
- Material models: The complexity of material models is often limited in CAD-integrated solutions. Specialised CAE tools are required for advanced material behaviour.
- Non-linear effects: Non-linear phenomena such as large deformations, material plasticity or contact issues can often only be modelled to a limited extent, or not at all, in CAD-integrated environments.
- Validation & Standards: For final product validation and compliance with standards, detailed, validated CAE simulations carried out by experts are generally required, with results that are documented and traceable.
Best Practice Architecture
An effective architecture for CAE-CAD integration harnesses the strengths of both worlds.
- NX CAD → Altair for early assessment: Design work is carried out in NX. The integrated or closely linked Altair Simulation is used for rapid, early assessments and variant comparisons.
- Transfer to Simcenter or Altair CAE for detailed analysis: When more complex issues or final validation are required, the models are seamlessly transferred to specialised tools such as Siemens Simcenter or the advanced Altair CAE suites. This is where the full capabilities and expertise of the CAE specialists come into play.
- Integration into PLM: Seamless integration into a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system ensures that all simulation data, models and results are version-controlled, traceable and available to all stakeholders.
Conclusion: When is CAD simulation worthwhile – and when isn’t it?
CAD simulation is a powerful tool that is always worthwhile when it comes to speeding up the development process, minimising risks at an early stage and improving the quality of design decisions. It enables designers to develop a better physical understanding of their designs and to make iterative design cycles more efficient.
However, it is no substitute for the in-depth analyses carried out by CAE specialists. Rather, it is a valuable complement that optimises the entire development process. The d.u.h.Group supports you in finding the right balance and implementing a bespoke strategy for CAE-CAD integration within your organisation, enabling you to realise the full potential of Altair NX Simulation.
FAQ Questions
- What is meant by simulation in CAD?
Simulation in CAD refers to the integration of simulation functions directly into the CAD software, or a close link that enables designers to carry out physical analyses whilst the design process is still underway.
- What are the benefits of early-stage simulation in product development?
Early-stage simulation helps to identify design errors and weaknesses before they become costly, reduces development costs and lead times, and improves product quality through well-informed design decisions.
- When should one use CAD-integrated simulation and when should one use traditional CAE tools?
CAD-integrated simulation is suitable for rapid trend analyses and variant comparisons in the early stages, whilst traditional CAE tools are used by specialists for high-precision, complex and non-linear analyses, as well as for final validation.
- How does the d.u.h.Group support CAE-CAD integration with Altair and NX?
The d.u.h.Group offers expertise in the implementation and optimisation of Altair and NX solutions to ensure seamless CAE-CAD integration, optimise processes and empower your team through training and consultancy.
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