SIMULIA Advanced Simulation Portfolio
For virtual testing, analyzing, and optimizing product performance.
What is SIMULIA?
SIMULIA is a portfolio of simulation software solutions developed by Dassault Systèmes. It provides a powerful set of tools for simulating and analyzing the real-world behavior of products, processes, and materials across various industries. SIMULIA enables engineers and designers to virtually test and validate their designs, optimize performance, and mitigate risks before physical prototyping or manufacturing.
The SIMULIA suite includes applications for FEA (finite element analysis), CFD (computational fluid dynamics), MBS (multibody simulation), EMAG (electromagnetic analysis), design optimization, fatigue analysis, and more. These tools allow users to simulate and study various physical phenomena, such as structural mechanics, fluid flow, heat transfer, and electromagnetics, among others.
Most popular uses for SIMULIA
Automotive design
SIMULIA is widely used in the automotive industry for virtual prototyping and performance optimization. It enables engineers to simulate and analyze various aspects of vehicle design, such as structural integrity, aerodynamics, noise and vibration, and crash safety, before physical prototyping.
Aerospace engineering
SIMULIA plays a fundamental role in simulating and analyzing aircraft and spacecraft designs. It allows engineers to study aerodynamics, structural loads, thermal management, and other critical factors, ensuring compliance with stringent safety and performance standards.
Biomedical engineering
SIMULIA is used in the biomedical field for simulating and analyzing the behavior of medical devices, implants, and prosthetics. It enables engineers to study the interaction between these devices and biological systems, optimizing their design for safety, efficacy, and patient comfort.
Energy and utilities
SIMULIA is useful for simulating and analyzing the performance of power generation systems, distribution networks, and infrastructure. It helps engineers optimize designs for efficiency, reliability, and safety, while minimizing environmental impact.
Consumer products
Consumer products organizations simulate and analyze the performance, durability, and safety of various products, from electronics to household appliances. It enables designers and engineers to optimize product designs, ensuring they meet customer expectations and regulatory requirements.
Why use SIMULIA?
SIMULIA provides a range of benefits that enhance engineering capabilities and streamline processes, especially for organizations that integrate this toolkit into their PLM (product lifecycle management) system.
SIMULIA integrates seamlessly with Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, enabling efficient collaboration and data management across teams and disciplines. This facilitates effective communication, data sharing, and version control, streamlining the overall product development process.
Virtual prototyping and simulation allow engineers to evaluate and optimize product designs before physical prototyping. This accelerates the product development cycle by reducing the need for costly and time-consuming physical iterations, leading to faster time-to-market.
Identify and address potential design flaws or performance issues early in the development process by simulating real-world conditions and scenarios. This leads to improved product quality, reliability, and overall performance, ensuring that products meet or exceed customer expectations.
Virtual prototyping and simulation significantly reduce the need for physical prototypes and expensive testing facilities. This results in substantial cost savings throughout the product development lifecycle. Additionally, by identifying and addressing potential issues early on, SIMULIA helps mitigate risks associated with product failures or recalls.
Many industries are subject to stringent safety and regulatory standards. SIMULIA enables engineers to simulate and validate product designs against these standards, ensuring compliance and minimizing the risk of non-compliance penalties or product liability issues.
What can you do with SIMULIA?
SIMULIA offers a comprehensive suite of simulation tools and capabilities to support various engineering and design workflows.
FEA (finite element analysis)
Perform structural analysis, stress and deformation studies, and evaluate the behavior of materials and components under various loading conditions.
Structural analysis
Perform detailed structural analysis and evaluate the behavior of components and assemblies under various loading conditions, ensuring structural integrity and optimizing designs for strength and durability.
MBD (multibody dynamics)
Simulate and analyze the motion and interactions of complex mechanical systems, including mechanisms, vehicles, and robotic systems, to optimize performance and identify potential issues.
Electromagnetic simulation
Simulate electromagnetic fields across the frequency spectrum for devices like antennas, RF components, electrical machines, medical devices, and electronics.
Acoustics and vibration
Analyze and optimize product designs for NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) characteristics, ensuring compliance with noise regulations and improving user experience in various applications.
Multiphyics simulation
Combine multiple physics domains, such as structural mechanics, fluid dynamics, and electromagnetics, to simulate and analyze complex, coupled phenomena in a single integrated environment.
Integrate CAD-CAE workflows
Seamless integration with Dassault Systèmes’ CAD software, such as CATIA and SOLIDWORKS, enabling a streamlined workflow from design to simulation and analysis.
Collaboration and data management
Collaborate effectively with team members, manage simulation data, and integrate with Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform for a comprehensive product development environment.
How to choose your simulation software package
First and foremost, you must assess the specific simulation requirements of your projects, such as structural analysis, fluid dynamics, multibody dynamics, or a combination thereof, and ensure that the software package offers the necessary capabilities to meet these needs.
Compatibility with other tools and systems used in your workflow, such as CAD software, PLM (product lifecycle management) systems, and data management platforms, is also crucial. Seamless integration can streamline the overall design and analysis process, enhancing efficiency and productivity.
Consider the user interface and overall usability of the software, as an intuitive and user-friendly interface can facilitate efficient model setup, simulation execution, and post-processing of results. Evaluate the software’s ability to handle large and complex models, as well as its performance in terms of simulation speed and accuracy, ensuring it can scale to meet your current and future project demands.
Assess the availability of learning resources, such as tutorials, documentation, and training programs, as well as the level of technical support provided by the software vendor. A strong support system can aid in efficient adoption and ongoing use of the software, particularly for complex simulations or when addressing technical challenges.
If you work in a team environment or need to share and manage simulation data across multiple projects or locations, consider the software’s capabilities for collaboration and data management. Effective collaboration and data management tools can streamline communication and ensure data integrity.
Finally, evaluate the overall cost of the software, including licensing fees, maintenance costs, and any additional expenses for required hardware or infrastructure. Ensure that the investment aligns with your budget and provides a favorable return on investment, considering both short-term and long-term benefits.
How to buy SIMULIA
Looking to purchase SIMULIA licenses? Want to see a demo to understand what SIMULIA can do? Or do you need to speak to an expert before you can make your decision?
SIMULIA comes in all shapes and sizes. We’re here to make sure that you’re getting the right software package for your team.
Let's talk
Our simulation team are on-hand to provide tailored guidance and support with a deep knowledge of the full SIMULIA portfolio. Reach out to talk to an expert today.