simscale

[346gnu]

Hello,

Does anyone have information/thoughts about

SimScale - Simulation in your browser - SimScale

These are thoughts/info beyond the glossy website.

Directions of thinking could include

• technology used
• Technical capability
• geographical storage of information
• stability of service
• general trend of s/w away from conventional license ownership and toward online
• How it affects Solidworks, PTC's and other vendor simulation offerings
• The view of defence and aerospace
• Cost

Reason for asking ,,,

The third time in the last couple of weeks I have been asked what I think by customers. (I assume that there is a marketing campaign of some sort)

Services such as these aren't new and have been 'growing' and gradually changing in their nature. But where is it going and isn't it better to understand what this is?

So I am reading and have no answers to offer really.

Can PTC add substance?

Thanks

Charles

[mmafi]

Dear Charles,

My Name ist Milad and I'm responsible for our academic program at SimScale.

I will try to give you some information regarding your questions:

• technology used

SimScale is a web-based CAE envoirment. Therefore it can be used without any installation and has no special needs regarding the hardware. Technically, this is realized by using several technologies like WebGL and HTML5. From the simulation perspective we are using different open source simulation tools like OpenFOAM, Code_Aster and Calculix. You can find more details about our solver technology here: Third-party software on the SimScale platform — SimScale Platform Documentation documentation

• Technical capability

SimScale is a generic platform for CAE. Therefore it is easy to add new features or solvers. At the moment SimScale is covering simulation tools for fuid and strucutral mechanics as well for heat transfer, particles and accoustics. This includes meshing, solving and post processing.

• geographical storage of information

All user data is stored encrypted on servers in Europe. Therefore we will never give away your personal or simulation data.

• general trend of s/w away from conventional license ownership and toward online

There are a lot of other companies which are transforming the engineering software stack to the cloud, e. g. GrabCAD (PDM) and Onshape (CAD)

• The view of defence and aerospace

Our vision is to make engineering simulation a standard tool which is available for all engineers, designers and scientist in the world. We are focusing therefore on helping small and medium companies and individuals to get access to simulation technology. Defence and aerospace companies are using similiar tools (OpenFOAM for example is widely used by Airbus).

• Cost

Everbody can access all features of SimScale for free by using the so called community plan. In return all projects created within the community plan will be part of our public simulation library. This will help other users to benefit from your work and get inspiration for own projects. Commercial costumers can revert to our  professional subcriptions which allow to create private projects.

Cheers,

Milad

[346gnu]

Hi Milad,

and thanks.

I think I knew most of that but I am trying to understand what it really means. Clearly cost is a major headline.

I don't have a particularly coherent approach to my q&a here. So forgive my somewhat ad-hoc approach.

I am trying to understand why a company would change or what the identified demographic and imperative for the service is and why.

Does simscale replace or augment more 'traditional' software ownership/operation?

Is simscale looking to usurp Abaqus, Ansys etc; take market share?

What are the attitudes generally regarding open source solvers?

How would ITAR related work be managed?

Is Airbus' use of OpenFOAM via the service simscale offers or is it entirely an internal and private implementation?

Aerospace calculations need to be repeatable for the lifetime of the plane plus some, how is this controlled? What control is there over the platforms on which analyses are run?

Can the version of the code to be used for a calculation be specified?

Is PTC or any other vendor with whom we are familiar considering this approach? and if not, why the decision not to?

and much more.

atb

Charles