"To stay ahead of competition, digitalisation is key'

Greg Roth, Director of Automotive & Transportation Solutions, Siemens Digital Industries Software spoke with Mayank Dhingra about the role that design simulation is playing in the auto industry.

- Mayank Dhingra

It's no secret now that in all stages of vehicle design, be aerodynamics to battery management system testing, the role of simulation is playing a big role as it helps engineers to undertake rapid, risk-free testing and development of products.

Development of components or systems using simulation aids reduces design lead times and helps in faster market introduction.

Siemens has presence in this high-tech sector. Autocar Professional gets a first hand feel of behind-thescenes of simulation and what is does for the Indian automotive industry.

New model development under strict cost control is the need of the hour for automotive OEMs who are battling lockdowns and an economic slowdown. How can software and simulation enable cost savings for them?

The "design, build, test, fail, redesign" iteration process comprises the majority of the costs associated with product development. Having parts unexpectedly fail during testing or product launch generates substantial costs in resources and equipment to address and resolve. Software and simulation technologies ensure that the design is developed to the correct requirements and the parts are manufactured to the right design level tested to the right specifications.

Design functions can be virtually assessed, identifying performance and requirements issues before physical builds and tests are conducted.

This results in getting the design right the first time. Additionally, many of the new simulation technologies employ automation protocols reducing the time to evaluate concepts and designs.

This enables democratisation where non-experts can conduct automated basic simulations, freeing up skilled resources on more advanced capabilities. In this way, more is done with less resources. Overall, this results in saved costs, more efficient deployment of resources, and getting products to market on time.