The use of engineering simulation techniques to understand and predict the real world behavior of physical phenomena is widespread across a number of diverse industries. This is true for simulations involving product performance attributes, manufacturing processes, or fundamental research. These techniques, when used effectively, provide a distinct business advantage to product manufacturers as they replace costly, time-consuming physical prototyping and testing While simulation technology is constantly evolving to meet the demands of designers and engineers, there remains a wide disparity in the effectiveness of simulations to impact product/process design decisions. This disparity exists at multiple levels: across industry segments, across companies within an industry segment, across simulation disciplines (structural, fluid, chemical, etc.) within a company, and even across individual methodologies within a simulation discipline. The quest to markedly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of simulation remains a challenging but fundamental goal for many companies

The efficiency and effectiveness of simulation within a workgroup or enterprise is driven by several factors, including:
1. Competency of the simulation technology and the people utilizing it
2. Integration, adoption, and acceptance of simulation within standard business processes
3. Capture, management, and reuse of the intellectual property resulting from simulation

There are significant cases where control and management of simulation IP has been largely ignored with significant negative consequences to effectiveness, efficiency, and business benefit.

Typical instances include:

• Lost Data (such as material properties or results)
Problem: Simulation data is lost or confused with similar results
Symptom: Wrong decisions are made or simulations are repeated resulting cost and time delay
• Non-Standard Methods (such as modeling technique or software chosen)
Problem: Individuals design and execute their own preferred methods
Symptom: Results have questionable absolute value, lack repeatability, and cannot be reused reliably
• Communication Problems (between people, disciplines, or companies)
Problem: No framework or language for passing information or collaborating in a simulation context
Symptom: Inefficient and error-prone decision making

Data, processes, and knowledge captured within simulation and simulation methods provide a significant competitive advantage–especially in situations where simulation


competency is high but process competency is yet to be formulated and captured. To capitalize on this advantage and make direct impact on enterprise growth and profitability, simulation assets must be effectively deployed, adopted, retained, protected, and reused.

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems have evolved rapidly in recent years and now provide collaborative Virtual Product Lifecycle Management of complex product, process, and resource information–from marketing and design to manufacturing and maintenance.

Simulation Lifecycle Management (SLM) will allow downstream elements of projects to be engaged with the upstream elements as early as the concept creation stage. This early integration of experts, designers, and managers with requirements is the key in product development. It will improve the productivity of the entire technical community to innovate.

PLM provides much of the infrastructure and functionality required to make a significant contribution to the goals that have lain out with respect to simulation - only if the unique elements of the data and processes associated with simulation are carefully taken into account. The requirements of simulation technology, methods, data, and processes are in many ways more demanding than those associated with PLM

SLM can intrinsically be an integral component of Product Lifecycle Management but due to the unique traits of simulation that differentiate it from how products or processes are managed in PLM, SLM requires specific considerations.

EDS Technologies the premier business partner of Dassault Systemes in India now offers Simulation Lifecycle Management solution from Dassault Systemes (SIMULA) to Indian customers. Mail to marketing@edstechnologies.com for a Demo on SIMULIA