1. Industrial Best Practice in Modelling and Simulation
Gino Duffett
3rd STFC FEA Workshop
18 May 2017

2. Survey Project Financed by Coordinated by Partnered with
NAFEMS coordinated sector Experts
GE/Alstom, Dutton Simulation, Wilde Analysis, Simpleware, Organel, MMI Engineering, Cadfem-IDAC
Project period: April 2015 – March 2016

3. Objective
Enable new and struggling simulation users to learn from more experienced users
Experienced users
Good simulation knowledge
New users
What do I need to learn?
Where can I learn it?
Little simulation knowledge
Is sector knowledge available?
Is there knowledge in other sectors?

4. Additional Objective
Identify future requirements so that experienced users can progress in using these tools and increase the benefits
Improved users
Improve and solve the key challenges
Experienced users
What do I need to learn?
Where can I learn it?
Good simulation knowledge
Is sector knowledge available?
Is there knowledge in other sectors? 4

5. Best Practice, Future needs
Sector focus
INDUSTRY…
Best Practice, Future needs
Energy
Auto
Built Env
Health
Aero
Process
Elect 5

6. Technical areas Primary topics… Material technologies
Numerical methodologies for simulating the characteristics of a variety of materials including fluids, granular materials, laminar or other composites, as well as more traditional structural materials.
Coupled & Multi-physics
Multi-disciplinary coupled simulation or multi-physics simulation.
Multi-scale
The integration of detailed models of a wide range of scales (e.g. micro-macro, 1D-2D-3D, combine detailed with simplistic, etc.)
Optimization
Obtaining the best value using an automatic methodology employing mathematic and computational tools and methods. 6

7. Technical areas Secondary topics… High Performance Computing (HPC)
Use of supercomputers, parallel computer hardware and software, cloud computing, etc. to improve simulation throughput and speed.
Uncertainty Quantification (UQ)
Concerns taking into account the numerous uncertainties affecting the behaviour of physical systems.
Verification & Validation (V&V)
The technologies of determining and quantifying the level of confidence of computer simulation predictions.
Simulation Process & Data Management (SPDM)
Technologies and methods to ensure that our knowledge, processes, tools and corporate culture are best placed to take advantage of simulation technology. 7

8. Industrial Best Practice
Selected contact companies:
Good simulation users
Knowledgeable on simulation
Discussion interviews with Experts:
79 personal interviews (32% of contacts)
The first survey with this approach
Previous studies…
Often a few experts in a room (small)
Generally questionnaires (random)

9. Is knowledge a barrier? The barriers on using simulation are…
Common result: all sectors and technical areas
Built_Env
Auto
Elect
Health
Process
Aero
Energy
Confirmed at presentation event:
33% software price,
27% engineer knowledge, 25% qualified engineering resource. 9

10. Training that would help
The training that would help engineers is…
Common result: all sectors and technical areas
Built_Env
Auto
Elect
Health
Process
Aero
Energy 10

11. Best Practice Knowledge
Development of engineers through a controlled system is very effective, combining in-house, professional and collegial/university education and training.
Collaboration across disciplines and sharing end-goals enhances communication, integration, knowledge transfer and develops a learning culture.
Know how to use many hardware and software capabilities.
Energy
Auto
Aero
Aero
Process
Energy
Auto
Aero 11

12. Best Practice Resources
Work within and be aware of available resources.
Develop a feel for what level of simulation is within your capability, and outsource more novel/complex work to sub-contractors.
Partner with institutions that have the knowledge and resources to undertake advanced simulation.
Built_Env
Aero
Health
Process
Health 12

13. Best Practice
Methods
Despite strong dependence on simulation, best practitioners always question the results.
De-risk simulation by standardising methods for the most mature applications.
Keep it simple. Use lowest level of simulation required to justify the design.
A good understanding of the problem physics is necessary before simulation is started.
Auto
Auto
Aero
Built_Env
Aero
Elect
Auto
Built_Env
Health
Elect 13

14. Best Practice Decision making & Strategy
Engineers/Technical specialists should be fully involved in the decision making process regarding simulation.
Management must buy into simulation. All levels of the business from management downwards typically support and understand the use of simulation.
Auto
Health
Process
Elect
Energy
Auto
Built_Env
Aero
Elect 14

15. Best Practice Material technologies
Many companies rely on data obtained from academic institutes and commercial companies.
Only well understood standard materials are employed in certain cases due to design standards constraints.
Materials should be validated and approved before use.
Be aware that for some organisations material technology is their IPR.
Energy
Built_Env
Energy
Aero
Elect 15

16. Leading sectors
Built_Env
Auto
Process
Elect
Aero
Energy 16

17. Best Practice Multi-scale
Simplistic calculations are quite often used at the initial phases followed by more complex calculations.
1D-2D-3D methods: speed of 1D calculations allows a lot of optimisation before a detailed 3D model is required.
Accept lower simulation and calculation standards in earlier stages of the design cycle.
Energy
Health
Auto
Aero 17

18. Leading sectors
Aero
Auto
Process
Energy
Elect 18

19. Best Practice Verification & Validation (V&V)
Specific BP in different sectors due to different approaches.
Rely on a certain level of verification done by the software vendors.
Verify the engineers and users: carry out a considerable amount of internal training during new staff induction processes to ensure the quality of simulations performed.
Auto
Aero
Elect 19

20. Leading sectors
Auto
Process
Elect
Energy
Built_Env
Health
Aero 20

21. Expertise in Technical areas21

22. Potential collaborations
experienced users
innovative materials,
coupled & multi-physics,
multi-scale
optimization
fluid behaviour and rheology,
multi-scale
V&V
materials knowledge, composites,
management of large data sets
V&V
V&V,
SPDM 22

23. Conclusions
Problematic Issues defined for all simulation sectors and users
Engineer knowledge needs to improve in almost all areas.
Cross-sector learning and collaboration is seen to have huge potential.
Need to try and remove barriers to promote external use of national HPC centres.
(possible issues for UK Government and Funding agencies attention)
New users
Experienced users
Improved users
Little simulation knowledge
Good simulation knowledge
Improve and solve the key challenges 23

24. Conclusions
Best Practice and sector expertise defined to help - new users - experienced users review practices
14 general simulation Best Practices defined
24 technical area Best Practices defined
New users
Experienced users
Improved users
Little simulation knowledge
Good simulation knowledge
Improve and solve the key challenges 24

25. Conclusions
Simulation issues and inter-sector collaboration defined for experienced users to progress
Coupled and multi-physics simulations can provide more accuracy, use is increasing.
Automatic processes and optimization can increase productivity.
Better solutions and designs can be obtained if more emphasis is placed on UQ.
SPDM will be essential in the future and increased use must be ensured.
New users
Experienced users
Improved users
Little simulation knowledge
Good simulation knowledge
Improve and solve the key challenges 25

26. Industrial Best Practice in Modelling and Simulation
Gino Duffett
3rd STFC FEA Workshop
18 May 2017