Benchmark Explores Simulation-led Design Hardware, Software

Dear Desktop Engineering Reader:

Today’s Check it Out link takes you to the first installment in a series of benchmarking studies produced by Desktop Engineering with Intel, Dell and independent software vendor (ISV) sponsors that explore the benefits of simulation-led design. COMSOL is today’s ISV sponsor. This writer had no knowledge of this project.

“Simulation for the Masses” considers the idea that simulation-led design leads to more robust and innovative designs that, ultimately, give you and your company a competitive edge. Leveraging simulation early, design teams can home in on their best concepts faster. You save time and money.

But many engineering managers and designers don’t buy that. They cite three stumbling blocks: Insufficient workstation horsepower and code not optimized for parallel processing; pushing analysis tools onto designers lacking simulation savvy seems a bad idea; and disrupting established workflows and buy-in from teams and management.

This 16-page paper addresses each hurdle thoroughly. It argues that technological advances in hardware and simulation software enhance simulation speeds and improve productivity. Its mechanism is beyond assertion: Its core is a benchmarking study that compared a new release of COMSOL Multiphysics software running on a 20-core Intel Xeon CPU-based Dell workstation with three-year old versions of the hardware and software.

Four tests were run, including a 3D fluid-structure interaction (FSI) and an electrical model that coupled multiphysics contact, structural mechanics, electrical currents and heat transfer. Full test details are provided. The comparison results indicate that simulation code optimized for multicore workstations and parallel processing boost productivity significantly.

A discussion on COMSOL Server technology and a functionality called Application Builder should allay lingering qualms about simulation-led design workflows. Application Builder enables domain experts to create non-threatening simulation apps for non-experts, who use them to obtain the simulation data they need to keep designing. This frees high-level analysts for in-depth analyses and keeps development moving forward.

This image shows an application created by a simulation expert with COMSOL Application Builder running on a multicore Intel Xeon processor-based Dell Precision Tower 7810. Using this application, a design engineer who is not a simulation expert can still modify the geometry of a circular horn antenna to improve the antenna’s radiation characteristics and aperture cross-polarization ratio. Image courtesy of COMSOL Inc.

This paper has many more informative pieces to it. Three case studies demonstrate the real-world benefits of modern hardware, multicore-optimized software and simulation applications. It has full details on the Dell workstations used for the benchmarking and COMSOL Multiphysics, and it provides a step-by-step outline of how to introduce simulation-led design into your company.

“Simulation for the Masses” is comprehensive, informative and stimulating. It could be the spark that changes how you assess simulation-led design strategies. Hit today’s Check it Out link and download this complimentary benchmarking study.

Thanks, Pal. – Lockwood

Anthony J. Lockwood

Editor at Large, Desktop Engineering

Download "Simulation for the Masses" here.