WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES THAT INDUSTRY MUST OVERCOME BEFORE SYSTEM-LEVEL SIMULATION IS A COMMON PRACTICE?

Marius • Ansoft: The creation of simulation tools for mixed-signal, multi-domain systems, and multilevel modeling is challenging because these systems span the physical domains of electrics, magnetics, thermal, fluidics, and mechanics, as well as transient, frequency, and quiescent analysis within an unique environment. The difficulties are compounded by the fact that computational performance and simulation accuracy are directly related to the level of detail in underlying models.

VHDL-AMS modeling language addresses this, facilitating multi-domain and multi-level simulation. As more engineers become familiar with the language and the modeling process, the more common accurate system-level simulation will become. This process is well under way in the automotive and aerospace industries.

Thomas • Bosch Rexroth: As long as software specialists have to spend significant time marrying different tools to be able to reuse data, or have different simulation tools talk to each other, the time and cost involved in system-level simulation will remain prohibitive for many OEMs. Acceptance will dramatically increase as soon as integrated software packages allow design and production engineers to generate a close-to-reality simulation result with a few mouse clicks.

Part of the challenge is the availability of component data describing properties and dynamic behavior in an interchangeable format. Users of system simulation tools depend on readily available data for the system they are going to model and simulate.

Steve • Rockwell: There are several challenges to the adoption of system-level simulation. Although the use of simulation can save a lot of time and money once models have been proven and validated, the cost of initial validation can be high. This is because validation is the proving of the design in the final hardware and software implementation.

As actual machinery and product are developed, flaws and oversights in system modeling become apparent. As these differences in the simulation are discovered, an iterative process of refining the model occurs, which allows designers to create models with higher fidelity and more accurate representations of reality. This process can be expensive for first-time implementers, and the cost of the modeling itself might appear as an incremental cost on top of the machine design during initial trials.

Another barrier to system-level adoption across the industry is standardization. Models developed by one company may not be usable by another. A simple example is the modeling of a common switch: In model A, the switch is either on or off, but in model B, there is a need to know how long the contacts bounce or how many times they bounce so that reasonable filters can be applied. At some point, the industry may move simulation into a standardization process to define specific levels of fidelity and formats for common components.

WHAT NEW OPPORTUNITIES WILL EMERGE WHEN SYSTEM-LEVEL SIMULATION IS COMMONPLACE, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF MOTION-CENTRIC PROCESS DESIGN AND OPTIMIZATION?

Marius • Ansoft: The next frontier for system simulation will be real time simulation. Real time evaluation of a physical system is a significant challenge and requires advancement in computer technology as well as software algorithms. Beyond that comes real time optimization of system performance. This will create a true virtual prototyping capability allowing hardware, software, and simulation models to co-exist on the same platform.

Steve • Rockwell: As simulation becomes more commonplace, models will become more common among users, designers, and suppliers of machinery and control. Models will be shared among these participating members, and soon data sheets will be replaced by models available online. Design cycles will be greatly reduced.

Business opportunities will emerge between OEMs and control suppliers. As models are shared, intellectual properties will be merged to create competitive sub-systems that require both mechanical and electrical modeling and knowledge sharing. Partnerships with end users will also become tighter due to a similar need to share process modeling as an integral component of the machinery that runs it.

DESCRIBE A SCENARIO OF HOW DESIGNERS WILL SOMEDAY EMPLOY SYSTEM-LEVEL SIMULATION BEYOND WHAT'S POSSIBLE TODAY, AND THE BENEFITS THEY WILL ENJOY.

Marius • Ansoft: System analysis tools, simulation laboratories, human factors research tools, and distributed/collaborative workspace expertise will combine to form a unique system-level modeling and simulation capability. Based on continuous enhancements in computational speed, system-level simulation tools will create revolutionary real time decision-making tools for aerospace, automotive, and defense.

Steve • Rockwell: As the threads of simulation draw industry members tighter, the process of design will become more distributed. Control suppliers will define models for drives and actuators, which will be absorbed by OEMs into their mechanical designs; OEM designs will then be assimilated into end user designs for process design implementation. All of this will be networked via the Internet in a seamless fashion.

Meet the experts Marius Rosu Ansoft Corp. ansoft.com Thomas Fey Bosch Rexroth Corp. boschrexroth-us.com Steve Zuponcic Rockwell Automation rockwell.com

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