'Innovate at the speed of thought' – PTC and Ansys announce live CAD simulation

The “speed of thought” will be the only limit on quick innovation with a new realtime CAD-simulation tool, its creators have claimed.

Speaking after a bombastic early-morning opening ceremony at the LiveWorx 2018 conference in Boston, Massachusetts yesterday, PTC president Jim Heppelmann announced the combination of the company’s Creo 3D CAD software with Ansys Discovery Live realtime simulation. The resulting program will be the first CAD software to feature live simulation of stresses on parts, said the companies.

A “giddy” PTC engineer demonstrated the tool on stage in front of thousands of conference attendees. Opening a CAD model of a snowmobile, he immediately activated the simulation to reveal tell-tale coloured bands of stresses on a key part linking a blade with the main body of the vehicle. Red bands near the top showed dangerous pressures on the vital component. He then simulated movement on the part, showing it vibrate and sway unnervingly.

To tackle the issue, the engineer quickly modified the CAD model by adding in a cross-support. The stresses instantaneously disappeared on most of the component. 

The software, which combines PTC’s CAD specialty with the simulation expertise of Ansys, will be transformative for the design of mechanical parts, said Ansys chief executive Ajei Gopal.

“Designers can now innovate at the speed of thought,” said Gopal. “We provide constant time savings by finding and eliminating design problems early in the process. Engineers can try multiple options, they can try to creatively solve design challenges without risking a product delay or a setback.” 

The product will allow designers to “never make another uninformed design decision again,” the onstage trio claimed. Instant feedback can inform engineers early in the design process, cutting time and the traditionally high costs associated with the important development stage.

The partners will release the technology in the autumn. 

The announcement came amid a packed keynote event at the digitally-focused conference, with PTC's Heppelmann also announcing collaborations with Microsoft, biomedical company Sysmex and others.