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For full details about Simulation and Modelling 2022 and to register your place, please visit the event website.
Please briefly explain your current role and involvement in simulation and modelling technologies.
Andy Richardson (AR): Having spent over 30 years as a professional engineer in the Automotive sector, including 10 years as Head of Simulation at Jaguar Land Rover followed by 2 years at Airbus, I established my own business ‘PHRONESIM’ to provide advice to organisations across sectors in building and implementing strategy to optimise the effectiveness and efficiency of their simulation and modelling including capability maturity assessment.
What is the number one challenge holding back the integration of simulation and modelling?
AR: Products have become increasingly complex and the latest generation of new technologies have pushed the boundaries of physics driving complex interactions controlled by sophisticated systems. Organisations have traditionally used single physics modelling to tackle one class of design requirements at a time. This has led to a complex and often disconnected landscape of processes, methods, models, tools and data across the organisation. I see the number one challenge is bringing together this complex landscape to provide a coordinated effective and efficient simulation and modelling capability to deliver this next generation of products and meet organisations goals.
What are the most common gripes you hear from engineers in the deployment of digital twins?
AR: The buzz phrase ‘Digital Twin’ is used extensively by vendors, in publications and by customer organisations, but there is no clear definition or agreement of what a ‘Digital Twin’ is. Hence, why should an organisation get excited about and invest in Digital Twins? In reality it is clear that organisations are talking about very different needs, tools and approaches under the banner digital twin.
The most important question organisations need to ask is; ‘What is our goal?’ ‘What do we need to achieve from our digital engineering capability?’ Then it is possible to develop a strategy covering all the necessary elements (process, methods, tools, models, data, organisation and infrastructure) to address this need.
What key topics are you excited to discuss at this year's conference?
AR: How businesses are organising their simulation and modelling to address the complexity of the simulation and modelling landscape today.
What can engineers expect from your presentation at the event?
AR: I am very pleased to take part in a round table discussion at this years conference and I’m very much looking forward to discussing what is most challenging organisations today, especially how they are organising their simulation and modelling capabilities to address the complex product and modelling landscapes they are faced with today.
Who else are you most interested in hearing from on the programme?
AR: Im really looking forward to hearing from Steve Howell from Abercus on the topic of ‘bouncing cars and what it means in terms of digital twins and the validation of engineering simulation’. This could provide some really useful insights in how to approach and validate engineering simulation to ensure confidence and completeness of simulation results across different sectors and applications.
What key development/s in simulation and modelling are you most interested in for the future and why?
AR: Several areas, including:
- How to build and implement modelling and simulation strategy to ensure effective and efficient capability to deliver the next generation of complex products.
- Approach to appropriately model the complex multiphysics of todays and tomorrow’s products.
- How to utilise machine learning and artificial intelligence coupled with modelling and simulation to enhance the value of digital engineering results to optimise product performance and improve development efficiency.
Why is it important for engineers to join this event?
AR: Attending and taking part in Simulation and Modelling 2022 is an invaluable opportunity to hear and share experiences and learn how engineers from different sectors are addressing the latest technologies and trends in simulation and modelling. Attendees can learn from others knowledge and experience about what has worked, and perhaps also what hasn’t worked.