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A state-of-the-art facility where engineers can simulate the behaviour of physical systems has been opened in Bristol.
The Advanced Simulation Research Centre (ASRC) is expected to ensure more rapid, cost-effective product development with reduced reliance on prototypes or testing. The facility is open to engineering companies across all sectors, at a cost, providing access to the sorts of powerful supercomputers and visualisation suites that would normally be outside the financial resources of many firms.
The ASRC will be used to encourage collaboration between companies carrying out simulation activities, with the long-term aim of improving the competitiveness of UK industry.
The creation of the facility has been overseen by CFMS, an independent organisation that promotes simulation activities, and is supported by the government and backed by companies such as Airbus, Frazer-Nash Consultancy, Rolls-Royce and Williams F1.
CFMS chairman Nick Buckland said the new facility would prove a valuable resource for many engineering firms. He said: “This is a significant development for the UK’s engineering and manufacturing sectors.
“I’ve been involved in simulation all my career – it has always been there. But the ability to use computer power to simulate things has really advanced over that time. Simulation is now recognised as an underpinning technology across the whole area of engineering and high-value manufacturing. But if we are to maintain a strong position in these areas then we have got to continue developing our simulation capabilities.”
Buckland said that simulation capabilities had improved to such an extent that many firms that used to rely purely on physical prototypes now routinely employed it as part of their development process. “Simulation has really improved and people have seen the correlation between simulation and the eventual test. They have gained confidence in believing the simulation results. It’s about taking people with you. That’s the key thing,” he said.
Buckland said that he hoped that the collaborative aspect of the facility would encourage innovative thinking among engineering firms. “It’s an unprecedented facility for the UK. It brings together one of the most powerful supercomputers in the country together with excellent simulation software and visualisation equipment. It will be a great place for firms to come up with ideas and bounce them off eachother.”
The centre has a fresh modern design more akin to development labs of Silicon Valley firms. “It’s bright, it’s colourful, it’s a fun place to be,” said Buckland. “Look at Google and Facebook and the facilities they have in California – it’s replicating that sort of thing. We might not be able to get the weather but we can make it a good atmosphere and a nice place to come and work.”
The formation of ASRC has won support from Richard Noble, who said that simulation had played a vital part in the design of the Bloodhound supersonic car, which will be used to make an attempt on the land-speed world record in South Africa next year.
Inside the ASRC
The ASRC contains cutting-edge simulation facilities. These include an in-house high-performance computer capability comprising an IBM iDataPlex 240 node cluster (2 x 6-core Nahelem processes, providing 2,880 available cores). It also has an IT lab and visualisation suite containing a high-definition visualisation wall as well as an integration suite. There are also open and private working areas, and meeting room and conference facilities.
