SimScale

SimScale

Type	Private
Founded	2012[1]
Headquarters	Munich, Germany
Area served	Worldwide
Founder(s)	David Heiny Vincenz Doelle Johannes Probst Alexander Fischer Anatol Dammer
Key people	David Heiny (Managing Director) Vincenz Doelle (Managing Director)
Employees	35–50[2]
Slogan(s)	Simulation in your browser
Website	simscale.com
Registration	Required
Users	55,000+[3]
Launched	2013

SimScale is a computer-aided engineering (CAE) software based on cloud computing. SimScale was developed by the German company SimScale GmbH and includes finite element method, computational fluid dynamics, and thermodynamics numerical analysis methods.^[4]

The SimScale simulation platform is integrated with several open source software solutions, including OpenFOAM, Code Aster, CalculiX, SU2 and YADE. SimScale is fully cloud-based, which allows users to perform simulations directly in the web browser.^[5]

History

After a beta phase, SimScale was launched in the second half of 2013.^[6] Created by a team of engineers, computer scientists, and mathematicians, its main purpose was to make engineering simulation technology accessible to everyone, which would help engineers and manufacturers develop better products in shorter time.^[7][8]

Features

The SimScale platform enables product designers and engineers to build better products using different features:

Features	Details
Finite element analysis	Linear and nonlinear static analysis Linear and nonlinear dynamic analysis Modal analysis (frequency) Dynamic modal analysis
Computational fluid dynamics	Laminar flow and turbulence Mass transport within fluid flow Single and multiphase flow Steady state and transient Incompressible flow and compressible flow Porous media Rigid body movement
Thermodynamics	Thermomechanical analysis Heat transfer in fluids
Other simulation types	Particle analysis Acoustics

Process of a simulation

The process of a simulation with SimScale contains different steps. First, a CAD model has to be uploaded in a dedicated format (STEP, IGES, BREP, STL). Second, the model needs to be meshed. The mesh provide the simulation objects with a coordinate system, which can be uploaded or created by using algorithms. The third one is choosing an analysis type, from solid mechanics, fluid dynamics, thermal analysis, acoustics, or particle analysis. After completing these steps, the simulation starts; this takes place in external data centers. After configuration and iteration, the data can be uploaded to the post-processing application, ParaView, and visualized.^[9]

SimScale community

The SimScale Community Plan was announced on 2 December 2015 together with the new investment round led by Union Square Ventures (USV).^[10] Making engineering simulation available for free, the Community Plan includes 3,000 core hours of computation and 500 GB of storage to be used at no cost for public simulations.^[11]

As part of the SimScale Community, the Public Projects is a library of simulations and validations, each with a detailed setup and results, which all users can copy, modify, and use for free as templates.^[12]

References

1. "About SimScale". SimScale.
2. "Team". SimScale.
3. "Homepage". SimScale.
4. "Simulation Features". SimScale.
5. "Open Source". SimScale.
6. "About SimScale". High-Tech Gründerfonds.
7. Mings, Josh (30 July 2013). "SimScale Shifts Loads of Simulation to the Web Browser". SolidSmack.
8. "SimScale for Startups Program to Bring Engineering Simulation Capabilities to Small Businesses Worldwide through the Cloud". Reuters. 28 April 2015.
9. "Review: SimScale". DEVELOP3D. 18 February 2016.
10. "Union Square Ventures invests in Munich-based startup SimScale". Tech.eu. 2 December 2015.
11. Wasserman, Shawn (9 December 2015). "SimScale Brings the Price of Computer-Aided Engineering Down to Zero". engineering.com.
12. "Public Projects". SimScale.