EVOLUTION OF

HIGH-TECH MARKET

SOLIDWORKS ADVANTAGES OF
SIMULATION-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT COMPARED
TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT

A CASE IN POINT:
MARKFORGED

INTEGRATED SIMULATION
A "MUST" FOR HIGH
TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
MANUFACTURERS

A CASE IN POINT:
PHOTOMETRICS

IS STRUCTURAL
SIMULATION ENOUGH,
OR DO WE NEED MORE?

A CASE IN POINT:
CENTURION SYSTEMS

SUCCEED IN EVOLVING

SIMULATING FOR
HIGH TECHNOLOGY
MARKET WITH
INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
SIMULATION SOLUTIONS

INNOVATION IN HIGH TECH A CASE IN POINT:

POLYRACK TECH-GROUP

Validating and Optimizing High-Technology Designs Boosts A CASE IN POINT:

ECCO

Innovation, Improves Quality, and Accelerates Development CONCLUSION

1
 EVOLUTION OF
HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF
The market for high-tech products is evolving and changing EVOLUTION OF HIGH-TECH MARKET SIMULATION-DRIVEN
dramatically. Widening market segmentation, greater product DEVELOPMENT COMPARED
Today’s manufacturers of high-tech products face a range of product development and TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN
complexity, increasing demand for personalization and manufacturing challenges associated with an evolving, segmenting market. While innovation DEVELOPMENT
customization, and growing global competition all combine to in product development and manufacturing have always been critical success factors in
place the emphasis on innovation, quality, and reliability in this market, innovation is becoming event more crucial to success because of the high-tech A CASE IN POINT:
market’s much shorter innovation cycle, more frequent rate of product introductions, and MARKFORGED
product development. This market evolution creates distinct growing customer reliance on and expectations for the latest tech products. With the advent
challenges for high-tech manufacturers to develop and bring of the Internet of Things (IoT), today’s high-tech products are becoming “smarter” and more
INTEGRATED SIMULATION
more innovative and complex products to market faster, at interconnected—leveraging sensors, networks, and intelligent software on mobile devices and
A "MUST" FOR HIGH
in the cloud to give consumers the ability to adapt and customize their individual experiences. TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
less cost, and at higher quality than competitors. To remain
MANUFACTURERS
competitive amid this market evolution, manufacturers of While IoT is driving market growth—combined high-tech product sales are in the trillions of
dollars (US) and projected to grow by 16 percent through 2020—it is also evolving into the
high-tech products need to shorten development cycles and A CASE IN POINT:
Internet of Experiences (IoE) via a new class of connected, cross-industry applications and game-
accelerate product time to market while improving quality changing business models that go beyond physical products to include software, connectivity,
PHOTOMETRICS

and increasing innovation. Manufacturers in this market can big data, networks, and content ecosystems. The impact of these trends on the overall high-
tech market is accelerating the market segmentation and demand for customization and IS STRUCTURAL
realize additional time and cost savings—as well as higher- SIMULATION ENOUGH,
personalization that were already underway, resulting in six distinct market segments:
quality, more innovative products—by utilizing simulation OR DO WE NEED MORE?
technologies—such as the wide range of SOLIDWORKS® • Computing and Communications Equipment
A CASE IN POINT:
simulation solutions—to investigate, validate, and optimize • Consumer Electronics
CENTURION SYSTEMS
high-tech product designs and production processes. This ebook • Manufacturing Services
examines the challenges and opportunities facing companies • Security, Control, and Instrumentation SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
in the high technology market, and how integrated simulation • Semiconductors
HIGH TECHNOLOGY
MARKET WITH
capabilities—like those embedded within the SOLIDWORKS INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
• Technology Suppliers
3D design system—can help manufacturers boost innovation, SIMULATION SOLUTIONS
improve quality, control costs, and accelerate time to market.
A CASE IN POINT:
POLYRACK TECH-GROUP

A CASE IN POINT:
ECCO

CONCLUSION

2
Simulating for Innovation in High-tech
 EVOLUTION OF
HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF
Segmentation of the high-tech market is accelerating for several reasons. Today’s
SIMULATION-DRIVEN
technology customers seek a new, improved experience with greater expectations DEVELOPMENT COMPARED
for quality and reliability. These customers expect higher levels of innovation, as well TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN
as increased use of new technologies and intelligent, interconnected systems. They DEVELOPMENT
want products that are increasingly complex, customized, and personalized. In short,
the changing nature of personal, professional, and consumer tech-related experiences
A CASE IN POINT:
has produced much more demanding, social-media-savvy consumers, and high-tech
MARKFORGED
manufacturers must continually meet growing expectations for quality and innovation in
order to succeed.
INTEGRATED SIMULATION
Developers of high-tech products can capitalize on the growing demands of today’s A "MUST" FOR HIGH
more demanding customers and more quickly respond to the accelerating challenges TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
of market segmentation by incorporating simulation technology, also known as finite MANUFACTURERS
element analysis (FEA), into their product development processes. Because simulation
tools can minimize costly, time-consuming physical prototyping, manufacturers in the A CASE IN POINT:
high-tech market can leverage simulation technology to accelerate time to market while PHOTOMETRICS
simultaneously increasing innovation and improving quality.
IS STRUCTURAL
In addition to saving time and money, leveraging integrated simulation solutions like the
SIMULATION ENOUGH,
ones offered by SOLIDWORKS frequently provides product developers with the insights OR DO WE NEED MORE?
needed to create the innovative approaches that lead to breakthrough products. Simulation
can also support more consistent levels of quality, a more agile response to emerging
customer needs, and solutions for optimizing manufacturing processes, resulting in more A CASE IN POINT:
CENTURION SYSTEMS
cost-effective production through increased cycle times.

SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
HIGH TECHNOLOGY
MARKET WITH
INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
SIMULATION SOLUTIONS

A CASE IN POINT:
POLYRACK TECH-GROUP

A CASE IN POINT:
ECCO

CONCLUSION

3
Simulating for Innovation in High-tech
 EVOLUTION OF
HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF SIMULATION-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT ADVANTAGES OF

COMPARED TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT SIMULATION-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT COMPARED
TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT

A CASE IN POINT:
MARKFORGED

INTEGRATED SIMULATION
SIMULATION-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT A "MUST" FOR HIGH
TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
• Minimizes repetitive rounds of physical prototyping. • Relies on repetitive rounds of costly physical prototyping. MANUFACTURERS

• Saves time and money. • Takes longer, costs more for design validation.
A CASE IN POINT:
• Validates design performance. • May or may not validate design performance. PHOTOMETRICS

• Mitigates design for manufacturability risk. • May or may not mitigate design for manufacturability risk. IS STRUCTURAL
SIMULATION ENOUGH,
• Identifies potential field failure or warranty issues. • May or may not reveal potential field failure or warranty issues. OR DO WE NEED MORE?

• Reveals innovative approaches. • May or may not reveal innovative approaches.

A CASE IN POINT:
CENTURION SYSTEMS
• Improves quality. • May or may not improve quality.
• Optimizes design performance. • Does not provide a design optimization option. SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
HIGH TECHNOLOGY
• Validates production processes. • Can require additional production process prototyping. MARKET WITH
INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
• Shortens time to market. • Extends time to market. SIMULATION SOLUTIONS

A CASE IN POINT:
POLYRACK TECH-GROUP

A CASE IN POINT:
ECCO

CONCLUSION

4
Developing
SimulatingBetter
for Innovation
Products in
in High-tech
the Cloud
 EVOLUTION OF

… A CASE IN POINT HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF
SIMULATION-DRIVEN

INNOVATING CONTINUOUS CARBON DEVELOPMENT COMPARED

TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN

FIBER 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

WITH SOLIDWORKS DESIGN AND A CASE IN POINT:

MARKFORGED
SIMULATION SOLUTIONS
INTEGRATED SIMULATION
Like many innovators, Markforged founder and CEO Greg Mark took his inspiration A "MUST" FOR HIGH
for the world’s first continuous carbon fiber 3D printer from necessity. His experience TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
MANUFACTURERS
producing carbon fiber wings for race cars compelled him to seek a better method for
producing carbon fiber composites. Markforged 3D printers meet that need, as well
as engineers' need to quickly obtain high-strength parts. The company has disrupted A CASE IN POINT:
the status quo in the 3D printing industry by offering access to end-use, production- PHOTOMETRICS
quality parts having the same strength as metal. To quickly develop its breakthrough
technology, efficiently design new products, and successfully grow the company, IS STRUCTURAL
Markforged needed a robust 3D development platform. SIMULATION ENOUGH,
OR DO WE NEED MORE?
The company chose SOLIDWORKS design, simulation, and product data management
(PDM) solutions. “We picked SOLIDWORKS because we believed it would provide
A CASE IN POINT:
the greatest return on investment,” Mark stresses. “We’re saving time and money
CENTURION SYSTEMS
using SOLIDWORKS and realizing faster times to market … The world moves fast,
and we have to move faster to stay ahead of the competition. SOLIDWORKS is a key
differentiator because we can maintain the speed that is critical to our success as the SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
company grows.” HIGH TECHNOLOGY
MARKET WITH
In addition to using SOLIDWORKS 3D design capabilities, Markforged leverages the INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
simulation tools in SOLIDWORKS Premium software not only to validate designs, but SIMULATION SOLUTIONS

Percent
also to optimize design performance. For example, during development of the Mark X,
By utilizing integrated SOLIDWORKS design, simulation, and PDM solutions, Markforged
the company’s largest, most advanced 3D printer with accuracy within 50 microns, A CASE IN POINT:
invented continuous carbon fiber 3D printing technology, cut its hardware development time
engineers needed to double the size of the printer’s build platform, maintain its POLYRACK TECH-GROUP
to less than six months, improved carbon fiber 3D printing accuracy to within 50 microns, and
strength, and avoid displacement—while reducing weight.
realized explosive growth in its first four years.
“The build platform on the Mark X is twice the size of our previous designs but has to A CASE IN POINT:
be much stiffer, with deflection of less than three microns under load,” recalls Senior ECCO
Mechanical Engineer Bennett Wilson. “We ran displacement analyses in SOLIDWORKS
Premium on the design using different pocketing schemes to reduce weight until we READ THE WHOLE STORY CONCLUSION
found the best combination of stiffness and weight. We were able to gain this insight To read the full Markforged story, click here.
in minutes versus hours and produce a build platform that is twice as big and twice as
stiff, yet weighs about the same as previous versions.”

5
Simulating for Innovation in High-tech
 EVOLUTION OF
HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF
INTEGRATED SIMULATION A “MUST” FOR HIGH SIMULATION-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT COMPARED
TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT
Facing market pressures to develop more personalized, more innovative, and higher quality
technology products more quickly and cost-effectively than ever, high tech manufacturers
are steadily turning to integrated simulation tools like the ones provided by SOLIDWORKS A CASE IN POINT:
to gain and maintain a competitive edge. Simply put, product developers need more MARKFORGED
information about design behavior and performance—information that’s readily available
with integrated simulation tools—early in the development process in order to deliver INTEGRATED SIMULATION
better, more innovative, and more complex products more quickly and affordably. A "MUST" FOR HIGH
Because manufacturers need to develop personalized and customized products in less TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
time, integrated simulation is becoming a must-have capability for understanding design MANUFACTURERS
behavior and validating design performance while avoiding the time delays associated
with numerous rounds of physical prototyping. A CASE IN POINT:
PHOTOMETRICS
Saves Time
IS STRUCTURAL
While simulation tools cannot replace a final physical test to validate a product, they can SIMULATION ENOUGH,
dramatically reduce the number of prototypes and rounds of physical prototyping required, OR DO WE NEED MORE?
often bringing the number of physical tests required down to one and saving substantial
amounts of time. As products become more innovative, personalized, and complex, A CASE IN POINT:
the need to understand design behavior and performance becomes more challenging. CENTURION SYSTEMS
Because developing more complex products has historically required more design iterations
and rounds of physical prototyping to fully understand design behavior and validate
product performance and safety, product developers can use simulation tools and virtual SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
prototyping to complete many design iterations in less time. Instead of spending time and HIGH TECHNOLOGY
MARKET WITH
money to build and test a physical prototype after each iteration, they can simply run a
INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
virtual simulation and synthesize the results into the next iteration. SIMULATION SOLUTIONS

A CASE IN POINT:
POLYRACK TECH-GROUP

A CASE IN POINT:
ECCO

CONCLUSION

6
Simulating for Innovation in High-tech
 EVOLUTION OF
HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF
Saves Money SIMULATION-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT COMPARED
Physical prototyping is costly, and the more rounds of prototyping that are required to develop a product, the greater TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN
the cost. By replacing many possible rounds of physical prototyping, integrated simulation capabilities can help DEVELOPMENT
manufacturers of high-tech products save money. Moreover, these cost reductions go beyond the obvious savings of
reduced physical prototyping. When design performance is simulated repeatedly, designers and engineers gain a better
A CASE IN POINT:
understanding of design behavior than is possible solely through physical prototyping, resulting in fewer engineering MARKFORGED
change orders (ECOs) and reduced costs related to returns, warranty claims, and field failures. With injection-molding
simulation capabilities, manufacturers can also eliminate the cost of prototype tooling. Integrated simulation supports
both rapid and cost-effective product development. INTEGRATED SIMULATION
A "MUST" FOR HIGH
TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
Improves Quality, Increases Innovation MANUFACTURERS

For high tech products to be successful in today’s rapidly evolving market, not only must they be innovative and
A CASE IN POINT:
personalized, and provide more features or better performance than existing approaches, they must also be reliable,
PHOTOMETRICS
require less service and maintenance, and last longer before needing to be replaced. In today’s high technology market,
the quality, performance, innovation, and lifespan of a high-tech product are as important as the specialized function
that it fulfills. Customers no longer have the patience or tolerance for shoddy quality or unreliable products. IS STRUCTURAL
SIMULATION ENOUGH,
With simulation capabilities, high tech manufacturers can deliver both consistent quality and increased innovation. A OR DO WE NEED MORE?
consistent level of product quality is the outcome of the numerous design performance simulations and refinements
made during design iterations with simulation tools. Because a product is repeatedly tested in software and then A CASE IN POINT:
validated through a physical test, it will generally be of higher quality and include more improvements than those CENTURION SYSTEMS
developed through the build-and-break-and-redesign paradigm. Innovation typically begins with an idea. However,
refining that initial idea into a usable product or innovative feature is best achieved using integrated simulation tools.
SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
With the ability to perform design-and-simulation iterations quickly, designers and engineers can use analysis results HIGH TECHNOLOGY
to refine innovative designs or even discover completely new approaches. MARKET WITH
INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
SIMULATION SOLUTIONS

A CASE IN POINT:
POLYRACK TECH-GROUP

A CASE IN POINT:
ECCO

CONCLUSION

7
Simulating for Innovation in High-tech
 EVOLUTION OF

… A CASE IN POINT HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF
SIMULATION-DRIVEN
COOLING HIGH-PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT COMPARED
TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN

SCIENTIFIC CAMERA ELECTRONICS DEVELOPMENT

WITH SOLIDWORKS FLOW SIMULATION A CASE IN POINT:

MARKFORGED
Photometrics designs and manufactures high-performance charge-coupled device
(CCD) and electron-multiplied charge-coupled device (EMCCD) cameras. Researchers INTEGRATED SIMULATION
around the globe rely on Photometrics® cameras to quantify and measure, and to A "MUST" FOR HIGH
TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
reproduce and standardize their research results for the world’s most demanding
MANUFACTURERS
bioresearch applications.

The company’s cameras deliver high-resolution digital imaging for extremely A CASE IN POINT:
challenging applications, such as the low-light microscopic environments involved PHOTOMETRICS
at the cellular level. To provide the incredibly precise images required by bioscience
researchers, Photometrics has developed imaging technology that minimizes “dark
IS STRUCTURAL
current”—electrical background noise that can interfere with the digital imaging SIMULATION ENOUGH,
process—according to Mechanical Engineer Bob Chanapan. OR DO WE NEED MORE?
“To provide the precision that our customers demand, we need to cool the cameras
to very low temperatures (often to below 0ºC) to minimize background noise and A CASE IN POINT:
eliminate its effects on the digital image,” Chanapan says. “This is done through a CENTURION SYSTEMS
variety of cooling systems, which utilize gas-filled chambers, fans, heat sinks, heat
pipes, and thermoelectric coolers (TECs).” SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
HIGH TECHNOLOGY
Until 2011, Photometrics engaged in lengthy physical prototyping to refine and MARKET WITH
validate the effectiveness of its sophisticated cooling systems. However, the time INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
and cost associated with that approach compelled management to look at simulation application. SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation holds the greatest potential for helping us achieve SIMULATION SOLUTIONS
technology as a more efficient and cost-effective solution. “Instead of conducting our design cycle acceleration goals.”
four or five iterations of physical prototyping, we wanted to use computational fluid
Using SOLIDWORKS simulation tools on the company’s CoolSNAP line of CCD cameras enabled A CASE IN POINT:
dynamics [CFD] analysis software to simulate the performance of cooling system
Photometrics to cut its development cycle in half, eliminate three prototyping iterations, and POLYRACK TECH-GROUP
designs,” Chanapan recalls. “We believed that CFD analysis could help us reduce the
improve the quality and reliability of electronic board design. “SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation
number of prototyping iterations, shorten development cycles, and save money.”
paid for itself and showed a return in the first year,” Chanapan notes. “We project these savings A CASE IN POINT:
The company chose SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation because it has the shortest will total $50,000 annually within five years." ECCO
learning and time-to-benefit curves. Photometrics has since added the Electronics
Cooling Module and the SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium package. “We chose
CONCLUSION
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation because we wanted to maximize design cycle velocity,”
Chanapan says. “Because the software is tightly integrated with SOLIDWORKS READ THE WHOLE STORY
CAD software, there’s no need to simplify models or export designs into another To read the full Photometrics story, click here.

8
Simulating for Innovation in High-tech
 EVOLUTION OF
HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF
IS STRUCTURAL SIMULATION ENOUGH, OR SIMULATION-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT COMPARED
DO WE NEED MORE? TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT
Most designers and engineers associate simulation and analysis with structural analysis,
also called finite element analysis (FEA). Structural analysis tools are the most widely
used type of simulation for understanding the stress, deflection and deformation, A CASE IN POINT:
vibration, fatigue, and buckling responses for a part or assembly design under load. MARKFORGED
These tools can help high-tech product developers answer important questions like: Will
it break? Will it bend? Will it deform? Is it stiff enough? When will it wear out? Answers INTEGRATED SIMULATION
to these questions can help facilitate development, but there are many other types of A "MUST" FOR HIGH
integrated simulation tools that can help these manufacturers accelerate time to market TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
while improving quality and boosting innovation. MANUFACTURERS

Structural Analysis A CASE IN POINT:

PHOTOMETRICS
To identify areas of high stress that could result in component or assembly failure,
high-tech product developers need at minimum the ability to conduct linear static IS STRUCTURAL
stress analyses. By simulating a design’s structural response to the loads and boundary SIMULATION ENOUGH,
conditions of its operating environment, designers and engineers can pinpoint areas OR DO WE NEED MORE?
of high stress and use simulation tools to rework the design to bring stresses within
allowable levels, verify the appropriate factor of safety, or reduce weight or material A CASE IN POINT:
usage while maintaining performance. CENTURION SYSTEMS

In addition to linear static stress simulation capabilities, SOLIDWORKS provides modal

analysis tools for understanding the dynamic characteristics of systems. This is another SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
valuable simulation capability for designers because such studies determine the natural HIGH TECHNOLOGY
MARKET WITH
frequencies, mode shapes, and mode participation factors of components. Modal analysis
INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
enables designers to avoid resonant vibrations or vibrations at specified frequencies. It also SIMULATION SOLUTIONS
gives designers an idea of how the design will respond to different types of dynamic loads.

SOLIDWORKS Simulation also has solutions for predicting how long a particular product A CASE IN POINT:
will last based on usage. Extending a product’s lifespan—or ensuring that the product POLYRACK TECH-GROUP
will continue to perform past its warranty period—requires an understanding of when
a critical part will wear out. With integrated SOLIDWORKS Simulation fatigue analysis A CASE IN POINT:
tools, designers and engineers can project the number of cycles, or use over time, before a ECCO
specific component will wear out and fail. With this valuable information in hand, they can
make design modifications to either maintain or extend the life of a part.
CONCLUSION

9
Simulating for Innovation in High-tech
 EVOLUTION OF
HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF
Motion and Kinematics Analysis SIMULATION-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT COMPARED
Although not all mechanical assemblies move, many assemblies, such as mechanisms, move a great deal. Using TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN
SOLIDWORKS kinematics and motion simulation tools, designers can actually see how their assemblies will move, as DEVELOPMENT
well as generate important dynamic loading information for the design, which improves the accuracy of both assembly
and individual component structural simulations. By simulating assembly movement, designers and engineers can gain
A CASE IN POINT:
a better appreciation for the dynamics of the entire assembly and quickly pinpoint areas that need improvement.
MARKFORGED
Nonlinear Analysis
INTEGRATED SIMULATION
Although linear analysis tools can help solve many types of structural problems, other types of simulations—especially A "MUST" FOR HIGH
with complex designs—require nonlinear analysis tools to obtain an accurate solution. Nonlinear structural analysis TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
problems, which are distinguished from linear problems because the response is not proportional to the loads and MANUFACTURERS
boundary conditions, generally fall within three categories: nonlinear materials, nonlinear geometries, and nonlinear
interactions between parts or contact nonlinearities. Some nonlinear problems often involve all three types, as well as A CASE IN POINT:
nonlinear loads and boundary conditions and nonlinear dynamics and vibration. Other nonlinear problems involve highly PHOTOMETRICS
nonlinear contact between parts or between the product and another object, as in drop tests. Nonlinear analysis tools are
available in SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium software and the cloud-based SIMULIAworks system.
IS STRUCTURAL
Topology Optimization SIMULATION ENOUGH,
OR DO WE NEED MORE?
Another type of integrated structural simulation that is particularly useful in helping designers and engineers to develop
innovative products is topology optimization. A topology study explores the design space of component geometry to A CASE IN POINT:
satisfy a given optimization goal—such as minimizing mass, minimizing maximum displacement, or balancing the weight- CENTURION SYSTEMS
to-stiffness ratio—based on specific loads and geometric constraints, including those imposed by the manufacturing
process used. Topology optimization is a valuable tool for generating innovative and organic design concepts, establishing
starting points for the design team, or generating ideas for refining an existing design. SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
HIGH TECHNOLOGY
MARKET WITH
Thermal Analysis INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
In addition to simulating the impact of structural loads on a design, analysts need thermal simulation capabilities to SIMULATION SOLUTIONS
understand how temperature and heat transfer effects influence structural performance. Such analyses provide the
insights necessary for determining whether a heat sink or cooling system is indicated. Then, analysts can use the same A CASE IN POINT:
thermal analysis tools to validate that the heat sink or cooling system transfers away enough heat to ensure optimal POLYRACK TECH-GROUP
thermal performance.
A CASE IN POINT:
Understanding how heat transfer impacts design performance is important for an increasing number of products for
ECCO
safety and performance reasons. Many high-tech products contain chipsets that generate high temperatures, especially
when turned on, and include materials with temperature-dependent properties. Integrated SOLIDWORKS analysis tools
can simulate different types of heat transfer—including conduction, convection, or radiation—and calculate heat transfer CONCLUSION
within and between components in a design and its environment. These tools can simulate transient and steady-state
effects. Thermal problems can be solved using either structural or fluid-flow analysis. In a thermal structural analysis, the
effect of moving air or liquid becomes a load or boundary condition. In a fluid-flow analysis, the software calculates the
thermal effects of moving fluids, whether they are liquids or gases. 10
Simulating for Innovation in High-tech
 EVOLUTION OF
HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF
Multiphysics Analysis SIMULATION-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT COMPARED
While a large portion of simulation problems examine a particular type of physical phenomena—such as structural TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN
mechanics, structural dynamics, fluid dynamics, and thermal analyses—many situations require a combined DEVELOPMENT
multiphysics approach. Examples of multiphysics simulations include thermal stress or thermo-mechanical (thermal/
structural), fluid structural interaction (flow/structural), fluid flow with heat transfer (flow/thermal), and fluid
A CASE IN POINT:
structural interaction with heat transfer (flow/thermal/structural). The combination of SOLIDWORKS Simulation and MARKFORGED
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation provides a powerful, integrated suite of tools for analyzing many possible combinations
of physical phenomena, enabling designers and engineers to gain a definitive understanding of how various physical
phenomena affect the way a design will function and perform. INTEGRATED SIMULATION
A "MUST" FOR HIGH
TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
Fluid-Flow Analysis MANUFACTURERS

Product developers in the high tech market can use fluid-flow analysis, also known as computational fluid dynamics
(CFD) analysis, to better understand how the behavior and dynamics of fluids—either liquids or gases—affect design A CASE IN POINT:
PHOTOMETRICS
performance. Although initially used primarily as an alternative to expensive wind-tunnel testing for improving the
aerodynamics of aircraft and automobiles, SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation CFD analysis technology is now increasingly
used to evaluate other flow-related issues, such as validating sufficient cooling of electronics; maximizing the IS STRUCTURAL
performance of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; and refining other flow-based manufacturing SIMULATION ENOUGH,
and piping processes. OR DO WE NEED MORE?

Electronics Cooling Analysis A CASE IN POINT:

CENTURION SYSTEMS
With the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation Electronics Cooling Module, designers and engineers are able to more easily
optimize airflow and cooling in electronic designs. This powerful tool enables product developers to improve airflow
and cooling, by moving components or creating air baffles and ducts; validate overall thermal performance, by SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
HIGH TECHNOLOGY
studying heat-up/cool-down cycles and maximum temperature under load; and pick the best heat sink, by assessing
MARKET WITH
the impact of airflow cooling over the printed circuit board (PCB). Understanding the thermal characteristics of the INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
PCB allows for evaluation of component placement and the use of heat pipes, thermal pads, and interface materials, SIMULATION SOLUTIONS
as well as selection and placement of the ideal fan arrangement, which can have a dramatic impact on the overall
thermal performance of a design.
A CASE IN POINT:
Plastics Injection-Molding Analysis POLYRACK TECH-GROUP

Plastics injection-molding analysis software allows product developers to simulate the injection-molding production A CASE IN POINT:
process for plastic parts to optimize tooling development. This solution enables designers and engineers to evaluate ECCO
the manufacturability of injection-molded parts during the early stages of design. By simulating the mold injection
process, product developers will understand how the mold will fill, whether there are any air traps or voids, and where
CONCLUSION
parting and weld lines will be. With these tools, product developers can consistently deliver designs that don’t require
manufacturing modifications, reducing the need to prototype tooling.

11
Simulating for Innovation in High-tech
 EVOLUTION OF

… A CASE IN POINT HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF
SIMULATION-DRIVEN

GROWING ACCESS AUTOMATION AND DEVELOPMENT COMPARED

TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN

CONTROL PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENT

COMPANY WITH SOLIDWORKS DESIGN A CASE IN POINT:

MARKFORGED
AND SIMULATION SOLUTIONS
INTEGRATED SIMULATION
Centurion Systems manufactures a range of award-winning products to control the A "MUST" FOR HIGH
access of people and vehicles into and out of residential, commercial, and industrial TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
MANUFACTURERS
properties. Headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, the company develops
gate automation and access control products that maximize customer security and
convenience. It currently exports products to more than 70 countries. A CASE IN POINT:
PHOTOMETRICS
From its founding in 1986, Centurion has grown dramatically, partly because of its
ongoing investments in research, technology, and development. These investments
IS STRUCTURAL
include a commitment to using the latest CAD tools to continually explore innovative
SIMULATION ENOUGH,
concepts, upgrade existing products, and develop tooling. Thus, Centurion was an OR DO WE NEED MORE?
early adopter of 3D design when the company migrated from the AutoCAD® 2D
design tools to the SOLIDWORKS 3D product development platform more than two
A CASE IN POINT:
decades ago, according to R&D Mechanical Manager Michael Blackman.
CENTURION SYSTEMS
“Being able to design, optimize, simulate, visualize, document, and create tooling options, and optimize and simplify
in a single environment significantly shortens time to market,” Blackman stresses. design ideas, all before a prototype is
SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
“SOLIDWORKS is developing a great ecosystem with their products that allow us as manufactured,” Blackman says. “This HIGH TECHNOLOGY
designers to deliver products faster.” means that design iterations are minimized and project delivery is improved. The simulation MARKET WITH
tools allow us to test ideas during the development stages of the design long before we have INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
Centurion chose to standardize on the SOLIDWORKS 3D product development to invest in prototypes and expensive tooling.” SIMULATION SOLUTIONS
system because it is easy to use and provides access to a complete range of additional
integrated design and engineering solutions. Over the years, Centurion has added By standardizing on SOLIDWORKS 3D product development solutions and incorporating
SOLIDWORKS simulation, PDM, visualization, and technical communications A CASE IN POINT:
simulation in the early phase of the design process, Centurion has shortened product time to POLYRACK TECH-GROUP
solutions to its CAD implementation. market by 66 percent, cut design cycles by 50 to 66 percent, eliminated two additional rounds
of mold prototyping, and reduced 50 to 75 percent of design time through design reuse.
Using SOLIDWORKS Premium simulation, Centurion saves time during product A CASE IN POINT:
development while simultaneously optimizing designs to ensure product reliability. ECCO
“SOLIDWORKS improves our productivity by enabling our designers to get a very
good understanding of their designs within the CAD system,” Blackman notes.
CONCLUSION
“They are able to model concepts, test the physics of their designs, check READ THE WHOLE STORY
component interfaces, test for strength through simulation, conceptualize different
To read the full Centurion Systems story, click here.

12
Simulating for Innovation in High-tech
 EVOLUTION OF
HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF
SUCCEED IN EVOLVING HIGH TECHNOLOGY Structural Analysis Thermal Analysis SIMULATION-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT COMPARED
MARKET WITH INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS SOLIDWORKS Simulation Standard SOLIDWORKS Simulation Professional TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN
SIMULATION SOLUTIONS • Linear Static Analysis
SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium
DEVELOPMENT
• Assembly Analysis
• Motion and Kinematics Analysis SIMULIAworks Linear and Nonlinear Analysis A CASE IN POINT:
Developers and manufacturers of high technology products in the Cloud MARKFORGED
• Fatigue Studies
can more quickly respond to evolving market demands by
using fully integrated simulation tools—like those that operate SOLIDWORKS Simulation Professional
Multiphysics Analysis INTEGRATED SIMULATION
• Linear Static Analysis A "MUST" FOR HIGH
inside the SOLIDWORKS product development environment. SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
• Assembly Analysis
With SOLIDWORKS design and integrated simulation MANUFACTURERS
• Motion Analysis SIMULIAworks Linear and Nonlinear Analysis
capabilities, high-tech developers and manufacturers can • Fatigue Studies in the Cloud
realize the agility and flexibility required to develop more A CASE IN POINT:
• Design Optimization PHOTOMETRICS
innovative, high-quality products more quickly and affordably • Thermal Analysis Fluid-Flow Analysis
than the competition. To find out more about each solution, • Frequency Studies IS STRUCTURAL
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation
click on the hyperlinks at right. • Buckling Studies SIMULATION ENOUGH,
• Pressure Vessel Studies SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation Electronics OR DO WE NEED MORE?

• Topology Studies Cooling Module

A CASE IN POINT:
• Sub-modeling Simulation
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation HVAC Module CENTURION SYSTEMS
• 2D Simplification

SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium Plastics Injection-Molding SUCCEED IN EVOLVING

HIGH TECHNOLOGY
• Linear Static Analysis Analysis MARKET WITH
• Assembly Analysis INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS Plastics
• Motion Analysis SIMULATION SOLUTIONS
• Fatigue Studies SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional
• Design Optimization A CASE IN POINT:
SOLIDWORKS Plastics Premium
• Thermal Analysis POLYRACK TECH-GROUP
• Frequency Studies
• Buckling Studies A CASE IN POINT:
ECCO
• Pressure Vessel Studies
• Topology Studies
CONCLUSION
• Sub-modeling Simulation
• 2D Simplification
• Linear Dynamic Studies
• Nonlinear Analysis 13
• Composite Analysis Simulating for Innovation in High-tech
 EVOLUTION OF

… A CASE IN POINT HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF
SIMULATION-DRIVEN

OPTIMIZING COOLING FEATURES DEVELOPMENT COMPARED

TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN

FOR ELECTRONICS PACKAGING WITH DEVELOPMENT

SOLIDWORKS FLOW SIMULATION A CASE IN POINT:

MARKFORGED

Effective packaging of racked electronic systems involving multiple printed circuit

boards and complex heat transfer challenges demands the expertise of a company INTEGRATED SIMULATION
like the POLYRACK Tech-Group. The German manufacturer is a leading provider of A "MUST" FOR HIGH
TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
integrated packaging solutions for the electronics industry.
MANUFACTURERS
According to Development Manager Bernd Knab, a client approached POLYRACK
about providing flow simulation consulting services. “When a customer requested A CASE IN POINT:
that we conduct flow simulations of our packaging designs, we realized that PHOTOMETRICS
flow analysis capabilities would become an increasingly important part of our
operations,” Knab recounts. “We believed that the technology would enable us to IS STRUCTURAL
save time, reduce costs, and improve performance through the visualization of the SIMULATION ENOUGH,
behavior within the laid-out construct.” OR DO WE NEED MORE?

In evaluating flow analysis systems, POLYRACK determined that a CAD-integrated

package was preferable. “It’s better when the simulation takes place inside the CAD A CASE IN POINT:
system,” Knab stresses. “It takes too much time when you have to write data to CENTURION SYSTEMS
another format, and requires moving back and forth between the applications, and
duplicating effort.” SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
HIGH TECHNOLOGY
POLYRACK uses SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD software and was pleased to learn that MARKET WITH
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis simulations demonstrated that the use of four large fans cooled the system more effectively
INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
software would meet its fluid-flow and heat-transfer analysis needs. The electronics than the eight small fans initially used in the design.
SIMULATION SOLUTIONS
packaging manufacturer added the system’s Electronics Cooling Module to extend “The ability to simulate the effect of airflow characteristics with SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation
its capabilities for handling heat transfer problems related to multicore chips and allows us to address heat transfer issues in software instead of through extensive and expensive A CASE IN POINT:
heat pipes. prototyping,” Knab explains. “Without simulation capabilities, optimizing the cooling system POLYRACK TECH-GROUP
“We liked SOLIDWORKS, so we anticipated a similar experience with SOLIDWORKS for this racked configuration of 10 boards would have taken three months or longer. With
Flow Simulation,” Knab explains. “SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation has improved SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation, we completed the work in just two weeks.” These tools have A CASE IN POINT:
our development efforts by allowing us to better understand and address the heat also enabled the company to cut two prototyping cycles from its development process. ECCO
transfer challenges that are inherent to our work.”

With SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation, POLYRACK can quickly simulate heat transfer CONCLUSION
behavior in packaging designs. These insights enable POLYRACK engineers to READ THE WHOLE STORY
improve cooling performance while simultaneously saving time and reducing costs. To read the full POLYRACK Tech-Group story, click here.
For example, on a housing that included 10 different highly integrated boards, flow
14
Simulating for Innovation in High-tech
 EVOLUTION OF

… A CASE IN POINT HIGH-TECH MARKET

ADVANTAGES OF
SIMULATION-DRIVEN

OPTIMIZING EMERGENCY LIGHT DEVELOPMENT COMPARED

TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN

LENSES AND COMPONENTS WITH DEVELOPMENT

SOLIDWORKS PLASTICS A CASE IN POINT:

MARKFORGED

As the world’s largest manufacturer of emergency warning products, ECCO

(Electronic Controls Company) depends on the development of high-quality, INTEGRATED SIMULATION
injection-molded plastic parts. The company’s backup alarms and warning lights A "MUST" FOR HIGH
TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
for commercial vehicles—and red and blue warning lights for emergency vehicles—
MANUFACTURERS
typically operate outdoors, where they are exposed to all types of weather, making
plastic parts preferable for avoiding rust.
A CASE IN POINT:
The Idaho-based company has realized dramatic productivity gains using PHOTOMETRICS
SOLIDWORKS design, simulation, and PDM solutions. So they decided to
implement SOLIDWORKS Plastics software to optimize the manufacturability of IS STRUCTURAL
plastic injection-molded parts in 2012. SIMULATION ENOUGH,
OR DO WE NEED MORE?
“Prior to 2012, we relied on our tool manufacturer to spot and address injection-
molding issues,” recalls Mechanical Design Engineer John Aldape. “However,
when we received glass-filled nylon alarm enclosures with surface-knitting issues, A CASE IN POINT:
we decided to investigate mold-filling simulation technology. We wanted to CENTURION SYSTEMS
independently assess how a mold would fill and where knit lines would be, instead
of waiting on iterations with the toolmaker.” SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
HIGH TECHNOLOGY
ECCO obtained SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional injection-molding simulation MARKET WITH
software. “The software showed us enough that we knew it would be valuable,” INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
says Mechanical Design Engineer Nick Thompson. “SOLIDWORKS Plastics is easy SIMULATION SOLUTIONS
and ribs heading out from the post to serve as runners to improve flow. Instead of having to
to use, simulates how the plastic will fill the mold, and shows how the molded part
go back and add runners, which would have resulted in a delay, I had already done it. All the
will look. We realized that we could use it to avoid manufacturability issues.”
moldmaker had to do was change a gate dimension.” A CASE IN POINT:
ECCO first used SOLIDWORKS Plastics to develop a new base for its four-foot and POLYRACK TECH-GROUP
six-foot emergency light bars. After using SOLIDWORKS Simulation structural “If we didn’t have SOLIDWORKS Plastics, we wouldn’t have as much confidence in the
analysis results to increase the stiffness of the base by adding ribs, fins, and manufacturability of a design,” Aldape notes. “It helps us avoid going back and forth with A CASE IN POINT:
ridges, Thompson used SOLIDWORKS Plastics to simulate mold-filling, which led the moldmaker after the fact, which saves time and reduces costs.” ECCO
to additional design changes to optimize manufacturability.

“The light bar base was the largest injected-plastic part that we have made,” CONCLUSION
Thompson says. “With SOLIDWORKS Plastics, I was able to modify the design to READ THE WHOLE STORY
improve the flow of plastic in the mold. I added a large post for the injection sprue To read the full ECCO story, click here.

15
Simulating for Innovation in High-tech
 DEVELOP INNOVATIVE HIGH-TECH PRODUCTS MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EVOLUTION OF
HIGH-TECH MARKET

COST-EFFECTIVELY WITH INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS SIMULATION ADVANTAGES OF

SIMULATION-DRIVEN
Developers of high-tech products can more quickly respond to evolving market DEVELOPMENT COMPARED
demands and emerging demands for more innovative and personalized products TO PROTOTYPE-DRIVEN
by incorporating integrated SOLIDWORKS simulation technology into their product DEVELOPMENT
development processes. Completely embedded inside the SOLIDWORKS 3D design
system, these simulation tools can help product developers create innovative, A CASE IN POINT:
high-quality, and more customized high-tech products more quickly and cost- MARKFORGED
effectively, minimizing costly, time-consuming rounds of physical prototyping
and accelerating time to market. INTEGRATED SIMULATION

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A "MUST" FOR HIGH

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IS STRUCTURAL
SIMULATION ENOUGH,
OR DO WE NEED MORE?

A CASE IN POINT:
To learn more about how integrated SOLIDWORKS simulation solutions can improve your development of CENTURION SYSTEMS
high-tech products, visit www.solidworks.com, or call 1 800 693 9000 or +1 781 810 5011.
SUCCEED IN EVOLVING
HIGH TECHNOLOGY
MARKET WITH
INTEGRATED SOLIDWORKS
SIMULATION SOLUTIONS

A CASE IN POINT:
Our 3DEXPERIENCE® platform powers our brand applications, serving 11 industries, and provides a rich portfolio of industry POLYRACK TECH-GROUP
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Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, is a catalyst for human progress. We provide business and people with collaborative virtual environments to imagine sustainable innovations. By creating ‘virtual experience A CASE IN POINT:
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CONCLUSION

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