Developer(s) SimScale GmbH Platform Web browser | Development status Active Website simscale.com | |
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Initial release 2013; 4 years ago (2013) Type Computer-aided engineering | ||
SimScale is a computer-aided engineering (CAE) software product based on cloud computing. SimScale was developed by SimScale GmbH and allows structural, fluids, particle and acoustic simulations. The backend of the platform uses open source codes:
Contents
- History
- Features
- Finite element analysis module
- Computational fluid dynamics module
- Thermal module
- Other modules
- File format
- SimScale community
- SimScale outreach program
- References
History
SimScale GmbH was founded in 2012 by five graduates of TU Munich, David Heiny, Vincenz Dölle, Alexander Fischer, Johannes Probst, and Anatol Dammer with the goal of building a cloud-based 3D CAE platform that was easy-to-use and affordable. After a beta phase, the SimScale platform was launched in the second half of 2013.
Further, on 2 December 2015, a community plan was announced making the platform accessible to everyone for free and hence making simulation technologies more accessible to small and medium scale industries.
Features
The SimScale platform has several capabilities. Each capability with a suitable example for visualization is given below.
Finite element analysis module
The FEM module uses the open-source codes / solvers CalculiX and Code Aster. These codes allow linear and nonlinear analysis of structures. Linear static/dynamic analysis is possible using either codes / solvers but the nonlinear static/dynamic analysis is possible only through the usage of Code Aster.
Computational fluid dynamics module
The CFD module of SimScale primarily uses OpenFOAM for fluid flow simulations. It is also possible to choose SU2, alternatively, for solutions to compressible flows. Both steady state and transient analysis for the below types are possible.
Thermal module
The Thermal module of SimScale uses OpenFOAM for fluid-fluid and fluid-solid thermal interaction problems. For thermo-structural analysis, SimScale uses Code Aster and CalculiX. At present, SimScale allows uncoupled thermo-mechanical simulations, conjugate heat transfer and convective heat transfer analysis. Both steady-state and transient simulations are possible. In addition, fluid simulations also allow usage of Turbulence models. Types of analysis possible using SimScale include
Other modules
The other modules of SimScale include
File format
SimScale allows import of geometry in STEP, IGES, BREP and STL formats; mesh in OpenFOAM, UNV, EGC, MED, CGNS formats. In addition, the geometry can be directly imported from their partner CAD platform, namely Onshape.
A SimScale add-in for Autodesk Fusion 360 has been released to allow direct import of models from Autodesk Fusion 360 to SimScale.
SimScale community
The SimScale Community Plan was announced on 2 December 2015 based on new investment round led by Union Square Ventures (USV). The Community Plan is free and includes 3000 computation hours and 500 GB of storage per year for any registered user. Simulations/Projects created by a user registered under the "Community plan" is available for access, to all other users, in the SimScale public projects. The SimScale public projects is a library of simulations/projects from which any registered user can use as template to modify or copy an existing simulation.
SimScale outreach program
SimScale has also organized several free webinars as a part of its outreach program to make simulation technologies more popular among hobbyists and designers. Webinars organized by SimScale include