We talk to Eric Bienvenue, Vice President – Worldwide Sales, Dassault Systèmes – SIMULIA, at the 3DEXPERIENCE Forum. Here are the excerpts
Interviewed by: Joshua Varghese
Car India (CI): Was your entry into simulation software a pre-planned approach or did you do it because it was necessary in the market?
Eric Bienvenue (EB): It was because it was necessary in the market. SIMULIA was always focused on engineering activities. For example, crash testing a car or simulating an electromagnetic field. Now, that, I would say, is the traditional positioning of SIMULIA; to simulate something using data from real life conditions. For example, a car manufacturer wants to understand how the car will perform in different places like Brazil or Europe. You need to be able to simulate reality. To simulate reality, you need part of that reality; that is, the conditions in which the car will be driven and try to transfer them back into the simulation. The value of simulation lies in using the real-life data and some simulation data to predict how the product will behave under certain conditions.
We have a lot of regulations in the market. In Europe, we have Euro 6 while in India you have BS VI. There are a lot of things coming into the game. Automotive OEMs need to test many variants, configurations, and parameters. One of the most efficient ways to do this is through simulation.
Does SIMULIA help reduce product development period significantly and simulate the product’s behaviour even in extreme conditions and is it an extremely customizable software?
That is exactly where simulation is the best. A product that works perfectly in some conditions may not operate as you expect under different conditions. That is where simulation can help you investigate very quickly and design the product accordingly. Simulation can bring a good equation between your test and your numerical model. The boundary of simulation is far wider than what you can test.
You claim that SIMULIA has reduced physical testing and prototyping. Will it be able to eliminate the need for testing at some point?
There are too many variables to eliminate the need for physical testing. Let’s say that simulation allows you to expand your analysis of the product in addition to all the physical tests you are doing with your products. We encourage people to conduct simulation and testing very closely. With more tests and simulations, you also get more knowledge and understanding of what you are currently producing. In the long run, perhaps, we can reduce the number of physical tests.
Although this software makes the system more rationalized and efficient, do you think it will adversely affect jobs?
It may at some point, but I don’t think that is the challenge here. The idea is to provide results which give people information about how the product will perform. I think we are calling for innovation and creativity from people more than anything else. I don’t see it replacing people; in fact, it will only supplement their jobs.
Will SIMULIA also simulate battery behaviour?
Yes, of course. We do that not just in SIMULIA but also we have a sister brand in the portfolio, called BIOVIA. So, yes, it is possible to manage all the thermal and mechanical aspects of the battery.
What is the next big change for Dassault Systèmes?
I think the biggest change which will happen in the next five to 10 years will be cloud technology. The cloud will make sure that people stay connected all the time. So, that is where we want to promote the fact that users of Dassault Systèmes and SIMULIA will be connected all the time. Like a gigantic network of knowledge and people, based on their interest and project.
