Getting on board with simulation

Digital development is becoming more widespread and moving into areas and industries that have other long-established traditional design methods.

Carbon-fiber sailboats and diesel engines don't seem to have a lot in common. But today, manufacturers in all industries are looking for an incremental advantage to set their products apart from the competition. Whether it is higher quality, improved performance, optimized manufacturing, or speed to market, computing power and software technology is making an impact around the world.

Government-sponsored industries such as aerospace and defense typically lead the development of new technology and computer tools, and high-volume industries such as automotive are quick to adapt the tools for their own purposes. In recent years, heavy-equipment manufacturers have begun finding ways to use the same or similar technology to solve problems unique to their customers. Now, new branches of engineering are adopting digital design, and existing users are finding new ways to use computer tools to improve their products.