The missing layer of ENGINEERING

The next generation of materials and automotive breakthroughs will depend on a better understanding and engineering of microstructure.

In modern engineering, we have powerful tools for designing at two very different scales. At the smallest scale, computational chemistry gives us the ability to design molecules and crystal structures with remarkable precision. Researchers can now predict the behavior of proteins for pharmaceuticals, engineer catalysts for chemical reactions, and develop novel materials such as perovskites for next-generation solar cells.

At the largest scale, engineers have been using sophisticated CAD software and continuum simulation tools for decades. These technologies make it possible to design and optimize complex systems ranging from aircraft wings and automotive chassis to bridges, turbines, bearings, and industrial machinery. Geometry, stress distributions, fluid flow, and thermal behavior can all be modeled before a physical prototype is ever built.