This paper describes the simulation-driven design process used in engines
technology. The research question is “how to use research in the structural
analysis and dynamics field to ensure world-class product development?” This
paper describes research on simulation methodologies from the design process
perspective, demonstrating the need for research in various steps of product
development. Each section of the paper includes one or two practical examples in
which research was needed to increase product design quality. In the product
definition section, the Digital Design Platform (DDP) shows the coupling between
product requirements and simulation tasks. At the concept design stage, it is
shown that computational methods can optimize the placement of material in the
case of the main bearing cap topology. The second example is JuliaFEM, an
open-source finite element method (FEM) platform, which is suitable for
heavy-duty method development, where the internals of the FE solver is needed to
make new calculation methodologies available. The next section is about detailed
design, where an example of an oil sump welds fatigue illustrates the continuous
improvement of the simulation methodology. The second example is connecting rod
fretting calculation, which illustrates the full complexity of the structural
analysis and dynamics simulations. The second last process step is the virtual
validation, where first the cylinder head simulation methodology shows the
internal connections between different disciplines’ simulations. Another example
here is the crankshaft virtual validation process, which describes the
complexity of the “simple” component calculation as well as illustrates the
number of needed competencies. Finally, in the validation process step, Big Data
analyses describe the internals and complexity of the methodologies. Lastly,
counterweight measurement device development illustrates that validation of the
simulation models and methods sometimes leads toward a measurement device
development project. As a conclusion, all the previous methodologies are used to
build the Wärtsilä 31 engine, which is the most efficient four-stroke engine in
the world. It is, of course, a performance achievement, but a lot of research in
simulation methodologies, as explained, was needed to make a reliable product
with such a high cylinder peak pressure.