From electric vehicles (EVs) and robotics to industrial machinery and HVAC systems, electric motors power critical infrastructure—and consume over 40% of global electricity.

The solution? Advanced electric motor design software powered by cloud-native simulation.

Modern motor design demands multiphysics optimization across electromagnetics, thermal management, and structural analysis.

Physical prototyping is too slow and expensive!

Simulation enables engineers to test, iterate, and optimize designs in hours instead of weeks, slashing development costs while maximizing efficiency and power density.

This guide covers the complete electric motor design workflow; from fundamental principles and motor types to the six-stage design process and multiphysics simulation techniques that deliver optimal performance.

Electric Motor Fundamentals: How They Work and Their Types

An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical motion through electromagnetism. When current flows through a wire coil in a magnetic field, it creates rotational force.

The motor consists of two main parts: the stator (stationary, houses windings that generate magnetic fields) and the rotor (rotating, produces mechanical output). Additional components include windings (copper or aluminum coils), and for DC motors, commutators and brushes that control current direction.

Types of Electric Motors

Electric motors are classified primarily by power source: DC (direct current) or AC (alternating current).

Comparative Motor Selection Guide

Choosing the right motor type depends on your specific application requirements:

Key Selection Factors:

• Efficiency priority: Synchronous PMSM > BLDC > AC Induction
• Cost sensitivity: Brushed DC or SRM > AC Induction > BLDC > PMSM
• Power-to-weight ratio (aerospace, EVs): PMSM > BLDC > SRM
• Harsh environments: SRM or AC Induction

Brushed vs Brushless: Performance Comparison

Performance: Brushless motors achieve 85-90% efficiency vs 75-80% for brushed, deliver 30-50% more power for the same size, and operate from 0 to 50,000+ RPM (vs ~10,000 RPM for brushed).

Operational: Brushed motors require brush replacement every 1,000-3,000 hours; brushless are maintenance-free with 10,000+ hour lifespans. Brushless motors run quieter but require electronic controllers (ESCs), adding cost and complexity.

Cost: Brushed motors cost 30-60% less initially, but brushless offer lower total cost of ownership due to longer life and higher efficiency.

When to Choose: Brushed for low-cost, simple applications; brushless when efficiency, continuous operation, and reliability are prioritized.

Explore detailed motor testing methodologies in our guide: How to Test an Electric Motor: Tools and Methods.

Electric Motor Design Process

The electric motor design process involves six critical stages:

1. Define Design Requirements

Establish clear specifications including performance targets (power, torque, speed, efficiency), operating conditions (temperature, duty cycle), size/weight constraints, and cost parameters. Energy consumed over a motor’s 20-year life typically represents 70-95% of total cost, making efficiency optimization critical.

2. Select Motor Type and Topology

Choose between AC, DC, synchronous, or induction motors based on application requirements. Decide on permanent magnet vs wound rotor configurations and determine number of poles and phases—decisions that directly impact torque, speed range, and control complexity.

3. Initial Design Calculations

Perform preliminary electromagnetic calculations to size the magnetic circuit and determine winding configurations. Calculate expected heat generation and select appropriate materials:

Key Material Choices:

• Magnetic cores: Silicon steel (M19 standard, M15 premium), amorphous metals for ultra-low losses
• Permanent magnets: NdFeB N35-N52 grades (higher = stronger but lower temp tolerance), SmCo for high-temperature applications (up to 350°C)
• Conductors: Copper (standard, 100% conductivity) or aluminum (40% lower cost, 61% conductivity)
• Insulation: Class 155-240 by temperature rating (155°C industrial to 240°C aerospace)

4. Detailed Design with Simulation

Simulation validates and refines designs through:

• Electromagnetic simulation: Visualize magnetic flux, calculate torque, identify saturation or losses
• Thermal simulation: Predict temperature distribution, design cooling systems
• Structural FEA: Ensure components withstand operational stresses and vibrations

5. Design Optimization

Conduct parametric studies varying geometry, materials, and winding patterns. Run multi-objective optimization balancing efficiency, power density, cost, and manufacturability. SimScale’s cloud platform enables unlimited parallel simulations, exploring entire design spaces in hours instead of weeks.

6. Prototype and Testing

Virtual prototyping through comprehensive multiphysics simulation predicts real-world performance across operating conditions. Physical prototypes validate predictions before full production.

“Developing a product like this from scratch requires a lot of simulation work across multiple physics to explore all of the possibilities in the design space. Getting speed, accuracy, usability, and cost efficiency in one package is hard to find anywhere else.”

Maximilian Güttinger

CEO & Co-founder, Emil Motors

Environmental Design Considerations

Extreme environments demand specialized design approaches:

High-Temperature (Aerospace, Industrial): Use SmCo magnets (vs NdFeB), Class 200+ insulation, enhanced cooling, ceramic bearings for operation above 150°C.

High-Vibration (Automotive, Construction): Strengthen rotor balancing, use press-fit magnets, specify preloaded bearings, conduct modal analysis to avoid resonant frequencies.

Corrosive Environments (Marine, Chemical): Implement IP67/IP68 sealing, epoxy coatings on windings, stainless steel housings, sealed bearings.

Vacuum/Space: Use dry lubricants (MoS₂, PTFE), low-outgassing materials, conduction-only cooling, ceramic or magnetic bearings.

Electric Motor Design with SimScale

SimScale’s cloud-native platform offers comprehensive multiphysics simulation without hardware limitations, running directly in web browsers.

Electromagnetic Design and Simulation

Analyze magnetic fields, calculate torque and eddy current losses, and determine winding inductance and resistance. SimScale’s magnetostatics and time-harmonic magnetics capabilities enable engineers to optimize motor designs before physical prototyping.

SimScale provides step-by-step guides such as the Time-Harmonic Electromagnetics Simulation on a 3-Phase Transformer and the Electromagnetics Simulation on a Magnetic Lifting Machine.

Thermal Management

Conjugate Heat Transfer (CHT) analysis predicts temperature distribution across the motor. Engineers can design effective air or liquid cooling systems, optimize flow paths, and identify hotspots caused by copper losses and core losses before building prototypes.

Structural Analysis

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) using SimScale’s structural mechanics capabilities assesses mechanical stress on shaft-rotor assemblies, performs modal analysis to avoid destructive resonance, and predicts fatigue life. This ensures structural integrity under high speeds, rapid acceleration, and thermal stresses.

Learn advanced techniques in our Advanced Structural Analysis for Electric Motor Shaft and Rotor Design Webinar.

Structural Validation: Rotor Dynamics at 16,000 RPM

“FEA simulations revealed that centrifugal forces caused the rotor discs to ‘dish’ away from the central stator at high speeds. This was a very helpful discovery, since it effectively works as a self-governing mechanism to prevent contact between the rotors and stator. It’s a critical consideration with an air gap of only 0.6mm.”

Maximilian Güttinger

CEO & Co-founder, Emil Motors

Cloud-Based Optimization

SimScale’s cloud infrastructure provides:

• Scalability: Run unlimited parallel parametric studies exploring entire design spaces
• Accessibility: Complex multiphysics models run in any web browser, no specialized hardware required
• Collaboration: Teams share projects globally via URLs, enabling real-time feedback

This approach reduces simulation time from weeks to hours while eliminating expensive workstation requirements.

Ease of Use Advantage

The team delivered an optimized design in just 2 weeks and identified 2 major design changes, enabling them to compete in the American Solar Challenge and Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.

Electric Motor Design: Cost and Timeline Considerations

Understanding investment requirements helps engineers plan effectively.

Budget Ranges by Motor Category

Development Timelines

Standard Development: 16-31 weeks (4-7.5 months) including requirements, design, prototyping, testing, and iterations.

Accelerated with Simulation: 8-16 weeks (2-4 months). Parallel simulation studies reduce iteration cycles by 40-60%, and virtual prototyping eliminates 1-2 physical prototype cycles.

Certified Motors: Add 6-12 months for UL, CE, or MIL-SPEC certification and environmental qualification.

How Simulation Reduces Costs

Traditional Approach: 3-5 physical prototype iterations at $5,000-$30,000 each = $15,000-$150,000 total.

Simulation-Driven: Virtual prototypes reduce physical builds to 1-2 validation units only.

Savings: $10,000-$100,000 per project plus 8-16 weeks accelerated time-to-market.

SimScale Advantage: No $15,000-$40,000 workstation investment, unlimited parallel optimization, and global team collaboration enable faster innovation cycles.

Start Simulating Now

Electric Motor-Driven Systems account for over 40% of global electricity use. Marginal efficiency improvements are critical for sustainability targets and meeting global MEPS regulations.

The ultimate challenge for motor OEMs is consistently delivering high-performance, high-efficiency designs while minimizing Total Cost of Ownership. Cloud-native simulation in SimScale provides the speed and multiphysics insight to replace slow, costly physical prototyping.

SimScale offers cutting-edge solvers integrated into a cloud-native interface, enabling multiple parallel simulations directly in your web browser—no expensive hardware required.

The post Electric Motor Design appeared first on SimScale.

On-Demand Webinar

Want the full picture? Watch the on-demand webinar on democratizing advanced nonlinear simulation with Marc and AI.

Watch On Demand

1. The Simulation Bottleneck Is Breaking Down

If you’ve ever waited days for a simulation expert to re-run your updated design, you know the traditional workflow is broken. Designers run simplified linear analyses in their CAD tools, then hand off to specialists for the real nonlinear studies — and what follows is a slow loop of emails, PDFs, and meetings while you wait for each iteration.

SimScale collapses this. On a collaborative, cloud-native platform, both you and your simulation experts work on the same project. Template simulations designed by specialists can be reused and adapted for new designs, while AI agents provide guidance and catch errors. You get faster iterations without sacrificing the depth that nonlinear analysis demands.

2. The Real World Is Nonlinear — And Marc Is Built for It

If you’re relying solely on linear analysis, you’re working with an approximation. The real world doesn’t behave linearly — materials yield, creep, and undergo stress relaxation. Rubber seals stretch and recover. Thermoplastics soften permanently under repeated loading. Parts come into and out of contact, slide, stick, and separate. And loading sequences matter — the same final load can produce entirely different outcomes depending on the path taken to get there.

Marc, the world’s first commercial nonlinear FEA code (since 1971), was purpose-built for these challenges. With over 30 analysis classes, it offers fully coupled structural, thermal, and electromechanical solutions alongside advanced material models — from hyperelastic rubber to viscoplastic materials with damage, creep, and permanent softening. What makes it robust? Automatic contact detection that tracks evolving conditions as parts deform, automatic remeshing when elements distort severely, and intelligent load stepping that adapts as the physics demands. These are exactly the capabilities you need for complex contact scenarios and large-deformation problems.

3. Complex Simulations, Surprisingly Simple Setup

In a live demo, Richard set up a nonlinear rubber bushing simulation from scratch — hyperelastic materials, self-contact with friction — in just minutes, directly in the browser. Import your CAD, let automatic contact detection handle the assembly, assign a Mooney-Rivlin hyperelastic model, define your loads, and run. Everything executes on the cloud with up to 192 cores on a single license.

He also demonstrated sequential loading: applying a 500 N force first, then locking it in place and applying a 45° rotation — configured through simple load steps in the UI. This kind of multi-step scenario is critical for realistic component assessment, and Marc handled the path-dependent behavior seamlessly.

Need to iterate? Duplicate the simulation, tweak the CAD, and re-run — boundary conditions automatically reassociate to the new geometry. Multiple variants run in parallel without touching your local machine. And the built-in Engineering AI agent even caught a unit error (Pascals instead of megapascals) before the simulation launched.

4. AI Agents Automate Your Entire Simulation Workflow

Imagine giving an AI agent a 78-component gearbox assembly and a single instruction. That’s exactly what the webinar demonstrated. A custom “gearbox assessment” agent autonomously identified every component, assigned materials, defined bolt preloads to internal specifications, applied gear loads and fixtures, and launched the simulation — no manual setup required.

A second example went further: a bike frame design workflow where the agent ingested an RFQ document and a CAD file, set up the required load cases, ran them, compared results against specification limits, and recommended design changes when the initial design fell short. You define the agent once with your organization’s best practices, material libraries, and specs — then it handles the rest, consistently, every time.

5. Physics AI Unlocks the Nonlinear Design Space

Here’s a challenge you may not have considered: the design space for nonlinear problems grows exponentially. Material parameters, contact friction, geometric imperfections, loading sequences — the permutations multiply fast. And because nonlinear analysis is path-dependent, changing a parameter even slightly doesn’t just shift results — it can change the entire system evolution.

This is where Physics AI complements Marc. By training surrogate models on a relatively small number of high-fidelity Marc simulations, you can predict outcomes across thousands of design variations almost instantly. The surrogate models learn the nonlinear response surfaces, letting you explore the full design space rather than guessing at isolated points. And since everything is integrated on SimScale, you can switch between surrogate predictions and full Marc validations at any point — speed when you need it, fidelity when it matters.

What’s Next: Marc on SimScale Roadmap

The session previewed what’s coming: coupled thermomechanical analysis by end of Q1 2026, temperature-dependent materials in Q2, dynamics analysis in Q3, and adaptive mesh refinement later in the year.

Watch Now

Don’t miss out on the full experience and deeper insights into how SimScale’s latest features can transform your engineering workflow. Watch the complete webinar on-demand to see these tools in action and understand how they can be applied to your specific challenges. Click here to access the webinar recording and start accelerating your design process today!

The post Webinar Highlights – Democratizing Advanced Nonlinear Simulation with Marc and AI appeared first on SimScale.

How to Calculate the Pipe Flow Rate

Our calculator determines the flow rate based on the principle of the continuity equation. It’s a straightforward calculation that multiplies the pipe’s internal area by the speed of the fluid flowing through it.

The Flow Rate Equation

The calculator uses the standard formula for volumetric flow rate:

$$Q = A \times v$$

Where:

• \(Q\) is the Volumetric Flow Rate
• \(A\) is the Cross-sectional Area of the pipe
• \(v\) is the Flow Velocity

The cross-sectional area \(A\) is calculated from the given Pipe Inner Diameter (\(D\)) using the formula for the area of a circle, $$A = \frac{\pi D^2}{4}$$. The calculator automatically converts all your inputs into a consistent set of SI units (meters, seconds) before performing the calculation to ensure an accurate result, which is then converted to your desired output unit.

Input Parameters

• Pipe Inner Diameter (D): This is the internal width of the pipe, which defines the space available for the fluid to flow. Common units like millimeters (mm), centimeters (cm), meters (m), inches (in), and feet (ft) are available.
• Flow Velocity (v): This is the average speed at which the fluid is moving through the pipe. It can be entered in various units, such as meters per second (m/s) or feet per minute (ft/min).

Frequently Asked Questions

The post Pipe Flow Calculator appeared first on SimScale.

How to Calculate the Lift Coefficient

Our calculator determines the lift coefficient based on the fundamental lift equation. Here’s a breakdown of the inputs and the formula used.

The Lift Equation

The calculator uses the standard formula for the lift coefficient, which is derived by rearranging the lift equation:

$$C_L = \frac{L}{\frac{1}{2} \rho v^2 A}$$

Where:

• L is the Lift Force
• ϱ(rho) is the Fluid Density¹
• v is the Flow Velocity
• A is the Reference Area

The calculator automatically converts all your inputs into standard SI units (Newtons, kg/m³, m/s, m²) before performing the calculation to ensure a correct, dimensionless result.

Input Parameters

Fluid Density (ρ): The mass of the fluid per unit volume. The calculator includes presets for common fluids like air and water at standard conditions. You can also select "Other" to input a custom density value in either kg/m³ or slug/ft³.

Lift Force (L): This is the component of the aerodynamic force that is perpendicular to the direction of the oncoming flow. It's the force that "lifts" an object, like an airplane wing.

Flow Velocity (v): The speed of the fluid relative to the object (or the object's speed relative to the fluid).

Reference Area (A): This is a characteristic area of the object, typically the planform area (top-down view) of a wing or hydrofoil. For a simple rectangular wing, it would be the chord length multiplied by the wingspan.

Frequently Asked Questions

The post Lift Coefficient Calculator appeared first on SimScale.

How to Calculate Reynolds Number

Our calculator is designed to be flexible and user-friendly, accommodating various scenarios you might encounter. Here’s a breakdown of its features and the calculations we carry out in order to determine the results.

1. Flow Type (Internal vs. External):

• Internal Flow (e.g. through a pipe or duct): Select this if your fluid is confined within a boundary. For these cases, the characteristic length (L) in the Reynolds number formula is typically the diameter for circular pipes or the hydraulic diameter for non-circular ducts.
• External Flow (e.g. over a flat plate, around a sphere): Choose this when the fluid flows around an object. Here, the characteristic length (L) is a dimension of the object, such as the length of a plate or the diameter of a sphere. The Reynolds number for external flow often dictates where boundary layers transition from laminar to turbulent.

2. Fluid Properties (Kinematic vs. Dynamic Viscosity & Density):

The Reynolds Number can be calculated using either kinematic or dynamic viscosity. Our calculator allows you to choose based on the data you have:

• Kinematic Viscosity (ν): This option uses the formula Re = (v x L) / ν. Kinematic viscosity already accounts for the fluid’s density and is often provided for common fluids. Units are typically m²/s or cSt (centistokes).
• Dynamic Viscosity (μ) & Density (ρ): If you have dynamic viscosity and density separately, select this. The calculator will use the formula Re = (ρ x v z L) / μ. Dynamic viscosity (also known as absolute viscosity) represents a fluid’s resistance to shear flow. Units are typically Pa·s (Pascal-seconds) or cP (centipoise).
  • Need to convert? Remember, kinematic viscosity (ν) can be calculated from dynamic viscosity (μ) and density (ρ) using the relationship: ν = μ / ρ.

3. Input Parameters:

• Fluid Velocity (v): The average speed of the fluid.
• Pipe Diameter (D) / Characteristic Length (L):
  • For Internal, Circular Flow: Enter the pipe’s diameter.
  • For Internal, Rectangular Flow: You’ll input the duct’s width and height. The calculator will automatically calculate the Hydraulic Diameter (D_h) using the formula D_h = (4 x Area) / Perimeter. This equivalent diameter is used as the characteristic length for non-circular ducts.
  • For External Flow: Enter the characteristic length relevant to the geometry of the object (e.g., length of a plate, diameter of a cylinder).
• Kinematic Viscosity (ν) or Dynamic Viscosity (μ) and Density (ρ): Input these values based on your “Fluid Properties” selection.

4. Units:

We’ve included common units for all inputs, and the calculator will handle the conversions to ensure accurate results in SI units internally. Just select the unit you’re working with for each parameter.

Frequently Asked Questions

The post Reynolds Number Calculator appeared first on SimScale.

As pioneers of cutting-edge, cloud-native simulation solutions, SimScale is dedicated to democratizing access to sophisticated engineering tools, allowing teams to accelerate design decision-making and optimize performance across various industries. This session unpacked how SimScale’s platform leverages AI-enhanced simulations to streamline and enhance the electromagnetic welding process, making it more accessible and efficient for engineering professionals.

On-Demand Webinar

If the highlights caught your interest, there are many more to see. Watch the on-demand Simulation Expert Series webinar from SimScale on how real-time simulation with AI is driving faster design cycles and superior products by clicking the link below.

Watch On Demand

1. Effortlessly Analyze Core Electromagnetics

Tackle computationally heavy transient simulations with ease using SimScale’s cloud-native platform. The webinar shows how on-demand computing power removes hardware limitations , allowing you to accurately analyze magnetic field distribution and eddy current density from your web browser. An integrated AI assistant can also guide you through the setup process, making complex analysis more accessible.

2. Accurately Predict Welding Forces

Learn how to predict the critical Lorentz forces that create the weld without melting the materials. The webinar demonstrates how SimScale’s high-fidelity results provide the insight needed to assess the effectiveness of the magnetic impulse. You can then instantly share these results with your team using a simple URL link, streamlining review and decision-making.

3. Manage Thermal Effects with Confidence

The high-intensity current pulse generates significant Joule heating, even in a microsecond-long event. Discover how to run a coupled thermal-magnetic analysis to visualize these heating effects and ensure temperatures don’t compromise material properties. If you need assistance, the platform’s integrated support chat provides expert advice in minutes.

4. Rapidly Optimize Your Design

See how the cloud enables rapid design optimization by running a limitless number of parallel simulations to explore a wide design space. The webinar shows how to easily compare different coil geometries, materials, and air gaps to improve weld consistency. This ability to iterate quickly allows your team to innovate faster and reduce the risk of failure.

5. Democratize Simulation for the Entire Team

SimScale is built to make simulation accessible to both experts and beginners on your team. The webinar explains how this approach helps break down knowledge silos and avoid bottlenecks common with traditional simulation tools. By using pre-validated simulation templates, designers and engineers can confidently run their own analyses, fostering a more collaborative and efficient workflow.

Conclusion

This SimScale webinar illuminated the profound impacts of integrating cloud-native, AI-enhanced simulation tools in addressing complex engineering challenges like magnetic pulse welding. The insights presented underscore how SimScale is at the forefront of the technological revolution in engineering, providing solutions that are not only powerful and comprehensive but also accessible and conducive to collaborative innovation.

Watch Now

For a deeper dive into how SimScale’s groundbreaking features can significantly benefit your projects, watch the full on-demand webinar recording. Discover firsthand the detailed demonstrations and expert discussions that will equip you with the knowledge to leverage magnetic pulse welding and other advanced simulations for your applications. Click here to access the full session and start transforming your engineering workflow today.

The post Webinar Highlights: Unlock Magnetic Pulse Welding Simulation appeared first on SimScale.

On-Demand Webinar

If the highlights caught your interest, there are many more to see. Watch the on-demand Simulation Expert Series webinar from SimScale on how real-time simulation with AI is driving faster design cycles and superior products by clicking the link below.

Watch On Demand

1. Simplifying Complex Simulations with Physics AI

Often, engineers face the daunting challenge of lengthy computation times that can extend from hours to days, hindering rapid conceptual testing and development. SimScale’s Physics AI comes as a revolutionary solution, enabling the prediction of simulation outcomes instantaneously. This integration within the SimScale platform means that engineers no longer need to endure lengthy wait times for results, thereby accelerating the entire design process. This capability is especially beneficial in scenarios where multiple iterations are necessary, as it allows for a substantial increase in experiments conducted within a much shorter timeframe.

2. Built-in Data Management and Model Training

Before you can benefit from the huge speedup offered by Physics AI, you first need to build a model from a dataset. In fact, this can be one of the most time consuming aspects of model training, if simulation data is scattered across different devices and systems, or buried in organizational siloes. SimScale’s built-in data management keeps all of your simulation data in the cloud, ready to use for AI model training, at all times. It means that engineers using SimScale can decide at any point to build a Physics AI model from their simulation data, and directly use the integrated AI infrastructure to do so in just a few mouse clicks,

3. Collaborative and Accessible Cloud-Native Platform

Collaboration in engineering projects, particularly when involving multiple stakeholders, can be cumbersome if not facilitated by the right tools. SimScale’s cloud-native platform excels in making collaboration simple and effective. Multiple users can view and edit the same simulation project simultaneously, regardless of their physical location. This aspect is crucial for cross-functional teams working on complex projects as it ensures that all team members have real-time access to the latest project developments, enhancing both communication and output quality.

4. Comprehensive Coverage and Integration of Broad Physics Disciplines

A unique advantage of using SimScale is its comprehensive capability across various physics disciplines, including flow, thermal, structural, and electromagnetics, all within a unified user experience. This holistic approach allows engineers with expertise in one area to easily transition to others, fostering a versatile skill set and offering a broader perspective on multi-physics problems. The platform’s ability to handle these diverse disciplines underpins its versatility and appeal across different engineering sectors.

5. Scalability and High-Performance Computing (HPC) Capabilities

The need for scalability in simulations cannot be overstated, especially for enterprises handling large-scale projects. SimScale’s platform is designed to scale effortlessly with automatic HPC provisioning that requires no manual intervention from the user. This feature means that engineers can run multiple simulations concurrently, reducing the time taken to arrive at optimal solutions and greatly increasing the throughput of design explorations.

Conclusion

Today’s webinar highlighted SimScale’s continuous commitment to revolutionizing the engineering simulation landscape through innovative AI integrations and cloud-native technologies. The platform’s advanced features, such as Physics AI and Engineering AI, not only simplify and speed up the simulation process but also democratize access to advanced engineering capabilities, enabling engineers to make timely and informed decisions.

Watch Now

To gain a deeper understanding of how SimScale can transform your engineering workflow, we encourage you to watch the full webinar. The session is packed with insightful demonstrations and expert discussions tailored to help you leverage AI in your simulation projects effectively. Access the on-demand recording here and start transforming your engineering challenges into opportunities today.

The post Webinar Insights: Valve Design and Flow Control appeared first on SimScale.

Our recent webinar, “The Rise of AI Agents in Engineering,” featuring SimScale’s CEO David Heiny and Application Engineering Manager Dr. Steve Lainé, explored this exciting frontier. Here are five key takeaways from the discussion.

On-Demand Webinar

If the highlights caught your interest, there are many more to see. Watch the on-demand Engineering Leaders Series webinar from SimScale on how real-time simulation with AI is driving faster design cycles and superior products by clicking the link below.

Watch On Demand

1. Agentic AI is a Leap Beyond Traditional Automation

For decades, engineers have relied on rigid scripts and macros for automation. While useful, these tools are often brittle, difficult to maintain, and only viable for highly repetitive workflows where the upfront cost is justified.

Agentic AI is different.

Instead of following a fixed script, an AI agent can:

• Interpret Intent: An engineer can state a high-level goal, and the agent can interpret it to determine the necessary actions.
• Reason and Adapt: The agent uses reasoning to navigate deviations from a standard process, handling unexpected variables that would break a traditional script.
• Leverage Context: It learns from past simulations and organizational best practices to make intelligent decisions, such as applying the correct materials and boundary conditions without explicit, step-by-step instructions.

This flexible, intelligent approach makes automation more powerful and applicable to a wider range of engineering challenges.

2. AI Agents Eliminate Manual, Repetitive Work

A significant portion of an engineer’s time is spent on low-level tasks rather than creative problem-solving and innovation. AI agents are designed to take over this manual work, freeing up engineering teams to focus on high-value activities.

In a live demo, we showed how an AI agent could set up three different simulations in just minutes; a manifold stress analysis, an inverter NVH analysis, and a valve CV assessment. The agent autonomously:

• Created the required analysis type in the platform.
• Assigned materials based on past projects and internal data.
• Applied relevant forces, pressures, and other boundary conditions.
• Launched the simulation to run in the cloud.

By automating these manual setup processes, engineers can get critical performance feedback in minutes or hours instead of weeks, directly addressing the bottleneck of simulation lead time.

3. AI Agents Can Unlock Rapid Design Exploration

The webinar highlighted how SimScale’s unique combination of predictive Physics AI and agentic Engineering AI can work together to dramatically speed up innovation:

• Engineering AI (Agentic AI): This system automates the manual work of setting up and managing simulations.
• Physics AI: This system uses deep learning to accelerate the computational work, predicting simulation outcomes in seconds instead of hours.

When combined, these two systems create a powerful framework for design space exploration. An Engineering AI agent can autonomously generate and test hundreds of design variations, with each one being evaluated almost instantly by a Physics AI model. An example showed this in action, where a centrifugal pump was optimized by evaluating 400 different designs in approximately five minutes. A task that would take hours or even days using traditional solvers and programmatic automation.

4. Trust is Built Through Transparency, Not Black Boxes

A primary concern with AI in engineering is whether its output can be trusted. SimScale’s approach addresses this by making the AI’s process fully inspectable, not a “black box”.

Engineers can review, and even discuss, every step the agent takes:

• every material it assigns,
• every boundary condition it creates,
• and every setting it chooses.

This transparency allows for complete oversight and can agents can operate in a fully automatic or human-supervised manner as desired. Furthermore, teams can implement “guardrails” and provide instructions based on their specific best practices, ensuring the agent operates within established organizational standards for quality and accuracy.

5. The Future is Collaborative, Agent-to-Agent Workflows

In this webinar we showcasing the ‘art of the possible’ in terms of interaction between a human engineer and a single AI agent, the natural first step in embracing this technology. Agentic AI in engineering also opens up a rich set of possibilities for even greater transformation: a collaborative ecosystem where specialized AI agents interact with each other.

Imagine a workflow where:

• A CAD agent generates a new design based on system-level requirements.
• It automatically passes the design to a simulation agent (like SimScale’s) for performance validation.
• The results are then sent to a DFM (Design for Manufacturing) agent to check for manufacturability.

This seamless agent-to-agent communication, managed by an orchestration platform, will further break down silos and accelerate the entire product development lifecycle, allowing engineers to operate at a higher, more strategic level.

Watch Now

Experience the full potential of AI in engineering by watching our on-demand webinar. Delve into detailed demonstrations and discussions to understand how you can leverage SimScale’s AI capabilities in your projects. Watch the full webinar here.

The post Webinar Highlights: AI Agents in Engineering appeared first on SimScale.

Our mission is to democratize simulation, and these updates, powered by cloud-native solutions and AI, are our next step forward.

Below you’ll find the top five updates or you can watch the on-demand webinar to get the most insights into what’s happening behind the scenes.

On-Demand Webinar

If the highlights caught your interest, there are many more to see. Watch the on-demand Simulation Expert Series webinar from SimScale on how real-time simulation with AI is driving faster design cycles and superior products by clicking the link below.

Watch On Demand

1. Supercharge Your Workflow with SimScale AI

Imagine slashing your simulation times from hours to mere seconds. We’re making this a reality with two major additions to SimScale AI:

• Physics AI: Use AI-driven surrogate models to predict outcomes based on existing simulation data, allowing for near-instantaneous performance feedback. Now also available to use with the Multi-purpose solver, using NVIDIA PhysicsNeMo. Make faster, data-driven design decisions and gain a competitive edge.
• Foundation Models: We are introducing foundation models to further streamline your simulation setup, making the process more intuitive and efficient than ever before.

2. Experience a Smarter, More Intuitive Platform

We’ve rolled out several improvements to enhance your user experience and streamline your workflow:

• Recent Projects: A dedicated page to help you quickly find and access your latest work.
• Analytics Dashboard: Gain deeper insights into your projects and simulation usage with our new, comprehensive analytics tools.

3. Dive Deeper with Enhanced Simulation Capabilities

We’ve pushed the boundaries of our core simulation tools to help you tackle more complex challenges with greater ease and accuracy:

• CFD: Several updated including the release of our latest integration with nTop for native import of implicit geometry models for flow and thermal analysis as well as adding turbulence modeling options for CHT analysis and physics modeling and meshing enhancements for Multi-purpose analysis.
• FEA: Tackle highly nonlinear problems (large displacements, contact, hyperelasticity) with greater speed and stability using the renowned Marc solver from Hexagon. (watch the recent webinar here for more information)
• Electromagnetics: Get localized insights from simulation results with the addition of probe points in the post-processor

4. Pre/Post Processing Enhancements

Visualize your simulations more efficiently with these new features:

• Plot Over Path
• Directional Arrows for Boundary Conditions
• Select Recessed Faces (Pockets) in CAD
• Select Similar Volumes

5. Seamless, Instant Access to Innovation

One of the biggest hurdles in traditional engineering software is the delay in accessing new features. Because SimScale is cloud-native, these updates are available to you the moment they’re released. There’s no downtime and no installation required, ensuring you always have the latest tools at your fingertips.

Conclusion

The latest SimScale webinar demonstrated our commitment to pushing the boundaries of simulation technology. By continuously enhancing our platform with innovative features like Physics AI, implicit modeling, and advanced probing tools, we ensure that our customers can achieve optimal design outcomes faster and more reliably than ever before.

Watch Now

Don’t miss out on the full experience and deeper insights into how SimScale’s latest features can transform your engineering workflow. Watch the complete webinar on-demand to see these tools in action and understand how they can be applied to your specific challenges. Click here to access the webinar recording and start accelerating your design process today!

The post Webinar Highlights – SimScale Summer 2025 Product Updates appeared first on SimScale.

How this Y+ calculator works

This calculator works using the Schlichting and Gersten method and you can read more about the technical details of Y Plus and it’s calculation in this superb SimScale forum post.

Frequently Asked Questions

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