Hexagon adopts the supercomputer Fugaku to revolutionise the use of simulations in product innovation
Hexagon has demonstrated how innovation can be accelerated by opening up the possibility of completing complex CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulations that were previously too time consuming and expensive using the world’s fastest supercomputer, Fugaku. The company’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has shown that the performance of next-generation aircraft and electric vehicles can be explored in greater detail and with many more iterations using the power of simulation. By exploiting cutting-edge semiconductors, manufacturers can analyse all the complexities of reality with less than half the energy use and at a fraction of the cost of traditional simulation methods.
CFD simulations require significant computational power and resource. Consequently, engineers have to spend many hours simplifying a real product design just so that it can be simulated to make sure it will perform as needed. In some instances, 90% of an engineer’s time can be dedicated to this manual process, and engineers are increasingly being challenged to ‘scale-up’ simulations to manage more elements. As a result, the cost and time to achieve these simulations is prohibitive and engineers can only simulate an approximation of a product. Now, Hexagon’s Cradle CFD customers will have the opportunity to tap into the power of the ARM-based Fugaku computer architecture to achieve complex simulations quickly and easily. This is made possible through a new partnership which will allow customers to use Cradle CFD software on Fujitsu Limited’s commercially available Supercomputer PRIMEHPC series that utilizes the Fugaku technology.
Engineers will now be able to simulate complex designs without having to simplify them, not only saving time but also giving access to significantly enhanced detail. This in turn will enable them to explore multiple design options and do so quickly, using simulation more frequently to refine and test their designs and explore new concepts that cannot be explored with physical testing or simulation today. Manufacturers now stand to benefit from this increased speed and detail. Their engineers could also use this type of simulation routinely in their daily work, as the Fugaku architecture uses approximately a third of the energy of the computers they use currently, reducing cost and improving environmental sustainability.