GE and ANSYS to Preside Over a Digital Twin and Internet of Things Marriage

Digital twin represents the physical part based on simulations and data collected by the IoT. (Image courtesy of Volvo Cars and ANSYS.)

GE and ANSYS have announced a collaboration that will help to bring together simulation, model-based design (MBD) and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The partnership aims to integrate ANSYS’ simulation, MBD and embedded software development technology into GE’s Predix IoT platform. This will effectively bring the power of the digital twin to the edge of the cloud, speeding up simulations and machine learning to gain insights into industrial processes and products.

Traditionally, simulations have been used by engineers and analysts to reduce their physical testing and design budgets. However, with the use of the IIoT and the digital twin, simulations can be used to inform and optimize future operations and designs.

Digital twins are virtual representations of physical equipment, products and objects. Data from the IIoT is connected to the twin to update the design’s performance and productivity. Inputting this data into simulations can identify new use cases or failure points, optimize operations and inform changes to future designs.

The idea is to use ANSYS’ model-based digital twin technology to merge the power of predictive machine learning with physics-based modeling to optimize products in the field and on the drawing board.

“Pairing physics and analytics models via the digital twin is essential to providing our customers with the 360-degree insights they need to create competitive advantages in a rapidly changing world,” said Eric Bantegnie, ANSYS vice president. “We are excited to be taking another step forward in our long-standing partnership with GE.”

GE and ANSYS have already implemented digital twins in the past with significant success. For instance, the GuardEon molded-case circuit breaker is a low-voltage circuit breaker designed for industrial applications. GE engineers were able to study the circuit breaker using ANSYS’ CAE software. The result was that the team learned much more from the product than if they used physical testing alone.

The team will also showcase the possibilities of merging IIoT and design at the Minds + Machines event in San Francisco.

“We are building the digital industrial ecosystem to drive better outcomes for our customers through the Predix platform,” said John Magee, chief marketing officer at Predix. “ANSYS is the market leader in physics-based simulation, and we are pleased to work with them to scale model-based digital twin solutions on Predix to provide our customers with new insights that were not possible before.”

To learn more about GE’s IoT push, check out “GE Predix Cloud-Based Operating System to Power Industrial IoT Applications.”