Ansys and Siemens Energy recently announced a collaboration to reduce the trials and tribulations of additive manufacturing (AM), including:
- Accessibility
- Training
- Expenses
- Productivity
- Product development
As part of this agreement, Siemens Energy’s power bed fusion (PBF) AM printing process will be interoperable with Ansys simulation technology. The simulations produced by these features will help designers reduce the need for physical prototypes while increasing product quality.
Currently, there is a shortage of individuals who have expertise in both the printing and simulation fields. As a result, print manufacturers resorted to physical prototyping, which could quickly balloon budgets and development cycles. The partnership aims to train engineers in these areas so that printed products, or printed prototypes of products, can be developed quickly and affordably.
“By breaking the constraints of traditional manufacturing, we are training designers to turn their visions into reality and substantially improve productivity,” said Shane Emswiler, senior vice president at Ansys.
How the Ansys and Siemens AM Partnership Will Benefit Users
Ansys Additive will enable Siemens PBF users to reduce the guesswork and validation of printed products. This is important because AM is often used to produce complex parts that cannot be made using traditional manufacturing methods.
Emswiler added, “Our collaboration with Siemens Energy brings new AM capabilities to engineers across industries, delivering dynamic insights that will radically advance the AM industry and increase new product innovation.”
Meanwhile, Siemens Energy will provide companies with the support they need to implement AM across the design-to-manufacturing value chain.
What Does the Collaboration Mean for Ansys and Siemens as a Whole?
Siemens PLM Software recently released an AM Process Simulation tool for Simcenter 3D. The tool can predict distortions of printed parts before they are built.
This simulation tool is also integrated with the PBF process chain in the Siemens PLM Software Additive Manufacturing portfolio.
So, why would Siemens Energy partner with Ansys when the functionality is already in Simcenter 3D?
Typically, the answer to this question is an attempt to increase audience members, users and customers. It’s effectively a win-win situation for Siemens and Ansys if they can get their users to cross-pollinate.
Noah Cole, director of global communications for Siemens Digital Industries Software, confirms this, noting that “Siemens Energy uses simulation software from many vendors—which is often required based on the needs of individual customers. This helps Siemens remain open and operate within our vast ecosystems based on customer need.”
So, how much will Siemens Energy be using Ansys software directly?
Cole explained, “We understand that their recent use of Ansys software was in direct response to [a] customer request and on a limited basis, but Siemens Digital Industries Software remains the software provider of choice for Siemens Energy. They have adopted NX as their Additive Manufacturing design solution across their entire business and continue to work with Simcenter for their Additive Manufacturing simulation needs.”