Achieving sustainability goals that are crucial to the long-term health of this planet involves consuming fewer of our current resources so more will be available to future generations . Simulation enables companies to save resources , energy , and emissions before products are ever built , and build more energy-efficient products and processes . Digital engineering is key to meeting these goals . It encompasses the design , simulation , optimization , and operation of systems and processes over their life cycles . Two major concepts of digital engineering are sustainability by design and digital twins . Simulation is essential to both concepts .
Sustainability by Design Incorporating sustainability into the design process from its earliest phases is important because more than 80 % of a product ’ s cost , material requirements , and ecological impact are determined during the development and design cycle .
Simulation is crucial to sustainability by design . Using
Ansys Granta MI materials database software can help engineers reduce the carbon footprint of a product by finding the best material for the application based on its physical properties and recyclability . Ansys Mechanical can help optimize both the volume and the topology of a component to use as little of the material as possible .
Digital Twins By implementing Ansys Twin Builder , you can improve top-line revenue , manage bottom-line costs , and both gain and retain a competitive advantage . This enables organizations to track the efficiency of the process and monitor any wear and tear . Using software like Ansys Twin Builder , engineers can run simulations on the digital twin to determine any interventions necessary to increase the efficiency or extend the lifetime of the physical mechanism . In many instances , a longer lifetime can mean better resource utilization .
Digital engineering , with simulation at its core , is key in helping to ensure sustainability in product design and operation .