Cadalyst - October 2007 - (Page 33)

cadlabsreview SimEnterprise R2 Virtual simulator lets users improve simulation throughput and manage IT resources. By Mike Hudspeth, IDSA O ne of the really uncomfortable realities of life is that things change. Just when you get used to something, it’s different. That’s truer now than it has ever been throughout the history of man. Get ready to redefine some long-held beliefs. It has always been the case that if you wanted to explore virtual simulation and testing, you had to have some experts. You had to depend on people who did whatever kind of analysis you wanted all day, every day. It needed to be that way mainly because the concepts and the software were so complex that you had to specialize to get accurate results. Sure, nowadays you can get some preliminary results from scaled-down analysis packages that come with your modeling software. But how much do you trust those results? The SimEnterprise product line from MSC Software gives you an alternative. The first thing you need to know is that SimEnterprise is aimed at eventually eliminating physical prototypes. I know you’re saying to yourself that you have to have prototypes, and I agree. I learned long ago that it’s next to impossible for management to say something won’t work when there is a working physical model of a design sitting on a table in front of them. There’ll always be a place for prototypes — just maybe not for testing, which is what MSC intends. All of this is a tall order, to be sure. SimEnterprise is less a program and more a platform. It contains SimDesigner, Figure 1. With a familiar Internet-based interface, SimManager is easy to use and offers a lot of search muscle. SimXpert, and SimManager. SimManager helps you manage your resources. SimXpert is a user environment that creates templates. SimDesigner integrates different engineering programs. Let’s take a look at each. Under the Hood SimManager has an Internet-based user interface (figure 1). That means you won’t spend an outrageous amount of time looking for things. Because it has a more-or-less open interface, you can use non-MSC programs that you already have and know. Talk about compatibility! SimManager captures what you’ve done — that is, it documents the context in which you work. I think one of the neatest things SimManager can do is look for resources on your network to maximize computer power. Huh? If you need to run a simulation of something and other computers on your network aren’t doing anything, SimManager can access them and spread the work onto their processors. SimXpert is a pre- and postprocessor for experts (you know, those are programs that attempt to capture the experience of the original data creator). SimXpert templates allow you to capture operations, so you can change variables and ensure repeatability (figure 2, p. 34). That makes it easy to search for things such as who, when, and what. You can build a flowchart of whatever process you need to do to help you optimize what you do. The 33 SimEnterprise R2 A– Design Simulation Software Pros: Easy, versatile operation; optimizes your computer resources. Cons: Price — it’s not going to be for the little guy. Price: $15,000–$100,000 MSC Software 714.540.8900 www.mscsoftware.com This version: . . . . . . . . . . A Ease of use: . . . . . . . . . . A Features: . . . . . . . . . . . . A Installation: . . . . . . . . . . N/A Customization: . . . . . . . N/A Interoperability: . . . . . . A Third-party add-ons: . . . N/A Help: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C Innovation: . . . . . . . . . . B Value: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A www.cadalyst.com | cadalyst | October 2007 http://www.mscsoftware.com http://www.cadalyst.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Cadalyst - October 2007

Contents Editor's Window Cad Central Tech Trends: First-Hand Architecture in Second Life Rev It Up — Graphics Cards Pack Power for Today’s Hottest Designs TurboCAD Pro 14 — 3D Modeling Software SimEnterprise R2 — Design Simulation Software CADopia 6.2 SP3 Professional Edition — 2D and 3D Modeling Software Cad Manager: Programming Resources for CAD Managers MCAD Modeling: Customer Service Horror Stories PLM Strategies: Manufacturing Across Time Zones AEC in Focus: Digital-Asset Management in AEC/O Cad Cartoon Issue Indexes Cadfidential

Cadalyst - October 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.