CFD for small business
Rating: 8 out of 10
June 28, 2022
MW
Vetted Review
Verified User
1 year of experience
At Raycore we design and manufacture heavy-duty LED work lights for the construction and mining industry. The lights are designed to be bright and robust. When we started using SimScale it was in an effort to validate current thermal designs and to hone in on the most efficient solution. With SimScale I was able to validate empirical data and then apply those models to other products. We were able to improve the thermal efficiency of the light housing and reduce weight.
- User interface is intuitive and straightforward.
- It is easy to copy design scenarios and iterate through different design approaches.
- SimScale was fantastic at providing support throughout the design process. At one point they even ran a couple of simulations for me to verify the proper setup before running a series of large runs.
- They make it affordable to get access to high-end analysis software via subscription that would otherwise be out of reach for a small company.
- Subscription service.
- Cloud based computing.
- I was able to reduce material required on two different products while improving thermal transfer.
- I was able to digitally prototype a new product without the expense of physical prototyping several physical models.
I used this software when it was known as CFDesign and in the first couple of years after it was acquired by Autodesk. I was familiar with the workflow of CFDesign and the user interface, the first couple times using SimScale was a bit of a challenge but I quickly became familiar with the interface and in the end thought the learning curve for SimScale software was less than CFDesign. One thing that helps with SimScale is you are able to choose the type of simulation that you want to do right in the beginning, this then serves as a setup guide throughout the remainder of the analysis process.
1
It is just me, I oversee all operations and engineering.
1
Typically the software would require someone with engineer knowledge or background to determine what inputs are required or should be changed in order to get expected or satisfactory results.
- Product design.
- Product development.
- Product improvement.
- With the cloud-based software I was able to run a series of simulations simultaneously.
- Other design projects.
No
- Price
- Product Features
- Product Usability
For us the single most important factor was the cost associated with the software. The subscription was a great value and filled our needs perfectly. It allowed us access to the software for the period of time it was necessary and we do not pay for it when it is not required. Between the hardware and the software requirements, we probably saved about 75% versus the traditional software purchase avenue.
If I were in the same circumstances I think the evaluation and selection process would be the same.