Altair Software simulates connectivity, PCB-level performance, modern manufacturing processes

Updated solver technologies and enhanced user experiences mark the release of a 2021 simulation software update from Altair.

“In addition to accelerated simulation of real-world product performance and expanded simulation-driven design for manufacturing functionality, this release brings a robust end-to-end electronic system design toolset to our customers,” said James Scapa, founder and chief executive officer, Altair. “The latest updates to our simulation solutions enable customers to develop complex products more profitably by simulating 5G connectivity, electronic board level performance, modern manufacturing processes, and more.”

Altair’s new electronic system design toolset enables engineers developing smart, connected devices to collaborate on all aspects of physical, logical, thermal, electrical, and mechanical design. This accelerates a variety of applications, from more efficient printed circuit board (PCB) design review, verification, analysis, and manufacture to the design of motors, sensors, and actuators with simulation. Notable updates include:

Improved simulation and optimization of wireless connectivity, including 5G and electromagnetic compatibility

Visual firmware development now supports more widely used microcontroller families

More capabilities for PCB fabrication, assembly, and end-of-line testing

Expanded workflows simplify and automate analysis of structural stress, vibration, thermal, and drop-test performance for non-experts

Altair’s ability to solve the most complex problems has expanded while delivering improved performance on graphics processing unit (GPU) and central processing unit (CPU) hardware on desktops, private, public, and hybrid-cloud environments. This faster, more accurate simulation of real-world product performance is addressed through these updates:

Expanded modeling and visualization user experience includes workflows that support the entire topology modeling and meshing process, cutting task time from hours to minutes. Modeling fidelity in complex models is improved with more sophisticated and realistic representations of connectors.

Advanced physics models that require the co-simulation of fluids and discrete elements, such as simulating particles in an air flow are now possible.

Aeroelastic effects of aircraft wings can be analyzed to solve for flutter and other potential design issues.

Altair’s SimSolid game-changing simulation technology for designers, engineers, and analysts is ten times faster than its original release.

All simulation products are supported by the new Altair Material Data Center, which includes the largest number of plastic materials and properties available on the market.

Altair pioneered SDfM, bringing manufacturing simulation into the earliest stages of concept design with fast, accurate solvers and intuitive interfaces. The expanding functionality of Altair’s SDfM offering now spans casting, stamping, molding, extrusion, additive, and foaming. Additionally, Altair simulation solutions are increasingly used in process manufacturing during research, development, and process improvement in industries that produce bulk quantities of goods, including pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, and chemicals.

Inspire Mold is rapidly becoming the industry benchmark for injection molding simulation in the early stages of product design.

Inspire PolyFoam simulates the molding of foam components and rigid foam panels with polyurethane foams used in a wide range of industrial and household applications.

These updates will help customers across a broad range of industries – from automotive and aerospace to energy, healthcare, and high tech – solve complex problems as they advance the development of their smart, connected products by leveraging 5G, electromagnetics, and the Internet of Things.

All products are available through Altair Units, which gives customers easy access to Altair’s entire portfolio of software solutions. Additionally, the Altair Community contains a robust library of all the new features, workflows, and enhancements included in the release. For more information, visit www.altair.com/simulation-2021/.