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Altair > Case Studies > Building an Efficient CAE Simulation Platform at the Pan Asia Automotive Technology Center

Building an Efficient CAE Simulation Platform at the Pan Asia Automotive Technology Center

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation
Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms

Applicable Industries

Automotive
Cement

Applicable Functions

Maintenance
Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing
Virtual Reality

Services

System Integration

The Challenge

The Pan Asia Automotive Technology Center (PATAC), a joint venture between General Motors and SAIC Motor, was facing challenges in managing its computer-aided engineering (CAE) simulation technology. As PATAC's analytical technology improved, the volume of its CAE analysis tasks increased, and the subject and application fields expanded. Engineers needed a system to store, reuse, and share models, and synchronize iterative design schemes in different simulation fields for collaboration. Additionally, PATAC was promoting the digital transformation of its research and development system. The company needed a simulation management platform to manage daily analysis work, structure CAE data systematically, improve visualization of results and processes, and track analysis cases more easily.

About The Customer

The Pan Asia Automotive Technology Center (PATAC) is a joint venture between General Motors and SAIC Motor. The company is involved in the design and development of vehicles and automotive systems. With the advancement of technology and increasing competition, PATAC is constantly innovating in the automotive industry. The company is also promoting the digital transformation of its research and development system. PATAC has been using Altair products since Altair entered the Chinese market and has accumulated a lot of experience in the application of Altair HyperWorks®, Altair PBS Works™, and other products.

The Solution

PATAC partnered with Altair to design, build, and implement a custom CAE simulation management platform. The platform was designed to cover all areas of vehicle and subsystem analysis. The construction of the platform began in 2017, and by the second half of 2018, the framework design and first phase of construction were completed. The system was put into practical application in areas including vehicle safety, NVH, vehicle dynamics, and structural and fluid analysis. The platform includes five main modules: HWI – full-vehicle rapid modeling module, Model Builder – master model management module, Simulation Manager – CAE data and load case management module, Process Manager – CAE project management module, and Dashboard – collaborative statistical data dashboard. The platform also integrates with PATAC’s project management system and seamlessly integrates with PBS Professional.

Operational Impact

The custom CAE simulation management platform developed by PATAC and Altair has significantly improved the company's operations. The platform accommodates a wide variety of users and efficiently enables the company’s CAE simulations. The value of simulation data has increased as the volume of simulation analysis has increased, and as increasingly synergistic needs between different simulation fields have emerged. The platform has made an innovative start in addressing these needs and bringing simulation management to the next level. The establishment of the platform has not only improved the efficiency of the simulation business but also promoted the digital transformation of the entire company. PATAC is now planning the second phase of the project, working with Altair to continually improve and optimize the simulation management platform.

Quantitative Benefit