Download PDF
Streamlining Development Process with FE-Simulation: A Sigma Connectivity Case Study
Technology Category
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Middleware, SDKs & Libraries
- Networks & Connectivity - Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)
Applicable Industries
- Automotive
- Telecommunications
Applicable Functions
- Facility Management
- Product Research & Development
Use Cases
- Digital Twin
- Transportation Simulation
Services
- System Integration
- Testing & Certification
The Challenge
Sigma Connectivity, a leading development service organization based in Sweden, was faced with the challenge of handling various simulation disciplines such as bending, torsion, connector stability impact, and thermal heating. The development of connectivity solutions required a diverse set of application areas to be investigated. Products such as mobile phones had to pass certain tests regarding these factors. Instead of building expensive prototypes for physical testing, Sigma Connectivity aimed to save time and costs by creating a virtual prototype and using simulation early in the product development process. However, to address all needed simulation disciplines, the company had to invest in software solutions, which often came from different software vendors. This led to increased licensing efforts and costs. Sigma Connectivity sought to decrease the number of software vendors while at least keeping or ideally increasing their ability to address the needed simulation disciplines.
About The Customer
Sigma Connectivity is a world-leading development service organization based in Lund, Sweden. Established in 2013, the company offers connectivity solutions to a broad range of industries, including telecommunications, security, transportation, aviation, facility management, automotive, and healthcare. The application fields range from antennas, RF, mechanics, optics, acoustics, industrialization, and production technology solutions. The company's in-house lab facilities provide unique opportunities to perform advanced testing to ensure product quality and compliance with relevant standards and requirements. Sigma Connectivity works closely with its sister companies in the Sigma Group to provide end-to-end solutions – back-end systems, applications, devices, and information management. The company's customers range from small start-ups to multibillion corporations.
The Solution
Sigma Connectivity switched from an external nonlinear simulation solver to RADIOSS, the nonlinear solver of Altair’s HyperWorks CAE suite. This change allowed the company to streamline and improve its development activities in terms of licensing costs and access to a broad set of simulation tools for various application disciplines. The company also increased the usage of Altair tools and employed solvers such as RADIOSS to cut down the numbers of software providers and license costs. Being a HyperWorks user since 2004, Sigma Connectivity started a benchmark to switch from their external nonlinear FE-Solver to RADIOSS, which is included in the HyperWorks suite. The company also made use of Altair's flexible units based licensing system which offers access to any other software from the broad offering of the Altair Partner Alliance. This allowed the company to consolidate its software costs because they reduced the need to employ an external solver with additional license fees.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
Related Case Studies.
Case Study
Integral Plant Maintenance
Mercedes-Benz and his partner GAZ chose Siemens to be its maintenance partner at a new engine plant in Yaroslavl, Russia. The new plant offers a capacity to manufacture diesel engines for the Russian market, for locally produced Sprinter Classic. In addition to engines for the local market, the Yaroslavl plant will also produce spare parts. Mercedes-Benz Russia and his partner needed a service partner in order to ensure the operation of these lines in a maintenance partnership arrangement. The challenges included coordinating the entire maintenance management operation, in particular inspections, corrective and predictive maintenance activities, and the optimizing spare parts management. Siemens developed a customized maintenance solution that includes all electronic and mechanical maintenance activities (Integral Plant Maintenance).
Case Study
Monitoring of Pressure Pumps in Automotive Industry
A large German/American producer of auto parts uses high-pressure pumps to deburr machined parts as a part of its production and quality check process. They decided to monitor these pumps to make sure they work properly and that they can see any indications leading to a potential failure before it affects their process.
