Also in this issue: Customer Successes, Product News and Recent Events at ESI

T h e V i r t u a l P r o t o t y p i n g M a g a z i n e

Issue 492017

Dive Head First into your Virtual PrototypeHMDs make Virtual Reality available for wider applications in product design and more

special report

Issue 49 / 2017 3

Contents Editorial

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the first issue of ESItalk in 2017! Looking back, I believe the most startling aspect of the past year was the speed at which the digital revolution is engulfing us. Demonstrations against Uber taxis in the streets of Paris and the numerous announcements of autonomous vehicles programs were sharp reminders that automation and digital disruption are impacting our society swiftly and profoundly.

It is almost a year since representatives of the French government celebrated the first anniversary of their “Industry of the Future” program at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Virtual Reality (VR), featured significantly as an enabling technology of industrial competitiveness and in the digital revolution. Read how companies like Safran Nacelles and Daimler are using ESI’s VR solution and how the new HMD devices are changing the game (pages 6-8).

Data analytics and machine learning also figure largely in any conversation on the digital revolution. Professor Francisco (Paco) Chinesta – Chairman of ESI’s Scientific Committee – believes Big Data technologies are driving a paradigm shift in computer modeling (page 16). Moving quickly in that direction, ESI has enabled the more adventurous (or inquisitive) users of the latest release of SimulationX (page 15) to easily exploit MINESET (page 12) to evaluate system simulation data in ways that they never imagined.

In 2016, ESI User Forums and Executive events held around the globe learned of Product Performance Lifecycle (PPL), with its focus on the virtual twin of a product in operation. Noting the comments of Prof. Chinesta and recognizing that sensors on products continuously report performance data, we expect in 2017 to explore further the notion of a “hybrid twin”; one that combines computer models of the “as manufactured” product with in-service data. Imagine using VR to conduct the immersive review of a hybrid twin; exploring the real operation of the product, assessing the impact of actual use on servicing needs, and building the knowledge that will drive smart decisions for future product design, manufacturing and deployment. We are indeed on an interesting path; one that ESI looks forward to travelling with you.

I wish you good reading!

Christopher St. John

ESItalk is issued bi-annually by ESI GroupExecutive Editor: Amy de RouvrayEditor-in-Chief: Rita Tronelrita.tronel@esi-group.comCopy-Editor: Natasha Petrousnatasha.petrous@esi-group.comESI Group MarketingParc d’Affaires SILIC99, rue des Solets - BP 8011294513 Rungis Cedex - FRANCETel: +33 (0) 1 41 73 58 00Fax: +33 (0) 1 46 87 72 02www.esi-group.comDesign: www.korfred.comISSN 12105-1739Print: Groupe Dupli-Print2 Rue Descartes ZI Sezac - 95330 DomontDépôt légal: Février 2017

All PAM - and SYS - product names as well as other products belonging to ESI’s portfolio, including OpenFOAM® are tradenames or trademarks of ESI Group, unless specifically mentioned. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

All text and images included in the articles are the copyright of the companies presenting their applications and simulation tasks.

Photos credits: Aethra, Diamler AG, EP Tender, Huawei, Kris Finn pour Business France, PARC, Safran Nacelles, TU Delft.

G.OM.17.8.A

04 special reportDive Head First into your Virtual Prototype HMDs make Virtual Reality available for wider applications in product design and more

06 interview3 Questions for Dr. Steck

08 customer successSafran Nacelles Uses Virtual Reality Solution ESI IC.IDO to Validate Nacelles Manufacturing Tooling

Patriot Foundry & Castings Reduce their Scrap Rate by 98% with ESI ProCAST

Lightweight yet Crash Safe Vehicles

12 product newsESI MINESET Brings Data Analytics to Virtual Prototyping

Simulation Boosts the Use of Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composite Materials

ESI Launches PAM-STAMP 2017, Delivering Drastic Efficiency Improvements

SimulationX 3.8 has arrived

16 corporate newsFrom ESI’s Scientific Committee

Huawei Enhances HPC Capability with the Launch of the New High-Density Server X6000

ESI User Conferences Worldwide

ESI Represents Digital Transformation for the French Government led Program, “Industry of the Future”

SOFIA, a Research Program for Metal Additive Manufacturing

ESI Collaborates with PARC, a Xerox Company

21 events ESI INENDI Ensures the Cybersecurity of Industrial Networks

22 financial news ESI Group Awarded First Place of Gaïa Index 2016 for Companies under €150m

ESI Shares Transferred From Compartment C to Compartment B of Euronext Paris

Christopher St. JohnCOO, Field and Support OperationsESI Group

4

s p e c i a l r e p o r t

In today’s engineering world there is a constant drive to

be better, faster and to do more. This, in turn, pushes

Virtual Prototyping software providers like ESI Group to

innovate at an even faster rate. Looking back over the

last few decades, we observe the product design space

evolving from drawings in the 1950’s, to 3D design in

the 1980’s, and now to immersive virtual reality (VR) -

and we certainly will not stop there. Over the same

time period we have also witnessed the emergence of

tools, represented in this edition of ESItalk, that allow

us to anticipate the manufacture and performance of

products still “on the drawing board”. ESI’s vision is to

enable our customers to experience every aspect of a

product – how it is made, how it will perform, and how

it will be sustained in service. In this article, we examine

the contribution that VR is making to realizing that vision

for a very specific customer.

First, a recap of VR, which in essence means ‘near reality’.

With VR we see a version of reality that isn’t really there,

but can be perceived as real. What does this mean for

engineering? Engineers can work with their Computer-

Aided-Design (CAD) data to assure that their designs are

fully integrated with the sub-assembly, general assembly,

manufacturing line, and human operators. This Holistic

Virtual Integration, achieved using tools like ESI’s virtual

reality software, IC.IDO empowers engineers and

engineering teams to interact fully with their products

in the same way they would at the pilot production or

prototype facilities; only they get to do so long before

any parts are fabricated or tools built.

The VR CAVE Until recently, VR has found its place with large and

mid-sized companies who have the experience and the

means to implement it using a CAVE ™ or Cave Automatic

Virtual Environment (i.e. multiple screens that allow you

to immerse yourself in a VR environment). However, the

limited accessibility of CAVEs - or even lesser Powerwall

Image courtesy of Volkswagen

Dive Head First into your Virtual PrototypeHMDs make Virtual Reality available for wider applications in product design and more

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s p e c i a l r e p o r t

environments - for Virtual Integration reviews meant

that only virtual reality experts, using these specialized

resources, could collect engineering data and develop

immersive sessions for collaborative cross-functional

reviews. In the case of ESI IC.IDO, this is not only a visual

immersion, but also an interactive reality where real time

physics simulation enables users to perform assembly

and disassembly operations with simulated collisions

and interactions between rigid bodies and elastic cables

and hoses.

Head mounted displays create opportunity to shift

the virtual integration evaluation further upstream,

where the engineers who designed the components

can themselves perform more frequent and iterative

reviews, in-process instead of waiting for CAVE review.

Large format collaborative reviews in the environment

of a CAVE or Powerwall will still happen, however many

more design issues can and will be caught using the

HMD. The limiting factor for Holistic Virtual Integration

is not technology but instead how many scenarios are

While such virtual reviews do bring about a significant

reduction in the possibility of late emerging engineering

changes arising from discoveries during physical

prototyping, the practice still leaves the potential to

encounter important problems in the integration (space

claim, packaging, assembly envelope). By making Holistic

Virtual Integration VR tools much more available to

individual engineers or workgroups, potential issues

can be explored more thoroughly and corrective action

taken earlier. It is in this context that Head Mounted

Display (HMD) technology makes its way onto the scene,

bringing the possibility of VR being applied to in-process

engineering work, and not just gate reviews.

Virtual Reality Exits the CAVE, Lives within Head Mounted Displays

Various Head Mounted Displays (HMD) have created a

lot of excitement, with the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift at

the forefront. Naturally, we see them in gaming, social

media, movies, and music. However, with the enhanced

quality of these devices, there is a similar rise in interest

for using HMDs in industrial applications. Many PLM

providers are racing to find a way to leverage the

technology but many offerings end up as little more than

a monitor strapped to the face for the user; doing the

same work they did before.

investigated fully and interactively in the immersive

environment and how many people have the chance to

evaluate them.

ESI has been applying Virtual Reality to industrial

uses for years. Traditionally used to drive projection

system Powerwalls or CAVEs, ESI’s latest release of

IC.IDO is adapted to work very effectively with both

consumer and professional class HMDs. Further, with

ESI IC.IDO version 11, a new IDO.ImmersiveDesktop

application is being offered as part of a “Virtual Reality

for Engineering” bundle. Using that bundle, IC.IDO users

will be able to conduct immersive simulation of the

assembly, disassembly, serviceability, and accessibility

of their products at full scale, instead of working on 2-D

projection on their desktop monitor. Engineers will have

the power to import and view CAD models and to benefit

from real-time interaction that respects the physics of

the actual product not only through the customary

mouse and keyboard but through natural hand motions.

Furthermore, they can easily create immersive virtual

reality ‘replayable’ media and collaborate with colleagues

using immersive systems worldwide.

for more informationwww.esi-group.com/ICIDO/HMD

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i n t e r v i e w

With ESI IC.IDO, most Daimler engineers use conventional displays and a combination of mouse, keyboard, and SpaceMouse to navigate the virtual assembly environment and assess the assembly and service feasibility of our product packaging and space claim concerns. However, for the remaining 10% of cases, our engineers still proceed to the CAVE or Powerwall to perform immersive reviews using immersive virtual reality. This is especially true for situations with tight space requirements or tricky part maneuvers, where immersive virtual reality gives the operator more interactive and realistic participation in the operation.

The application of full-scale virtual reality has improved the quality of our physical prototyping so we have far fewer issues left to discover during pilot assembly operations. Virtual reviews with cross-functional leaders now focus on issues of shared interest by the

How has the application of Virtual Reality (VR) changed the way products are engineered and validated at Daimler?

Daimler has been using VR for more than 15 years and IC.IDO for more than ten. Within the time stated, Virtual Reality migrated from a specialist activity, performed by virtual reality specialists, to a tool that is used by product engineers (product construction, product integration) themselves when reviewing their design and engineering options. Now, close to 90% of the work for Virtual Build is done in process using the VR desktop application, in ESI IC.IDO.

Dr. Sibylle Steck Virtual Reality Center IT for EngineeringMercedes Benz Cars

3 Questions for...

different organizations. Virtual Build allows for interactions that might not have been possible until the availability of the physical prototype and pilot assembly operations.

We use VR for Virtual Build and Virtual Assembly for Daimler’s passenger and commercial vehicle. With ESI IC.IDO 11, applications for validation of design integration challenges can be performed interactively in the desktop application or in the virtual reality environment. IC.IDO is widely used by our engineers themselves to verify if the designs they release will be appropriate for installation and assembly, and for after sales service operations. Our relationship with ESI is truly a win-win partnership: ESI provides the simulation software we need, in order to address the specific and detailed requirements for construction feasibility.

How do you anticipate the widespread use of Head Mounted Display (HMD) influencing the work done in the Virtual Reality Center at Daimler?

With the HMDs, I anticipate that engineers will be able to shift some of the desktop activity of day-to-day engineering into an immersive environment, where the installation and removal of components from the vehicle assembly is admittedly more intuitive and natural. In the desktop environment, some engineers’ mastery of 3D SpaceMouse controls gives them nearly the same agility demonstrated with immersive virtual reality (inside the CAVE). With immersive virtual reality, just about any user can manage the virtual build scenarios more intuitively.

I see the “gamification” of these engineering tasks, as powered by virtual reality, providing an opportunity to bring virtual build activity to a wider range of users. Desktop evaluation Images courtesy of Diamler

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for more informationwww.esi-group.com/ICIDO

of some integration tasks on the component or subassembly level will be less abstract if the user has access to an HMD immersive environment. At present, there are many ESI IC.IDO users within product engineering at Daimler. Key users have taken well to the tool as a valuable solution to their integration concerns. They cite Virtual Build as a key area for application and stress the benefit of construction feasibility. Another important use case is the axle wiring. They look at wiring during turning, and explore the full motion of shocks and dampers. Additionally, Virtual Assembly provides opportunity to validate assumptions about appropriate sequences and layout of manufacturing lines, or Virtual Service to verify the accessibility of components for service operations in the after-sales life.

Even more engineers within the value chain will benefit from the application of Virtual Integration practices and the use of ESI IC.IDO 11 with HMD because they provide accessibility to engineering activities, which might have otherwise have been limited to the CAVE and Powerwall. In-process virtual reality applied to construction, integration, and service activities will mean continued success for Daimler engineering activities, reduced time to market and development costs, while raising the already high level of quality attained.

Currently, Daimler’s Virtual Reality Center (VRC) is evaluating where and to what extent HMD installations of ESI IC.IDO should be placed. Additionally, we are actively testing which use-cases and interaction modes, beyond CAVE and desktop, are most beneficial to Daimler product development processes.

Where do you see the use of Head Mounted Display (HMD) driving product and process improvement at Daimler?

The Virtual Reality Center (VRC) is used in two ways. The primary use has been group reviews and the other is individual engineers visiting to review their own work in immersive virtual reality. For immersive “approval” or gated reviews, key stakeholders

gather in the VR center to participate in the full immersive virtual prototype or virtual pilot assembly/service simulation and approve, or not approve, the progress to date. The participants in approval reviews recognize the opportunities to improve or adjust the product in a way to address the manufacturing or design issue. During these reviews, if it happens that a major design revision is triggered by something witnessed or observed in that meeting, the clock rolls back and engineering has to redesign some

A note from ESI on IC.IDO 11:

The HMDs present the opportunity to bring the VR center to the engineers instead of the engineers to the VR resource. As IC.IDO continues to improve, more engineers will be able to apply virtual integration in-process. The release of ESI IC.IDO 11 and wider adoption of HMD into the engineering workflow means more issues can be identified in-process, by a wider number of engineers.

aspect of the product or the process. With engineers themselves using HMD and desktop immersive systems like that of IC.IDO for design for assembly and design for service, they will not have to compete for limited centralized VR resources, like the VRC.

Regarding the desktop use of ESI IC.IDO, I’ve observed that engineers previously using ESI IC.IDO immersive are now doing the same reviews using IC.IDO as a desktop digital mock-up (DMU) tool and addressing many issues, in-process. Performing an integration task on the desktop presented a technical challenge that the immersive environment did not. In the VR center, even novice users can immediately evaluate if their component will install, assemble, disassemble, or be serviced very intuitively. With HMD we observe similar “intuitive” use.

Images courtesy of Diamler

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c u s t o m e r s u c c e s s / a e r o n a u t i c s

ChallengeWhen implementing new aircraft programs, Safran Nacelles needed a method that would allow them to visualize and validate process design, without relying on physical prototypes. They also needed a way to validate the installation of new assembly and manufacturing lines to study ergonomics and to train operators.

BenefitsAfter implementing IC.IDO, ESI’s virtual reality tool, Safran Nacelles improved their overall efficiency by reducing the number of product and process development cycles required. Additionally, they introduced collaborative sessions on-site in their 3D CAVE, and include the participation of external partners.

The company has now fully integrated IC.IDO and virtual reality into their development and validation processes.

for more informationwww.esi-group.com/ICIDOwww.safran-group.com

Safran Nacelles Uses Virtual Reality Solution ESI IC.IDO to Validate Nacelles Manufacturing Tooling

”Virtual reality represents a technology of the future that will have an impact on the efficiency of our developments. The factory of the future is already here.”

Nicolas Lepape, Virtual &Augmented Reality R&T Project Manager

Safran Nacelles

StorySafran Nacelles is one of the world’s two leading aircraft engine nacelle producers. In their process of developing new aircraft programs, they realized they needed new methods that would allow them to visualize and validate their process designs – without building full sized prototypes.

After six months of testing and benchmarking different virtual reality (VR) tools, a process which included exchanges with VR users at Boeing, Airbus, and Renault they finally selected ESI’s immersive technology software, IC.IDO.

Safran Nacelles invested in an on-site two-sided CAVE. The system, 4m wide by 2.5m high. The cave was commissioned in March of 2016 and six months later, the team had already addressed more than 60 use cases.

ESI IC.IDO creates, within the CAVE, a 3D, life-size image of objects and environments defined in CAD, thereby creating a virtual workspace. Users immerse themselves in the image and can then check the feasibility of an operation, validate the design of a tool or factory work station, and simulate work operations.

For Safran Nacelles, VR saves time and encourages evaluation of new workflows because the need for related physical prototypes can be eliminated. VR facilitates discussions between experts from different fields, allowing quick and efficient problem solving and the avoidance of late tooling revisions.

Safran Nacelles is sharing information quicker than ever before. Project managers can collaborate, on a daily basis and in real time, with all members involved a project, whether working on-site or remotely. VR allows them to get their new aircraft programs right on the first try.

Six months after the initial deployment of ESI IC.IDO, Safran Nacelles already has ten VR “super users” from different departments. This network of users shares best practices and prepares use cases within their departments. They also hold collaborative review sessions and distance learning sessions with contractors equipped with the same technology.

Work posture ergonomics with ESI IC.IDO

Issue 49 / 2017 9

ChallengeA late stage customer requirement for a near perfect cast finish on a military service nickel-aluminium-bronze gearbox required a difficult upside down pour Shrinkage porosity defects showed up during final manufacturing and led to a 50% scrap rate.

Numerous changes to every feature of the mold, from runners to risers, were attempted but the shrinkage porosity defects only relocate frustratingly to other areas of the cast gearbox.

BenefitsAfter Patriot brought ESI ProCAST software into their process to model the pour, to scrap rate reduced by 98% and Patriot was able to deliver quality parts on time to a very satisfied customer.

StoryPatriot Foundry & Castings is an industry-leading company specializing in top-quality sand castings in bronze, aluminum and zinc-based alloys. What sets them apart from other foundries is that they partner with their customers to provide solutions

to their production challenges. Additionally, they co-cast alloys around heating elements, copper tubing, cast iron parts and steel inserts or components.

One specific part they produce for a Department of Defense customer is a sand casted nickel-aluminum-bronze gearbox. The customer required that no grind marks should be seen on the exterior of the casting. To achieve the desired result, the company essentially had to cast the part upside down.

Using that strategy the initial castings looked acceptable, but once machining began it was obvious that over 50% of parts produced contained shrinkage porosity defects.

In a bid to correct the error, Patriot ran several iterations, changing every feature of the mold from the gating to the runners and risers. Their efforts improved the situation, but many castings were still being rejected as problems just shifted around the part (Fig.1). This trial and error approach inevitably led to severe time and budget setbacks. At this point, Patriot needed a guaranteed fix and sought out ESI and its casting simulation software, ESI ProCAST.

Together, Patriot and ESI ran simulations and successfully isolated three areas where shrinkage was likely to occur. Based on this new data, Patriot was able to rework the casting design and finally produce satisfactory parts.

The breakthroughs were the addition of chills to the thick-ringed portion around the opening to the gearbox, plus additional material on the bosses’ risers that enabled superior feeding of the part. Finally, two risers were repositioned closer to the part.

“The return on investment was almost instantaneous”, says W. Christian Leuteritz.

Thanks to the insight Patriot received from simulating the casting, the company managed to reduce its scrap waste by an astounding 98%. However, this wasn’t the sole benefit. The initial hit and miss casting methodology was wasting time; both Patriot’s and its customer’s. Since the new, enhanced casting methods were deployed, after the ESI simulation data was analyzed, Patriot’s customer was satisfied with nearly flawless parts that met their aesthetic requirement.

Patriot Foundry & Castings Reduce their Scrap Rate by 98% with ESI ProCAST

”ESI understands our industry and its unique issues. Consequently they quickly came to terms with the limitations in the changes we could make to the matchplate configuration.Together, we were able to work within those constraints to solve the problem successfully.”

W. Christian Leuteritz, Professional Engineer, OwnerPatriot Foundry & Castings

for more informationwww.esi-group.com/ProCAST www.patriotfoundry.comThe defects as seen in the initial castings

before the change was madeView of the added flow channel to feed the lower triangular section during cooling

c u s t o m e r s u c c e s s / h e a v y i n d u s t r y

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g r o u n d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n

Developing lightweight vehicles without compromising the safety of vehicle occupants is not an easy task for manufacturers. Until recently, cars were made mainly from a rather homogenous sheet steel structure and the parts that were subject to particularly strong local stresses were often oversized. Today, while the weight saving potential of advanced materials – such as aluminum, high strength steels, and composites – is widely known, production difficulties and high costs prevent their usage for the entire car body. Utilizing the most appropriate material for each application and component is seen to be the most efficient lightweight strategy.

The selection of advanced lightweight materials, can hardly be based on existing expertise and may require that many prototype crash tests be conducted to ensure the expected performances under

various load conditions, today’s innovative multi-material strategies require a precise understanding and an early prediction of material behavior. Any level of uncertainty may lead to overly conservative choices and costly over-engineering, which means that potential benefits in weight reduction are lost. The use of Virtual Prototyping early in the development process to optimize the design, material selection, and to test multiple ideas in a very short time becomes necessary in such a context.

Lightweight yet Crash Safe Vehicles

Recently, ESI ’s Virtal Performance Solution (VPS) introduced a breakthrough innovation in its latest version- a water f low simulation module. This new module enables engineers to predict fluid structure interaction (FSI) accurately with minimal effort.

Use of Composite Materials Can Reduce Front Bumper Crush Weight by 30% In 2013, the United Sates Council for Automotive Research (USCAR), a consortium comprised of Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Chrysler Group, initiated the United States Automotive Materials Partnership (USAMP) project with the support of the US Department of Energy (DOE). The primary goal of this project was to assess the technical readiness of composite

crash simulation by designing virtually a Front Bumper Crush Can (FBCC) system and validating its finite element-based performance prediction. While weight saving was an important motivation, the objective of the project was to deliver accurate performance prediction of an FBCC system that met the crash performance objectives of a surrogate design made in steel. Additionally, the design space for a composite FBCC was required to be the same as for the steel surrogate.

ESI was asked to investigate the design of a compression molded composite front bumper beam fabricated from unidirectional carbon fiber and woven fabrics. The number of fiber layers, their orientation, and the geometry of the beam was to be determined by virtual engineering.

Once the design targets were set for the composite FBCC, an iterative process using simulations was executed to optimize the composite design to fit within the set physical space and to select the material, layup sequence, attachment methods etc. Good correlation with experiments on coupon and component levels suggested that full FBCC predictions created using this method could efficiently asses the crash behavior under different load conditions.

Performance Challenges of Multi-Material Joining Finding new technologies to join composite and metallic parts, while ensuring a good crash and fatigue performance of the joining area, is a known industrial challenge in response several research projects aim to develop innovative approaches using Virtual Prototyping. For instance, the H2020 European project ComMUnion, is investigating the use of laser texturing,

Composite FBCC Design (Left), and bumper with a back plate (Right), as presented in USAMP study*

How the use of Virtual Prototyping addresses automotive design challenges

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g r o u n d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n

”Using Virtual Performance Solution has enabled us to virtually validate our crash scenario for the generator’s fuel tank virtually and to demonstrate that our trailer brings more energy absorption capacity. Integrating ESI’s latest water flow module for tank sloshing in our model has been particularly efficient to accurately model the content of the tank and get more realistic results.”

Jean-Baptiste Segard, Founder and CEO,

EP Tender

which could increase shear strength by over 100%. ESI will contribute through the texture definition optimization work, which will be done with multi-scale end-to-end virtual prototyping.

www.communionproject.eu/who

Modeling Tank Sloshing for Vehicle SafetyRecently, ESI Virtual Performance Solution (VPS) introduced the so called “water flow simulation module” to drastically

reduce the effort needed to accurately predict Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI). This is especially beneficial for a crash scenario in which the mass coupling and incompressible behavior of fuel can significantly change the accuracy of the crash simulation result.

A case in point is the study reported by EP Tender, a startup company manufacturing fuel-powered gen- erators for electric vehicles. Visit www.esi-group.com/EP-Tender to learn

how ESI’s water flow simulation module was instrumental in helping them guarantee the safety of their trailer-mounted generators that can be used to extend the range of hybrid vehicles.

The engineering team of EP Tender demonstrated the ability of the trailer to resist even the most severe rear crash configuration listed in the FMVSS 301 US regulation. As this regulation requires fuel tanks to remain sealed after a crash, the team created a specific design that included a patented structure that would preserve the integrity of the generator’s fuel tank by shifting it downward during an impact.

Simulation results quickly allowed EP Tender to validate the efficiency of their design and demonstrate that the trailer decreases damage to the vehicle by absorbing about 30% of the total energy of a rear impact.

Simulation showed that using the water flow module in VPS provided EP Tender with more realistic model of the fuel and consequently decreased the predicted deformation of the tank. Using a more realistic model with included incompressible fluid, the the tank rupture limit was not reached and the team was able to validate the tank design. EP Tender’s concept successfully fulfilled FMVSS 301 regulation.

for more informationwww.esi-group.com/VPSwww.speautomotive.com/SPEA_CD/SPEA2016/pdf/USCAR/US2.pdf

Tank deformation in ESI Virtual Performance Solution, without (left) and with the Water Flow Module (right)

Tank sloshing during a crash test, using ESI Virtual Performance Solution

12

for more informationcloud.esi-group.com/analytics

p r o d u c t n e w s

In February 2016, ESI acquired big data visual analytics and machine learning specialist MINESET Inc. from SGI, terming the move a “disruptive approach to amplify ESI Group’s virtual engineering solutions, providing transformative processes for design and manufacturing, leveraging big data synergies with existing virtual prototyping technologies, and offering major analytics and pattern recognition value-creation opportunities.”

Transformative Potential for Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Service/MaintenanceESI is integrating MINESET’s capabilities for big data analytics, pattern recognition and machine learning with its existing solutions to provide new capabilities in simulation results analysis, discovery of hidden correlations, fault detection, predictive maintenance and design optimization. Its goal is to enable delivery of better simulation and modeling results, and thus shorter product development schedu les and reduced product maintenance and downtime.

ESI MINESET Predict ive Analytics SolutionESI MINESET Predictive Analytics Solution enables interactive exploration of data through an advanced suite of visual

tools designed to enable faster discovery of meaningful trends and cause-effect relationships. Fully accessible through a web browser, under a variety of pricing plans, the solution includes integrated visualization and machine learning (ML) algorithms with collaboration capabilities.

MINESET helps users understand their data, discover patterns in it, predict outcomes and prescribe actions. It is specifically designed to let users with no background in data science quickly and easily discern and comprehend

relationships hidden in their data, and to provide actionable insights.

ESI MINESET is available in the ESI Cloud or on premise (private cloud) installations with Linux-based servers.

Integration with Other ESI SolutionsESI MINESET can now be used with the latest release (3.8) of SimulationX to post-process results of systems simulations. Through the use of a Variants Wizard, users are able to directly export their results table to Mineset and then explore the design space for a better understanding and quantitative analysis of the choices affecting the system’s output. Below is one such example of how Mineset’s Decision Tree can be used to highlight the “recipe” of parameters that lead to the greatest possible range in an electric car. As highlighted by the yellow path, we want designs with more than 60 kWhr of battery capacity, car

masses below 1500 kg, rolling resistance coefficients below 0.02, drag areas below 2 m2 and a drag coefficient below 0.25.

Next on the ESI roadmap is the integration of MINESET in VisualDSS, ESI’s platform for Multi-Domain Optimization, to facilitate the post-processing of simulation results. Furthermore, the addition of MINESET to ESI’s Virtual Reality solution IC.IDO will enable participants in design reviews to select simulations, fulfilling analytic requirements, before experiencing these in immersive visualization. Stay tuned...

Based on an article by Bruce Jenkins, Ora Research

© 2016 3D CAD World. Reprinted with permission.

ESI MINESET Brings Data Analytics to Virtual Prototyping

”This combination of talent and technology, building on other recent acquisitions, will contribute to revolutionize the field of simulation results analytics, with extensions such as predictive maintenance and cybersecurity. We trust that it will position ESI to usher in with confidence the age of the Internet of Everything (‘IoE’).”

Alain de Rouvray, Chairman and CEO

ESI Group

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p r o d u c t n e w s

Simulation Boosts the Use of Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composite Materials

Thermoforming of an organo-sheet gearbox case (real image, left; simulation image, right) Images Courtesy of ARRK | Shapers’

Thermoplastic composite materials promise many advantages for the mass production of high performance composite components. These materials, made of melt-processable resins, are light, stiff, have an infinite shelf life and the potential for rapid process speeds.

“Given a choice, manufacturers of high-performance composites might prefer to make parts for a variety of applications from reinforced thermoplastics rather than reinforced thermosets. Recyclability, higher ductility and better impact resistance, ease of repair or assembly by welding, and especially, short mold cycle times make thermoplastic composites very attractive”, states Dr. Pierre Gerard, Expert in Acrylics, Composites and Nanomaterials, Arkema.

Since thermoplastic composites are also more lightweight compared to metallic materials, and offer more adaptable designs, we should expect widespread adoption in the manufacture of fiber reinforced thermoplastic components. However, there are still three major challenges to overcome.

First , the abi l i ty to s imulate the manufacturing process, particularly for mass production.

During the manufacturing process, known as thermoforming, a sheet of thermoplastic composite material is heated until it is malleable and is then pressed against a tool to give the composite the desired shape. A range of defects, such as fiber path deviation or wrinkling, may be introduced during the manufacturing process. Also, if the tooling is not designed correctly the composite sheet does not make contact with the tool at every point and resin pools in the resulting gaps. In the absence of the ability to virtually manufacture parts, a great deal of time and cost can be wasted in trial and error before the tooling and process can be optimized.

This is where ESI steps in with PAM-COMPOSITES. Designed to address the “job to be done”, the 2016 release of this solution includes “die spotting” which automatically modifies the geometry of the tooling to eliminate resin pooling. Using ESI PAM-COMPOSITES, there’s no waste and no need for expensive real world iterations.

Second, the capability to characterize these materials so we can understand their exact behavior and use that in numerical models.

Models of manufacturing processes are only as good as the characterization of the material behavior. Here we face the complexity that composite materials are quite new and are themselves “manufactured” from a combination of textile architectures, resins, and so on. The material composition is far from standardized.

In this context Patrice Clerc, Director at industrial mechanics specialist Mecanium, explains: “A norm only seizes good practices at a precise instant. Norms are a good way to leverage best practices and to standardize experimental protocols, with a foundation in the material properties of known materials. It’s therefore not surprising that norms are seldom suited to new, innovative materials. The art of experimenting is to know how to draw from a norm, while taking the necessary step back to evolve it.” Material data, therefore, needs to be tested numerically and experimentally using

resulting simulations. It also reduces the risk of human error, further improving the end result.”

Third, the ability of the material supplier to provide new resins to overcome the high melt viscosity of thermoplastics.

Thermoplastic resins are also used for Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) processes in which a dry textile is positioned in a mold and resin is injected. Since thermoplastics typically have a higher viscosity, design of a good injection strategy is challenging. Material suppliers are therefore working actively on adapting resins to improve their usabi l i ty in RTM processes. Meanwhile engineers can benefit from the RTM module of PAM-COMPOSITES to help predict resin flow in the preform and to take corrective action if the proposed injection process leaves any dry zones.

T h e f u l l i n d u s t r i a l p o t e n t i a l o f thermoplastic resins is steadily being brought to light and ESI PAM-COMPOSITES is the solution for thermoforming composite materials. It gives engineers the opportunity to optimize and produce the perfect product through simulations, which, in turn, opens up a huge range of real world applications for these environmentally important materials.

simple parts before it is transferred to an industrial-scale model.

Here, ESI again steps in to help on the “job to be done”. As the Product Manager of PAM-COMPOSITES, Mathilde Chabin explains: “You don’t need to derive material parameters, you import the raw material testing data directly, which results in time savings and improved accuracies in the

for more informationwww.esi-group.com/PAM-COMPOSITES

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ESI Launches PAM-STAMP 2017, Delivering Drastic Efficiency Improvements

p r o d u c t n e w s

Definition and creation of geometrical drawbeads with ESI PAM-STAMP 2017

From feasibility assessment to validation of the entire metal forming process

ESI PAM-STAMP, ESI ’s end-to-end simulation software dedicated to sheet metal forming, covers cold, warm and hot forming processes, and most special processes for all types of metallic materials. Used in all industries, ESI PAM-STAMP provides a full solution to manage progressive, transfer and line dies, and tool surface design. From the first feasibility iterations of the part design to the final validation of the entire stamping process, the software delivers fast and reliable results, addressing thinning, splitting, compression, wrinkling, trim line optimization, spring back and die compensation, using ESI’s Triple Speed technology. Above all, it enables die face designers and sheet metal forming engineers to manufacture parts right the first time.

A major improvement ESI PAM-STAMP 2017 delivers is for setting up progressive, transfer and line dies. ESI engineers have redesigned the User Interface (UI) in order to significantly reduce the number of clicks and drastically increase work efficiency. Additionally, a centralized ‘Operations Manager’ enables easy definition of the global layout for multiple operations.

Beyond processing geometrical draw-

beads imported with the die face design, it is now also possible to generate geometrical drawbeads based on the information provided from equivalent drawbeads, automatically, with one click.

Analysis of a process is executed with the accurate ESI PAM-STAMP solver, by default running now in Triple Speed mode; a technique developed by ESI to speed up stamping simulations by a factor of 3 to 5.

Finally, a streamlined workflow and efficient numerical techniques have been added to account for the elasticity of tooling. Therefore, advanced simulation incorporating detailed modelling of tools and dies, can be achieved for final process validation.

for more informationwww.esi-group.com/PAM-STAMP

Aethra reached excellent correlation between the simulated part (after spring back compensation) with ESI PAM--STAMP and produced part (scanned data)

”With the latest version of ESI PAM-STAMP 2017, considerable efficiency improvements have been achieved when working with complete line dies. Importing the geometry, setting up, and analyzing line die simulations has become as fast, easy and straightforward as when working with only one operation! It is a huge step forward and makes working with ESI’s sheet metal forming solution, PAM-STAMP, even more enjoyable and efficient. ”

Arlem Picinin, Manager, Simulation and Machining

AETHRA Group

Issue 49 / 2017 15

Simulation of three-dimensional rope and belt drives in ESI’s SimulationX 3.8

p r o d u c t n e w s

ESI’s SimulationX, currently used by over 700 customers from every industrial sector in 27 countries, is established as the indisputable reference in a variety of industrial fields where the intersection of physics disciplines (including mechanics, fluidics, electronics, and controls) is increasingly important.

IAV, a world leading provider of automotive engineering service, uses system simulation to optimize powertrain and vehicle performance. “We achieve continuous optimization of our internal development processes and timeframes by using SimulationX effectively. We are looking forward to the variety of new features and enhancements in the new version 3.8,” states Dr. Bernd Findeisen, Manager CAE/Test, IAV GmbH.

The latest version of SimulationX offers significant enhancements and additional features for the simulation of dynamic Multiphysics systems. It responds to the

SimulationX 3.8 has arrivedESI’s industry proven System Modeling solution delivers additional capabilities in new industrial sectors: biomedical and smart cities

specific needs of a variety of industries, including mobile and industrial machinery subsea and oil & gas. Mechanical engineers in the energy, machinery and automotive sectors, specialists in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, and urban planners, civil engineers and energy professionals all benefit from SimulationX 3.8. It features a more intuitive graphical user interface, and improvements to the calculation method and result visualization that speed up all important work steps – modeling, calculation and analysis – by up to ten times.

for more informationwww.esi-group.com/SimulationX

Virtual PrototypingSoftware and Services

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c o r p o r a t e n e w s

A bit of historyHistory shows, people used observation and turned it into data. As the volume of data grew rapidly, this method caused problems due to the increasing c o m p l e x i t y o f a n a l y s e s , m a k i n g predictions less reliable. To circumvent these difficulties, physics models were introduced to compress and generate data on demand, paving the way for better, more accurate predictions. The models, however, needed to be solvable.

Fortunately, computers came to the rescue. However, since these were only good for elemental operations, it was necessary to transform complex mathematical objects into simpler objects. At the same time, it was also essential to reduce the number of points and times at which the solution of the model was found because there are infinite points in any region of space and infinite time instants in any period. This procedure, known as numerical simulation is one of the three pillars of 20th Century engineering.

That said, standard numerical simulation has a major handicap: it rarely proceeds in real-time, which is required for certain applications (e.g. haptic feedback in surgical simulation or simulation-based control involved in robotics, internet of things or the autonomous car).

One might assume these issues could be bypassed using more powerful computers , but that only makes simulation less accessible and hinders innovation, especially for small and medium businesses . In order to

democratize simulation, new solutions are required. One alternative consists of calculating the solution offline for al l possible scenarios (parametric solution) to be used later online on light computational facilities (e.g. tablets or even smartphones).

From computational handbook to simulation (APPs)One might think that constructing a parametric solution is as easy as solving the model at hand for any variation of the parameters. The problem with this is that it involves a combinatorial explosion. Constructing these parametric solutions is feasible by using model order reduction to prevent such combinatorial explosion; for instance, for instance using the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) or reduced bases. An alternative approach consists of the following:

• separating space and time to define non-incremental solvers

• separat ing the d i f ferent space coordinates to address problems in plates, shells, laminates, extruded profiles, etc.

• separating usual coordinates and model parameters (material parameters, geometrical parameters or initial and boundary conditions) to construct parametric solutions (computational vademecums or handbooks).

Separated representations are at the heart of the so-called proper generali-zed decomposition (PGD) and allow circumventing efficiently the combi-natorial explosion

The image below (left) depicts the parametric solut ion of Automatic Tape Placement (ATP) processes for manufacturing composite parts. As soon as the parameters are selected, the associated solution is obtained in real time. Sometimes, a parametric solution does not suffice to attain the model evaluation, in particular in complex coupled models. In those circumstances, different model reduction techniques can be combined into a simulation app (a sort of virtual twin) to efficiently solve coupled multi-physic problems such as predicting the consequences of a composite laminates consolidation processes on component performance, in real-time (right image below).

Bridging data, information, knowledge and decision- makingSometimes, extracting the uncorrelated parameters to obtain reduced models is not easy (e.g. when considering shapes or microstructures). In those cases, machine learning techniques, more specifically nonlinear dimensionality reduction techniques, are used to extract them from the training data.

Data-Driven simulation constitutes a real change of paradigm in simulation-based engineering sciences. It directly links data to computers. These simulations employ universal laws while minimizing the need of explicit, often phenomenological, constitutive models. This approach is especially interesting when considering complex engineered materials.

For now, the future is bright and the evolution continues. Virtual twins will lead the fourth industrial revolution.

By Professor Francisco Chinesta, Chairman of ESI’s Scientific Committee. Author acknowledges the contribution of many colleagues, in particular the member of the ESI Group Chair at Ecole Centrale of Nantes (E. Abisset-Chavanne, J.V. Aguado, D. Borzacchiello & E. Lopez), E. Cueto from the University of Zaragoza (Spain), J.L. Duval, C. Tanasescu, S. Laverdure & F. Boitout from ESI Group.

From ESI’s Scientific CommitteeComputational handbook, simulation applications, databased engineering science and technology enabling the fourth industrial revolution

ATP computational vademecum (left) and composites consolidation application (right).

Issue 49 / 2017 17

a d v e r t o r i a l

Huawei Enhances HPC Capability with the Launch of the New High-Density Server X6000

Huawei has launched a new-generation FusionServer X6000 that accommodates up to four hot-swappable 2-socket compute nodes in a 2U chassis. The X6000 is powered by Intel® Xeon® E5-2600 v3/v4 series processors and offers an outstanding all-NVMe SSD storage capability, enabled by 24 NVMe SSDs per chassis. In addition to this, the X6000 supports 100 Gb/s InfiniBand EDR and OPA high-speed networks. Shown as below chart, the X6000 read performance on IOPS and bandwidth is significantly improved by 12.6 and 4.4 times respectively over the competitors’ product. With both higher efficiency and flexibility, the X6000 provides industry customers with the perfect HPC platform, allowing you to handle a variety of workloads.

To be the HPC solution provider that help customers best simplify the computing flow and accelerate innovations and discoveries, Huawei continues to expand its HPC portfolio with competitive server, storage, and network products, liquid

cooling solutions and professional services. To help customers focus on business instead of infrastructure, Huawei offers different types of HPC platforms. The high-density HPC platform based on X6000 or X6800 supports a variety of 2U4, 4U4, 4U8 node deployments and a variety of computing, storage, or both-balanced nodes. The converged-architecture HPC platform, with the blade server E9000, provides 64 2-socket server nodes in a 12U chassis and can achieve an exceptional performance of 49.56 TFLOPS per chassis. The KunLun supercomputer delivers 16 to 32 sockets and a memory capacity of 24 TB. In terms of data center infrastructure, Huawei also helps customers improve energy efficiency for hyper-scale clusters and provides liquid cooling solutions that support 45°C warm water inlets, making the cooling PUE less than 1.1.

By 2016, Huawei was ranked 4th globally in server shipments. Huawei has also been promoted from “Niche Players” to “Challengers” by Gartner, the world’s

leading IT technology research and advisory company, according to their latest Magic Quadrant release. Huawei storage was also named a leader in the 2016 Magic Quadrant¹ for General-Purpose Disk Arrays report.

With increasing HPC capability, Huawei now has numerous customers in the fields of industrial CAE simulation and academia, with success stories worldwide. It has successfully deployed its HPC cluster systems to top automobile manufacturers, including Damiler, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, and Scania. This has helped them facilitate their simulation tests that support their product development and design. Huawei has also provided innovative HPC solutions to top universities and supercomputing centers, such as Stanford University, University of Toronto, and Poland PCSS to foster cutting-edge scientific research. In one particular case, Huawei helped PCSS build a large-scale HPC cluster with a peak performance of 1.4 PFLOPS. This HPC cluster is now ranked 79th out of the world’s top 500 HPC clusters.

Huawei is dedicated to enabling HPC convergence on clouds and Big Data. CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, has selected Huawei to develop a European hybrid cloud, serving 10 leading public research organizations. Huawei has already successfully helped CERN deploy additional HPC applications on the hybrid cloud to enable the design, prototyping, and pilot phases of the Helix Nebula Science Cloud.

for more informationhttp://e.huawei.com/en/solutions/business-needs/data-center/high-performance-computing

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ESI China Forum 2016 (June)

ESI China Forum 2016 gathered roughly 300 guests in Chengdu, China. Topics touched on machine learning and data analytics as well as the challenges of crash & safety in future urban commuting. Additionally, 28 customers and partners, including Huawei, AVIC and Wuhan University of Technology, shared their latest advances and presented technical papers.

OpenFOAM User Conference (October)

ESI hosted the 4th Annual OpenFOAM User Conference in Cologne, Germany; bringing together together novice and experienced OpenFOAM users from all over the world. After a keynote address by Dr. Tobias Huuva (Caterpillar), attendees heard from AUDI AG, Mercedes-Benz India, and Tata Steel. There were various plenary session as well as a roundtable discussion titled “One OpenFOAM”. Find out about the next OpenFOAM User Conference at www.esi-group.com/openfoam2017.

ESI France Forum 2016 (October)The ESI France Forum held in Versailles, France featured several keynote speakers Dr. Goetz-Philip BRASCHE, CTO IT R&D / Director Central Software Institute Europe for Huawei Technologies Deutschland

GmbH. He gave an inspiring talk on “The ‘mosaic’ of new ICT – leading the paradigm shift for products, production and services on our way towards a smartly connected world”. In parallel sessions, attendees heard from ESI customers in the Aerospace & Defense, Ground Transportation, and Energy sectors.

year’s forum took place in Tokyo with 329 guests in attendance. The first day commenced with an address by ESI’s CEO

Dr Alain de Rouvray, on the subject of embracing the disruptive challenges of Industry 4.0 and the evolution “from the right virtual prototype to the smart virtual twin”. 42 ESI customers and partners took to the stage, including Mazda Motor, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Nissan Motor, Osaka University, Honda R&D and Toyota Motor.

ESI SimulationX User Forum 2016 (November)

This event marked the f i rs t ES I SimulationX User Forum since ESI acquired ITI GmbH earlier in the year. The mix of presentations and interactive sessions attracted over 180 SimulationX users. Here the ESI ITI jury presented the Best Paper and the Best Graduate Thesis Awards. The winners of the Best Paper Award 2016 were; Matthias Taubert, from MAN; Andreas Trittel-Schabacker, from the University of Kassel; and, Maximilian Zinner, from the ARRK Group. The Best Graduate Thesis Award went to Henryk Haufe, from the Leipzig University of Applied Sciences.

e v e n t s

for more informationwww.esi-group.com/events/UserForums

ESI User Conferences WorldwideA look back at ESI Forums in 2016: thank you to our customers and partners

ESI Japan Forum 2016 (PUCA) (November) ESI Japan Forum is an annual event running for more than two decades. This

ESI Eastern Europe Forum 2016 (November) Over 50 users and industry leaders gathered in Prague, Czech Republic to hear about ESI’s advances in Virtual Prototyping, from ESI Cloud to Virtual Manufacturing, Virtual Performance, and Virtual Reality. The two days were enhanced by various user presentations and keynote speakers from the Slovak University of Technology, ŠKODA AUTO, and the Brno University of Technology.

Issue 49 / 2017 19

c o r p o r a t e n e w s

ESI Represents Digital Transformation for the French Government led Program, “Industry of the Future”

Enabling industrial competitiveness thanks to Virtual Prototyping

On May 23, 2016, President François Hollande and the French Minister of the Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs M. Emmanuel Macron, celebrated the first anniversary of the “Industry of the Future” program, a pillar of the broader New Industrial France project. The French government has allocated €1.9 billion in funding to support the development of a cutting-edge technological offering, with a focus on the following seven pillars:

• Digitalization, virtualization and the Internet of Things (IoT)

• Automation and robotics

• Additive manufacturing (3D printing)

• Monitoring and control

• Composite & Multi-material

• Energetic efficiency

• Human Factor

ESI provides its unique capabilities in support of the first pillar: digitalization of the industry, virtualization, and the Internet of Things. The “Industry of the Future” program cites ESI, with its extended offering in Virtual Prototyping software, as an example of these technological developments; allowing industries to design and test their products and manufacturing processes virtually and collaboratively.

Founded in France in 1973, ESI forged a unique expertise in material physics and simulation of manufacturing and assembly processes, including composite materials. Over the years, the company has succeeded in growing its technological offering based on the evolving needs of its clients across various industrial sectors. For example, ESI recently created a Center of Excellence to support the growing demand for simulation solutions

specifically tailored for metal Additive Manufacturing.

Today, ESI’s digital innovations are at the forefront of the initiative “Industry of the Future”. Our strategy for Immersive Virtual Prototyping anticipates the interest of industrial manufacturers to bring to life virtual models of their products and to test them in immersive 3D; in real time and at full scale, before a single physical prototype is made. A critical part in this vision, ESI’s Virtual reality Solution, IC.IDO, exemplifies how digital technologies can be used to increase industrial competitiveness from product design to product development, product marketing, maintenance, and production optimization. The benefits brought by digital technologies have become tangible and these fast evolving methods have been implemented by the best-in-class industrial organizations.

for more informationwww.economie.gouv.fr/nouvelle-france-industrielle/industrie-du-futur (in French)www.esi-group.com/ICIDO

Courtesy of Kris Finn pour Business France. The French Minister of the Economy, M. Emmanuel Macron, and Ms. Muriel Pénicaud, Ambassador Delegate for International Invest-ments, General Manager of Business France, experience ESI IC.IDO Virtual Reality solution at the launch of the CREATIVE INDUSTRY campaign at Hannover Fair on April 26, 2016

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SOFIA, a Research Program for Metal Additive ManufacturingIndustr ia l p layers and academic institutions have come together to form SOFIA (Solutions for Industrial Metal Additive Manufacturing). Initiated by the Fives Michelin Additive Solutions joint-venture, SOFIA is an ambitious 6-year applied research program contributing to the development of this technology by working on the entire metal additive manufacturing value chain (powders, production equipment, processes) and fostering synergies among the skills and experiences of high-level players.

The research program aims to develop the technological foundations for the manufacture of robust parts at competitive prices; most particularly to meet the requirements of the aviation industry. Work will focus on 4 key areas:

• Perfecting metal powder ranges

• Improving the productivity of additive manufacturing machines

• Designing new ranges for parts

• Increasing the knowledge of the Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) risks

With a budget of more than € 50 million, SOFIA is funded by the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region of France and Bpifrance as a structured R&D project to build industrial competitiveness. Positioned within the “Investing for the Future” program, SOFIA

is recognized by the following competitive clusters: ViaMéca, Aerospace Valley, ASTech Paris Region, NAE and Mov’eo.

for more informationwww.addupsolutions.com (in French)www.esi-group.com/additive-manufacturing

Fadi Ben Achour, Electronics Business Development VP at ESI Group comments, “Building on our existing expertise, the results from research conducted at PARC will enable ESI to deliver industrial solutions to answer system level challenges and to leverage the data generated by our customers’ systems during operations.”

ESI’s partnership with PARC marks the continuation of ESI’s strategic investments in system simulation.

ESI Collaborates with PARC, a Xerox CompanyTo enhance system modeling solutions, from fault detection to system reliability analysis, and maintainability prediction

As today’s industrial systems incorporate increasingly complex hardware and software sub-systems, it has become essential for industrial manufacturers to leverage an integrated model and data-driven approach to address design, val idation and operational issues throughout the system design and operations cycles.

ESI’s long-term partnership with PARC, renowned provider of custom R&D and technology solutions to Global 1000 companies and government agencies, initially focuses on expanding and industrializing the company’s advanced

research project on Fault Augmented Model Extension (FAME), initiated with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

“We will work with ESI in partnership to help customers identify problem areas, gain insight, and quantify the impact of component failure through time and use of a manufactured system’s lifecycle. Mature and complex industries, including transportation, aerospace, defense, and energy, will benefit from our FAME project, and we are thrilled to work with ESI Group to bring these capabilities to customers around the world,” remarks Tolga Kurtoglu, Vice President and Director of the System Sciences Lab (SSL) at PARC.

for more informationwww.parc.comwww.esi-group.com/company/press/news-releases/xerox

Issue 49 / 2017 21

c o r p o r a t e n e w s / e v e n t s

view all our events:www.esi-group.com/events

Meet ESI at the Following EventsMar 6 - 7

2017 Big Data Paris 2017During a 30 minutes workshop, ESI Group will showcase the efficiency of INENDI, its detection and mitigation platform for Cyber attacks on Industrial networks

Paris, France

Mar 14 - 162017 JEC World 2017 Come visit the ESI booth and learn about PAM-COMPOSITES and Virtual

Performance SolutionParis,

France

Mar 22- 262017 Laval Virtual

Laval Virtual is one of the most important events in Europe showcasing innovations and new technologies in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

Laval, France

Mar 282017

ESI PAM-STAMP 2017 Seminar Come learn about the new features/functions of PAM-STAMP 2017

Daegu Technopark,

Korea

Mar 29 - 302017 Connected Cities

Join ESI in the exhibition hall and also listen to our presentation “A Case Study of Location Aware Device Data Analysis and its Impact on Smart Cities and the IoT” (March 30 - 1pm)

Chicago, United States

Apr 5 - 62017

CAE Grand Challenge 2017

Don’t miss ESI presentations on Virtual Performance Solution as well as on Big Data

Hanau, Germany

Apr 24 - 282017 Hannover Messe

Join ESI in Hall 6, Stand L46 at Hannover Messe 2017 at the community stand of CAE-Forum, a communication and networking platform for experts in numerical simulation

Hannover, Germany

May 9 - 102017

Vehicle Electronics and Connected Services

Vehicle Electronics & Connected Services is being held for its 12th year and has grown to become the leading Scandinavian event of its kind. It is the meeting place for vehicle manufacturers and the entire supply chain.

Goteborg, Sweden

May 9 - 102017

Huawei Partner Conference China 2017 ESI will showcase its virtual reality solution IC.IDO together with Huawei Changsha

City, China

The Alliance de la Confiance Numérique a w a r d e d E S I t h e “ L a b e l F r a n c e Cybersecur i ty ” in the “ Industr ia l Networks Security” category during the International Forum on Cybersecurity FIC 2017; a major Cybersecurity event held in Lille, France on January 24 & 25, 2017. This label highlights ESI’s expertise in ensuring Industrial Cybersecurity, a growing concern for industrial networks and the connected factories of the future.

As products are becoming increasingly smart, connected, and generate a growing amount of data, ESI has built the new technologies and skills essential to the Industry 4.0 momentum. In that context ESI’s Data Analytics platform, INENDI, empowers industrial clients with a Machine Behavior Analytics solution that

is able to protect their infrastructures. Boosted by an advanced visual analytics software, INENDI Inspector, that readily handles the mass of data generated by the connected objects supporting an industrial process, ESI INENDI accelerates the design of machine learning algorithms

that model the behavior of an industrial network. ESI INENDI then deploys specifically trained models to set-up automatic alerts, helping industrial manufacturers and service providers detect and prevent hacking and other forms of advanced cyber-attack.

“For industrial customers facing the technological challenges of a connected world, ESI’s solid industrial experience comes as an added value. We are merging IT skills with a deep understanding of the industrial world, to deliver tailored cybersecurity solutions to our customers. Being awarded the Label France Cybersecurity highlights the breadth of our competency to deliver disruptive innovations,” comments Henri Païs, Business Developer for Data Analytics at ESI.

ESI INENDI Ensures the Cybersecurity of Industrial Networks

Integrating IoT & Machine Learning Technologies

for more informationwww.esi-group.com/data-analytics

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f i n a n c i a l n e w s

ESI Group Awarded First Place of Gaïa Index 2016 for Companies under €150m

ESI shares transferred from compartment C to compartment B of Euronext Paris

Recognizing the commitment of ESI for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Enhancement of the visibility of ESI Group’s shares among the financial community

ESI Group was awarded first place in the Gaïa Index 2016 (up two places from last year), in recognition of the company’s excellence in the deployment of best social, societal, environmental and governance practices. The Gaïa Index distinguishes the 70 best companies from a preselection of 230 involved in the Gaïa Index campaign.

Vincent Chaillou, Chief Operating Officer of ESI Group responded to the news: “It is with great pride that we receive this distinction which brings us to the top step of Gaïa ranking in our category. The award recognizes the commitment of the company and all our employees who give life to our CSR strategy in accordance with our values. Consolidating this year our position in the Gaïa Index, which is based on non-financial criteria, is an objective recognition of the quality and value of ESI whose development is based on technological and responsible innovation and professional ethics”.

About GaïaCreated in 2009, the Gaïa Index is the benchmark index of Sustainable Development for small and medium

sized companies (ETI) listed in France. Developed by EthiFinance, the Gaïa Index selects small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the basis of their social and environmental performance; looking beyond the financial realm. The Gaïa Index outperforms the CAC 40 and CAC Mid & Small every year in terms of stock performance.

for more informationwww.esi-group.com/company/investors/Gaia

You can find all ESI press releases at:www.esi-group.com/company/press

From left to right: Raphaël Deléarde, Gaïa-Index manager, EthiFinance, Fabienne Palenne, Talent Management Leader, ESI Group, Vincent Chaillou, COO for Edition Operations, ESI Group, Astellia representatives

ESI shares have been transferred from compartment C to compartment B of Euronext Paris on January 27, 2017.

C o m p a r t m e n t B i n c l u d e s l i s t e d companies with a market capitalization between 150 million and 1 billion euros. Transfers take place once each year and Euronext considers the average market capitalization of the company over the last 60 trading days of the year. ESI’s

market capitalization was 253 million euros in that period in 2016.

T h e t r a n s f e r o f t h e s h a r e s t o compartment B of Euronext is a key step which recognizes the significant increase of ESI Group’s stock market value through

2016. This change of compartment,

together with a strong increase of the

liquidity of the share in 2016, will further

boost the visibility of the company among

the financial community, both in France

and abroad.

Issue 49 / 2017 23

www.esi-group.com/smart