From Data To Decisions: Exploring Enterprise Digital Thread Strategy And Simulation

By Sanjay Angadi and Matteo Nicolich

It’s nice to think that “aha” moments come out of nowhere — that the next big thing is the result of unbridled genius (or plain dumb luck). But in reality, effective, sustainable product development rarely arises from a solitary flash of brilliance.

Innovation requires information, context, collaboration, experimentation, and even failure. Using simulation to make decisions across the product life cycle, from initial concept to end of life and even into the next generation, offers significant opportunities for rapid iteration and improvement.

But unlocking that potential requires a strategy for managing what could be gigabytes or terabytes of data, simulation or otherwise. Having data scattered across locations, unorganized and unsearchable, makes it unusable for analysis or artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and untraceable for regulators.

That’s why having a way to connect all data, regardless of where it originates, is fundamental at every stage of the development process.

In addition to reducing silos and accelerating informed decision-making, connected data drives real-time insights into how one design change impacts others. In an era in which engineering disciplines work on multiple product design aspects simultaneously rather than sequentially, this is crucial. These parallel streams need to exchange information dynamically and efficiently.

However, no single tool can effectively manage all the diverse data involved. Instead, specialized tools are essential to best support domain experts in their specific areas. The key question then becomes: How do we join all this information together?

The answer is by integrating systems for simulation process and data management (SPDM) and product life cycle management (PLM).

Fig. 1: Integration of product life cycle management (PLM) and simulation process and data management (SPDM) helps answer key questions like, “Can we ensure the right linkages to source data in PLM/SPDM and other systems?”

Powers combined: Where SPDM and PLM converge

Although not identical, SPDM and PLM are two sides of the same coin, in a sense. SPDM focuses on work-in-progress management of data and processes during virtual testing (meaning it deals with the “how” of product performance), while PLM manages all data related to the product life cycle (in other words, the “what” of the product). Despite their differences, both are necessary for a holistic view of a product. Both are also intended to enable a seamless flow of information across the entire product life cycle, making them essential building blocks for a robust digital thread.

In addition, linking simulation data and insights to the PLM system’s design specifications provides a record of the “why” — that is, the factors that influenced the design decision-making process. This is important for future reference and troubleshooting, but it is imperative in a business environment where regulations are affecting sectors beyond traditionally regulated industries. The emergence of regulations such as the European Union’s Digital Product Passport, for example — a digital identification card about a product’s origins, sustainability, and journey through the supply chain — mandates a much higher level of transparency and traceability throughout a product’s life.

The problem, however, is that not all systems are created equal, nor can they be integrated smoothly or effectively. For example, when SPDM and PLM systems are developed by different vendors with their own proprietary architecture, communication and data exchange become more challenging.

Ansys Minerva SPDM software and Aras Innovator have overcome that roadblock to accelerate the digital transformation.

Minerva software is an architecture-neutral, enterprise-level SPDM software platform that ensures simulation data is secure, well-managed, and collaborative. It leverages the core capabilities of the Aras Innovator PLM platform — managing relationships, workflows, and digital traceability with a single source of truth — but has its own intellectual property (IP) and specialized simulation services. This makes it a comprehensive, out-of-the-box SPDM solution. Together, Minerva software and Aras Innovator represent a connected ecosystem where users work within their domains of expertise to build a traceable, closed-loop digital thread. For example, product requirements and design changes in Aras Innovator trigger simulation activities managed by Minerva software, with the subsequent performance data flowing back into Aras Innovator. The result is more confident decision-making, better understanding of the impetus for those decisions, and higher quality throughout the product life cycle.

Fig. 2: Ansys Minerva SPDM software enables simulation data management, process automation, and collaboration across engineering teams through a centralized simulation data platform.

Turn simulation data into AI insight

AI is an inevitable component of future product development processes. By managing simulation data and comprehensive life cycle data, respectively, SPDM and PLM are increasingly part of training high-quality AI models. Simulations make vast amounts of reliable synthetic data available for AI algorithms to learn from. This is especially useful when real-world data is scarce, expensive, or difficult to collect. SPDM systems structure and enrich the data, which AI then uses to create accurate digital twins or representations for complex products, improving risk assessment, mitigation strategies, and innovation.

SPDM also enables the reuse of valuable simulation outputs, streamlining an organization’s ability to locate and utilize the data for AI. And by leveraging historical simulation data and design patterns, AI can move simulation earlier in the design process. This simulation-led design enables AI to predict performance issues and suggest design optimization early on, significantly influencing initial requirements and concepts.

From siloed tools to a unified strategy

Integrating simulation processes with PLM systems creates a digital thread that connects every aspect of product development to break down silos, enable better decisions, develop better products, and give organizations a competitive edge.

Today, we’re seeing just the tip of the iceberg. As the digital age grows in complexity, integrated simulation platforms, SPDM, and PLM will have an even greater role in product development. Learn more about Ansys’ SPDM and PLM solutions.

Matteo Nicolich is a product director at Aras.