Ansys, a global leader in simulation technology, is pivotal in nurturing startup growth and cultivating a skilled workforce in India. In a recent interview with The Machine Maker, Mike Yeager, Area Vice President of Sales for India and Japan at Ansys, discussed how the company is contributing to the evolving ecosystem of manufacturing and technology, addressing the latest industry trends, and facilitating the transition of innovations into the marketplace.
Facilitating the growth of startups
On Ansys’ contribution towards actively nurturing and facilitating the growth of startups in this evolving ecosystem, Yeager explained the significance of the topic, given the high activity in this domain. From Ansys’ perspective, the focus is on leveraging strengths. While Ansys doesn’t directly engage in aspects like ideation, customer acquisition, or fundraising, it excels in supporting startups in executing their strategies. This involves providing a skilled workforce proficient in the latest simulation technologies to expedite product development and market entry. Additionally, the company offers technology solutions and collaborates with its channel partners to deliver specialized support, addressing the specific needs and complexities startups face. Essentially, the focus lies in facilitating execution capabilities and ensuring startups have the resources and assistance they require to overcome challenges and succeed.
Meet Emerging Manufacturing Trends in India
With a multifaceted approach, especially concerning the development of a skilled workforce, Ansys collaborates extensively at the governmental level. This is exemplified by their partnerships with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, which focuses on semiconductor design for academia. Last year, the academic outreach program supported 2000+ teachers, faculty members, and 40000+ students in cutting-edge semiconductor design methodologies.
Furthermore, Ansys extends its outreach to the broader academic community by providing tools and advising on and shaping curricula to ensure students possess practical skills beyond mere tool proficiency. Last year, Ansys partnered with IIT Madras to augment NPTEL courses and conduct hands-on workshops to build skills in emerging technologies such as Electrification, 5G, Autonomous Vehicles, Drones, and Healthcare. Ansys’ core technology encompasses physics-based simulation, which is crucial for a wide array of startup ventures. However, they recognize the need for specialized expertise in areas like 5G, additive manufacturing, and electrification trends. To address this, there are collaborations with industry partners on centers of excellence, such as recent initiatives with TCS and LTTS, focusing on digital engineering and digital twin technologies. Additionally, the company supports incubators with flexible models to nurture startups and facilitate their growth. This comprehensive approach aims to cultivate a skilled workforce capable of effectively meeting the demands of evolving industries.
Benefits to startups
Generally, startups benefit from simulation technology by accelerating product development, often minimizing and sometimes bypassing physical prototypes and utilizing virtual validation techniques to expedite market entry. The technology’s precision enables the design of superior products, resulting in faster time-to-market, cost savings, and the realization of innovative concepts. Two notable examples in India that have benefitted from Ansys simulation include Atomberg, which is focused on enhancing fan efficiency to minimize power consumption, and Praan, an air filtration startup prioritizing sustainability, both leveraging simulation extensively in product development.
Integration and commercialization
Many incubators are connected to the academic sphere, where many originate. In India, Ansys’ partnerships with incubators likely leverage this connection in specific domains, which this mechanism likely facilitates.
Numerous ideas are emerging from premier institutes and colleges. Ansys collaborates with these ideas to demonstrate their feasibility digitally, as investors now require more than just concepts—they want to see digital prototypes in action. Ansys plays a crucial role in this process. For example, startups like Atomberg and Praan are outcomes of students from premier institutes; these students received support from Ansys in developing their digital prototypes. This assistance facilitated their transition into viable products. For instance, Atomberg, focusing on energy-efficient ceiling fans, has achieved remarkable success in a highly competitive product market. Such successes underscore the impact of collaborations between Ansys and educational institutions. The Ansys connection in this regard is crucial as the company has the privilege of witnessing the evolution of ideas from their early stages to product development and beyond. Often, connections are facilitated between startups tackling similar problems, which can lead to exciting collaborations. It’s an enriching experience when such connections materialize into tangible examples of innovation.
Simulation-Driven Collaboration
Much of it boils down to consistently advocating for simulation-led design. While simulation has long been a part of product development, there’s a notable shift towards prioritizing digital engineering and virtual validation. Ansys aims to educate stakeholders across industries and the government on the benefits of integrating simulation early in the design process. By doing so, teams can make informed decisions, identify trade-offs, and accelerate the development timeline while producing higher-quality products. This mindset enhances product outcomes and promotes sustainability by reducing material and time consumption associated with traditional prototyping methods.
Digital Manufacturing Promoting Innovation
A part of Ansys’ overall messaging strategy is specific targeting of manufacturing. The company has simulation technologies tuned to enhance manufacturing processes, similar to how simulation aids in design. In terms of manufacturing digital twins, Ansys focuses on improving operating efficiency and equipment performance.
This approach integrates real sensor data, physical testing, and simulation data to create a hybrid digital twin. This hybrid approach has proven to be efficient and impactful. To ensure that students, particularly those from Generation Z, understand the significance of simulation in manufacturing, various competitions, like the example SAE BAJA, provide opportunities for students to simulate manufacturing processes, such as building and testing vehicles. Ansys has collaborated with SAE for several years, providing simulations to thousands of students and teams participating in such competitions. This exposure trains students and demonstrates the practical applications of simulation in manufacturing. This effort has always been Ansys’ priority.
Despite being downstream applications, the digital world significantly benefits manufacturing in two ways. Firstly, it enables manufacturers to optimize their processes before actual production begins. By leveraging digital engineering, manufacturers can assess the most cost-effective manufacturing methods. For example, they can test different materials and designs to minimize manufacturing costs without compromising functionality. This aids decision-making and streamlines the manufacturing process. Secondly, as manufacturing transitions towards 3D printing or additive manufacturing, Ansys plays a crucial role as the company directly assists manufacturers by providing simulations that guide the manufacturing process. These simulations offer insights into the optimal manufacturing procedures to achieve the desired product, ensuring efficiency and quality.
In essence, Ansys supports manufacturers in both optimizing existing processes and embracing emerging manufacturing technologies.
Differentiators and Strategic Roadmap for Success
Ansys’ approach centers on what it does best, leaving competitors to focus on their strengths. Ansys is primarily focused on simulation, distinguishing it as the leading globally simulation-focused company. Similar to successful startups that concentrate on solving specific problems exceptionally well, the company’s strategy revolves around providing the best simulation solutions to customers. While Ansys also offers enabling technology in the digital engineering realm, its primary focus remains to deliver top-notch simulation products to differentiate itself and enhance its customers’ success.
As Yeager assumes his new role as Area Vice President of Sales for India and Japan at Ansys, he’s optimistic about the future, citing the energy and outlook in India as inspiring. He finds the energy and outlook in India inspiring and believes the overall progress will benefit everyone involved. He feels privileged to be part of a world-class team at Ansys India and is excited about the progress and success ahead.
Ansys’ dedication to simulation technology, collaboration with industry partners, and commitment to fostering innovation make it a leading force in driving the growth of startups, enhancing manufacturing processes, and building a skilled workforce.