Smart Manufacturing: Reducing Costs Through Virtual Simulation
A whitepaper from Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence / MSC Software explaining how virtual simulation across the full product development and manufacturing chain — design and engineering, production, and metrology — can deliver substantial cost savings and quality improvements. A Formula Student wheel-carrier case study at Paderborn University demonstrates ~50% weight reduction with the MSC virtual development chain.
Key Insights
Critical data points from Smart Manufacturing: Reducing Costs Through Virtual Simulation.
In practice, savings in process and development costs of around 50% can be achie
Production costs can be reduced by up to 30% through better machine utilisation,
Using Digimat for fibre-reinforced plastics simulation, design changes can be re
MSC Apex Generative Design produced variants with an average weight saving of al
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence / MSC Software
Key Findings
Major discoveries and conclusions from Smart Manufacturing: Reducing Costs Through Virtual Simulation.
Process Development Savings
In practice, savings in process and development costs of around 50% can be achieved through the virtual development chain using MSC Software simulation tools.
Production Cost Reduction
Production costs can be reduced by up to 30% through better machine utilisation, optimised stage sequences, more sustainable material use and less set-up effort.
Design Iteration Reduction
Using Digimat for fibre-reinforced plastics simulation, design changes can be reduced by up to 70% because precise simulation results are available early in the cycle.
Structural Innovation via Generative Design
MSC Apex Generative Design produced variants with an average weight saving of almost 50% versus the original cast-aluminium design.
Executive Summary
A concise overview of the report's scope, methodology and conclusions.
Development and production planning departments are responsible for up to 90% of a product's lifecycle costs at a point when the component does not yet physically exist; early virtual simulation is therefore essential to enable robust, error-free and economical production.
In practice, savings in process and development costs of around 50% can be achieved; production costs can be reduced by up to 30% through better machine utilisation, optimised stage sequences, more sustainable material use and less set-up effort; quality is improved by reducing scrap and rework by over 20%.
Virtual Lifecycle Manufacturing combines virtual measurement data from production simulation with real measurement data in a unified quality system, enabling AI/ML-based simplified models to feed corrections back into the process.
What's Inside
Explore the chapters and sections covered in this report.
Report Preview
A glance at the sections inside this 7-page whitepaper.
Digitalizing manufacturing and the smart factory vision
Where do the costs arise? (up to 90% of lifecycle costs are set early)
The virtual development chain with MSC Software
Value engineering with FormingSuite (sheet metal feasibility)
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What You'll Learn
- How 90% of lifecycle costs are locked in before a component physically exists
- ~50% savings achievable through virtual development chains
- Up to 30% production cost reduction via simulation-optimised manufacturing
- 70% fewer design iterations using Digimat for composite simulation
- Virtual Lifecycle Manufacturing as a scalable quality framework
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