Consumer Goods

Whether producing a washing machine or a soccer ball, a vacuum-sealed beverage container or even the assembly-line equipment that processes food, manufacturers are focused on the same goal: to produce cutting-edge products at a price that customers will want to pay — and take these products to market faster than anyone else in their sector.

For the retail market, manufacturers are targeting a consumer who is focused on low-cost, durable products that, increasingly, offer energy efficiency or whose green manufacturing bonafides are stated upfront. A product that lacks any of these qualifications may not survive the sales cycle.

The product development cycle is shorter than ever: Designers must incorporate the latest customer demands and design innovations, ensure that the product will function as promised, for as long as promised, and get it to consumers ahead of the competition. At the same time, designers must consider how to keep manufacturing costs low and price points competitive.

ANSYS simulation software enables product developers to evaluate alternatives, weed out bad ideas, identify the best design (not just any design), and fix mistakes in the early stages of development. For example, the advanced technology provides analysts with capabilities to develop valves that decrease the amount of water a toilet uses per flush. ANSYS structural mechanics tools helps designers virtually test refrigerator doors for deflection parameters, resulting in lower costs and energy-efficient designs. And computational fluid dynamics are being used to experiment with various combinations of shampoo ingredients to determine how emulsions break down during application.

Similar to clients all over the globe, ANSYS is challenged with developing tools that produce best-in-class products to meet the high standards consumers demand. Using these tools, designers, engineers and analysts can speed the time to market without sacrificing quality.