Using enhanced simulation tools to speed up research and development and time-to-market

Flotrend Corporation (Flotrend) is located in Taipei, Taiwan and is a technical consulting company in computer-aided engineering (CAE) for the electronics industry. Since 1997 the company has focused on heat dissipation and flow analysis, structural and mechanical analysis, motor electromagnetic analysis, integrated circuit (IC) packaging and LED thermal resistance. It offers project-based to advanced customized training for companies engaged in heat dissipation and flow analysis. Flotrend also provides its customers with real-time support for troubleshooting issues with software, analysis model verification and testing analysis interpretation and reporting.

Specialization is a differentiator

Flotrend achieved its Siemens Expert Partner status for specializing in Simcenter™ FLOEFD™ software, which is part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, the comprehensive and integrated portfolio of software, hardware and services. Siemens Digital Industries Software recognizes partners that demonstrate expertise in its solutions. These Siemens Expert Partners are validated by customers and Siemens for demonstrating their business and technical acumen. As digitalization has become more common, customers are looking for trustworthy partners with a history of successful engagements and industry-specific knowledge.

Siemens Expert Partner status helped improve Flotrend’s credibility when approaching potential clients and was proof of its expertise in Simcenter FLOEFD. This means customers can expect more tailored guidance from Flotrend about how to optimize their use of Simcenter FLOEFD.

Using Simcenter FLOEFD enables design simulation analysis and validation that are almost impossible to attain using physical measurements. Flotrend’s functional design analysis and integrated products and services enable its customers to reduce research and development (R&D) time, resulting in faster time-to-market and more competitive prices.

An end to trial-and-error testing

A Taiwan-based company that makes liquid crystal display modules faced difficulties integrating simulation data and test results quickly, which significantly delayed its product optimization process. The company approached Flotrend based on its extensive simulation testing experience. The customer needed to accelerate product development using accurate simulations to implement a stringent design verification process. Its trial-and-error testing system proved to be expensive and time-consuming.

Flotrend recommended using Simcenter FLOEFD with Simcenter T3Ster™ hardware, which is also part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, to measure and calibrate the thermal modeling process. By using the two solutions as part of a digital twin, Flotrend provided a complete solution for LED design and manufacturing. The process facilitated the creation of simulation reports and precise measurement data, which improved turnaround times in both areas. “Using Simcenter enhances our customers’ R&D capabilities with effective simulation tools and a comprehensive and intelligent supporting platform,” says Victor Chen, general manager of Flotrend.

The customer reduced its time-to-market, saving at least four months of product development time per year, which saved the company approximately 20 percent per project by reducing the number of molds created and redesigned. The company realized a 21 percent increase in thermal report accuracy and can now predict thermal distribution in its products earlier in the design stage, too.

Engaging an expert saves time and money

A company in the technology and electronics field needed to address the number of errors in its R&D process. The company sought Flotrend’s experience in simulation to train its technical teams and provide insights into how best to leverage the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio in its industry.

The customer developed products using time-consuming, expensive real-time experiments. It needed to improve and accelerate its product development process while saving the unnecessary expense of an increasingly iterative design process.

Flotrend demonstrated the full capabilities of Simcenter FLOEFD to show how it can connect with its suppliers and customers to facilitate project workflows across all design, manufacturing and supply processes.

By performing simulations with greater accuracy, the company reduced the number of experiments needed to make during the design process, reducing time-to-market and project time by 20 percent.

“Simcenter strengthens the customers’ R&D capabilities by reducing the need for trial-and-error and speeds up the time-to-market,” said Chen.

Looking to the future

Flotrend believes that its status as a Siemens Expert Partner will help it grow and expand its ability to assist its customers with their digitalization initiatives.