The role of customized computational tools in product development
Model-based computer simulations have revolutionized product development in the last 10 to 15 years. Technologies that have existed for many decades or even centuries have been improved with the aid of computer simulations. Everything from low-tech consumer goods such as detergents, lubricants and light bulb filaments to the most advanced high-tech products such as airplane wings, wireless communication technologies and pharmaceuticals is engineered with the aid of computer simulations today. In this paper, we present a framework for describing computational tools and their application within the context of product engineering. We examine a few cases of product development that integrate numerical computer simulations into the development stage. We will discuss how the simulations were integrated into the development process, what features made the simulations useful, the level of knowledge and experience that was necessary to run meaningful simulations and other details of the process. Based on this discussion, recommendations for the incorporation of simulations and computational tools into product development will be made.