US – The Simulation Innovation and Modeling Center (SIMCenter) is located in the Smith Laboratory at the College of Engineering, Ohio State University, and was funded by $5m from Honda R&D. The facility is focused on the R&D of new and improved computational engineering tools for vehicle design and manufacturing.
Using computer-aided engineering (CAE), the SIMCenter seeks to improve the accuracy of virtual testing for new materials and designs, with the goal of saving time and resources during development.
“Every company has a different vision for the future of mobility, however, we all have a common need to develop ideas into new solutions as quickly, safely, and efficiently as possible," commented Frank Paluch, president of Honda R&D America. “The collaboration in the research environment of the SIMCenter by talented young engineers trained in advanced CAE methods will help advance the field much more quickly than we could do alone.”
The Center began operating late last year and now has ten faculty members. SIMCenter director Rob Lee said “an aggressive effort” is underway to recruit more research staff, adding that the facility is “now ready to reach out to potential industry partners to help them with their research and development needs”.
Honda and the state of Ohio have been partners since 1988, collaborating on initiatives in education, research, product development and public service.