b'Engineer Innovation | AerospaceInterview The Route to the Digital TwinNicolas Damiani, an expert indevelopment with Simcenter Amesim,early as possible have become key simulation and operational analysis inI have seen the simulation side growfactors of success. Simulation is an the simulation department at Airbusbrick-by-brick, you might say. Someanswer to our time-to-market and Helicopters Research and Developmentdecades ago, simulation was mainlydesign-to-cost constraints.in Marignane, France, has spent moreused in the upper part of the V-cycle than 28 years working in the digitalfor man-machine interfaces and a fewQ. In your opinion, how mature is world. Today, he supports the researchresearch studies. Today, we have ayour model? and development teams at Airbussolid simulation strategy and modelA. Our simulation model as a whole Helicopters. In this interview Nicolasarchitecture in place in whichcould be considered very precise. Of explains the ever-changing world ofsimulation plays an enormouslycourse, there are some areas that are simulation and why Airbus Helicoptersimportant role in our productmore mature than others in the overall is well on its way towards developing adevelopment. Our simulation productsarchitecture. When we talk about our digital twin, or virtual iron bird, asare now part of the test means forsimulation model, what people tend to experts in the industry like to call it. performing the verification andforget is that it is actually a hugely certification activities. It is not yetcomplex model that contains 400-to Q. Nicolas, what is your role atperfect, but it is well on its way.500 individual models that work Airbus Helicopters today?together in real-time and in a validated A. As an expert in digitalization andQ. Why has simulation become soenvironment.simulation, I have quite a few roles. Iessential? have to keep an eye on the standardsA. Simulating a helicopter is anQ. That must take an enormous and the overall simulationimmensely complex task. It has evenamount of computing power. architecture. I also support variousbecome more complex as the amountA. We are lucky the world of project teams when needed andof embedded software and number ofcomputing is getting faster and faster prepare the simulation technologiesstakeholders, including suppliers, hasas well as more efficient economically. for the future. Basically, I try to makedrastically increased. Nevertheless, theWhen we run the full simulation, we sure that our overall work insimulation architecture is constantlyuse approximately 24 CPUs. It doesnt simulation results in successfulevolving as certain systems andtake up all of our capacity, but it productsdelivering our helicopterssubsystem models have gainedcomes close.on time and within budget that alsomaturity.meet quality requirements.Q. What is a typical trend you see Like other companies, Airbustoday at Airbus Helicopters?Q. How has the role of simulationHelicopters not only uses simulation toA. With more precision in our changed at Airbus Helicopters?iron out development issues, it alsosimulation models, we are truly on the A. I have been lucky to witness theplays a vital role in making sure thatright path to predictive engineering in evolution of the field over the past 28we can deliver our products on timethe world of simulation. If you look at years. Starting from simple problem- and within budget. In our industry,this mega-model that we have, solving and troubleshooting projectreducing the development cycle andcomposed of 400-to-500 individually work to our groundbreaking modeldetecting design inconsistencies asvalidated models, it is a system within 28'