CAMBRIDGE Daratech research in a new study released Wednesday said Computer Aided Engineering software and services will top $2.1 billion in 2004, a 12 percent increase from 2003. Product lifecycle management is forecast to top $8.6 billion in 2004 and grow at an 8 percent clip through 2008.
About 25 percent of PLM investments will come from digital simulation in 2004. Over the next five years, Daratech predicts digital simulation will be the growth engine of PLM, rising 12 percent annually.
Driving growth will be a combination of advances in high performance computing along with the growing recognition of digital simulations ability to generate higher quality and more innovative products faster and at lower costs than is possible with traditional methods.
Daratech said the prospects for broader usage seems to rest on the shoulders of developers who must more effectively communicate the benefits of digital simulation to top management.
The former Mechanical Dynamics in Ann Arbor, creator of the ADAMS crash simulation software, could benefit from the rising use of computer simulation software. Mechanical Dynamics is now owned by MSC Software, one of the worlds largest providers of virtual product development products used heavily in the auto industry.
