An Engineous Solution? Cary Firm Offers Way To Cut Defects

CARY — Why would any manufacturer release a product to market with defects?

Recalls can cost them dearly, but so can delays in getting a product to market. End users, on the other hand, must grapple with the flaws that can cause minor frustrations (think Microsoft software) to fatalities (think tires).

Engineous Software, a Cary-based firm, has created a software robot that can minimize engineering design flaws in the aerospace, automotive, electronics, turbo machinery, and industrial manufacturing industries. Since it spun off from General Electric in 1996, this quiet firm has been churning out versions of its award-winning flagship product iSight and has landed 180 customers, mostly Fortune 500 manufacturers, as clients. Today, it owns 55 percent of the total worldwide software revenue used in the design and simulation of industrial processes.

CEO Janet Wylie is a believer in better DESIGN. Actually, that is the mantra of Engineous Software. "Naturally, all engineering exhibits some sort of variation and uncertainty," says Wylie, "But there are approaches to get defects out of the manufacturing process."

The iSIGHT tool applies advanced modeling capabilities that can measure design reliability and optimize performance. A formal strategy of "designing for quality" was recently presented by Dr. Patrick Koch, Engineous' lead engineer of Advanced Technology Applications, at the 51st Joint Army-Navy-NASA Air Force propulsion meeting held last November. Based upon a paper titled Simulation-Based Design in the Face of Uncertainty, Koch discussed the methodologies of Six Sigma design, the tools incorporated in iSight software.

"Most [engineering design] is still done on a deterministic case, based on assumptions and nominal behavior," explains Koch. "Using probabilistic values in the design process is new. The six sigma strategies presented in this paper address the inherent uncertainties found in an engineering design problem."

GM helps underwrite approach

The Six Sigma approach, and its robust design capabilities, is the first module of its kind in the marketplace. In fact, the concept was compelling enough for General Motors to partially fund its development.

"iSIGHT works with existing design and costing programs. For example, engines are very complex and it takes multiple programs to design," Wylie says. "We integrate all programs to work as one model by executing other programs and handling workflow for the model. Rather than three designs, it becomes more holistic. The end result is a more accurate, real world model."

The simulation component of the software program allows for collaboration between product design teams and production teams. The software "robot" automates manual CAD designs, integrates simulation codes, and drives investigation of design alternatives. With that said, iSight is not a design program, it is an automation/integration program that drives a host of design possibilities until the best solution is calculated.

"For any given set of inputs, iSIGHT drives the best design for quality and performance," says Wylie. "This should mean fewer disconnects between design and reality. This is a way to get defects out of the manufacturing process."

With clients that produce aircraft engines, missile systems, satellite systems, and car engines for the world, precision is a must. One of Engineous' best success stories is solving a problem for an aircraft manufacturer that was close to production when it learned its product was too heavy. There was little time to retrofit prior to production, so PhD's from the Engineous team were brought in to make recommendations and help set up iSight software to determine a solution. Using iSIGHT, cycle times can be reduced by months and can literally save millions in costs.

"Companies spend tons of money to manufacture really well," Wylie continues. "Why not design better? If you don't look at the probalistic, it is unknown if product will fail or not."

A team approach

"A key component in any engineering application is to understand the capabilities and limitations of its users," says David Clarke, PhD., a program manager for usability engineering firm HumanCentric Technologies in Cary, NC. "Optimization software can allow an entire team to analyze the system as a whole and see possible ramifications using model interaction. In fact, the model itself can become a design tool."

Trying to quantify the cost savings of "designing for quality" is difficult; however, Clarke says the cost benefit of incorporating feasibility testing early on in the design stage can save anywhere between $10 and $100 for every dollar invested.

That kind of ROI has more and more companies signing on.

Engineous: www.engineous.com