Can simulation software replace testing?

Simulation software is an essential tool in modern industry. That is the message of the lead article in the February 2015 issue of “De Ingenieur” (in Dutch). Therein, VORtech employees give their vision on future developments.

The article shows how indispensable simulation software has become. The examples range from the design of airplanes, through the production of solar cells, to the living heart. But simulation has its limitations, and it does therefore not completely replace testing.

Amongst others, the article gives the floor to VORtech employees Koos Huijssen and Mark Roest to sketch current developments. The most visible trend is probably High Performance Computing. This makes it possible to do more accurate simulations in a practical time frame. Also, an investigation of the accuracy of a simulation becomes feasible. A second important development is the combination of simulations with real life observations. This can make simulation much more reliable.