Share and Explore MapleSim Simulations on the Web

MapleSim Server democratizes the system-level simulation software through online apps.

MapleSim 2015 has arrived and, with it, the new MapleSim Server. The server will bring the system-level simulation platform on to the Web browser. It is interesting to see MapleSoft’s system-level simulation technology follow the FEA and CFD industry onto the web.

Using MapleSim, engineers can model and simulate their system-level designs by creating applications. These applications can then be used to analyze and prototype early in the design cycle.

The MapleSim server allows these engineers to share the applications with the design team via the web. While on the application server, the users do not need to have MapleSim to run the application. The application users will be able to change parameters, manipulate equations, run simulations and view results. The goal is to democratize the design while maintaining versioning and control.

“Solution deployment is a critical piece of the engineering process in any organization, and one that frequently causes logistical headaches unrelated to the actual solution of the engineering problem,” said Paul Goossens, vice president of application engineering at Maplesoft.

He added, “The MapleSim Server saves organizations both time and money by providing a mechanism that allows the organization to take the engineering solution developed in MapleSim and deploy it directly to other engineers over the web. This makes the solution available quickly, and avoids the complications that come from having to convert a solution to another tool, pass around individual files which get out of date, or buy additional software for every single engineer who might need it.”

Though the specifics are not yet known, the language of the press release used to describe the MapleSim Server sounds similar to that of 3DEXPERIENCE and the COMSOL Server: “By using the MapleSim Server, organizations can easily make these solutions available to more people while fully controlling access and eliminating version control problems.”

However, with engineers sharing their applications with others on their team, the release is definitely closer to that of COMSOL’s multiphysics simulations. It will be interesting to see how these apps will be used by team members and customers. Will the MapleSim author be able to control what the app user is changing? Will the MapleSim application obscure IP if it is shared with a third-party customer or supplier? These applications will definitely need some form of control if an engineer is going to be comfortable sharing their work.

What do you think? Would you share your simulations with non-simulation or engineering experts if you could control what can be changed? What if you couldn’t? Comment below.

Other improvements to MapleSim in the release include:

·         Management of larger models

·         Search components by parameter, component type

·         Trace lookup table calls

·         Automatic help page creation from shared library and custom components

·         Modelica standard library 3.2.1

·         FMI connector updated for model transfer

·         Battery library expansion

Written by

Shawn Wasserman

For over 10 years, Shawn Wasserman has informed, inspired and engaged the engineering community through online content. As a senior writer at WTWH media, he produces branded content to help engineers streamline their operations via new tools, technologies and software. While a senior editor at Engineering.com, Shawn wrote stories about CAE, simulation, PLM, CAD, IoT, AI and more. During his time as the blog manager at Ansys, Shawn produced content featuring stories, tips, tricks and interesting use cases for CAE technologies. Shawn holds a master’s degree in Bioengineering from the University of Guelph and an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo.