At this year’s final Econ Szimpulzus event, applied mechanical simulations took center stage. In the main lecture hall of Econ’s Budapest office, participants saw through industrial case studies how finite element simulation, structural dynamics, Model Order Reduction (MOR), and optimization become everyday decision-making tools in engineering practice.
The morning session of the November 13 event focused on the efficiency and robustness of simulation workflows.
In his talk, Péter Farkas (Robert Bosch Kft.) demonstrated how the entire simulation chain – from geometry preparation in SpaceClaim, through meshing, material definition, and boundary condition setup, to documentation – can be automated using scripting. He placed special emphasis on the fact that automation not only relieves engineers of monotonous, repetitive tasks but can also play a key role in the early detection of potential human and software errors.
He was followed by Jakab Sasvári (Knorr-Bremse R&D Center), who spoke about the role of geometric parametrization and optimization in brake disc design. Using a specific brake disc example, participants saw how well-designed parametrization streamlines the optimization process, while the integrated data connection between the parameterized CAD model and Ansys ensures continuous synchronization.
In the third presentation of the block, Péter Kovács (eCon Engineering Kft.) used the drop test of a portable defibrillator to illustrate how such a mechanical assessment is built up, from geometry modelling and material characterization all the way to evaluation from an electrical safety perspective. He highlighted how accuracy and cost-efficiency can be kept in balance throughout the process.
At the beginning of the early afternoon program, the 2024–2025 Econ Simulation Student Competition award ceremony in the mechanics category also took place, underlining the role of the next generation of engineers in the future of simulation-based design. Congratulations once again to Viktor Fábián (University of Novi Sad), who won the mechanics category with his work titled “Simulation and analysis of reinforced concrete columns strengthened with steel cage.” His research aimed to analyze the behavior of steel-cage-strengthened reinforced concrete columns and to investigate how this behavior can be simulated using Ansys software. He was supported in his work by his supervisor, Dr. Aleksandar Landović, to whom congratulations are also due.
Following the award ceremony, Lambert Plavecz (Budapest University of Technology and Economics – BME) delivered a presentation on the modelling of granular polysilicon structures in an LS-DYNA environment. Participants learned how single-crystal, orthotropic behavior can be modeled at the elementary level, and why a statistically based description of the crystal structure becomes necessary when the grain size is comparable to the dimensions of the structure under investigation. The methodology clearly illustrated how simulation goes beyond the level where material behavior can simply be “averaged out.”
In the closing presentation of the day, Martin Dóczi (eCon Engineering Kft.) introduced the audience to the world of Model Order Reduction(MOR). He demonstrated how large, detailed models can be reduced in size using data-driven or projection-based techniques (e.g., Krylov-based methods), while preserving the essential system dynamics within measurable error bounds. Participants gained insight into how traditionally “slow” simulations can be transformed into fast, even real-time decision-support tools.
Concluding with informal discussions, the event once again reinforced the core mission of the Econ Szimpulzus series: to create a meeting point where industrial practice, academic background, and advanced simulation technologies strengthen one another, and where concrete examples showcase the potential of mechanical simulation.
