Design software provider Ansys has released a report that presents a new methodology for using simulation to measure and assess the sustainability impact of decisions made during early design stages and throughout the product life cycle.
The report incorporates research and analytical support from McKinsey & Co that details how this methodology was used at Danfoss Drives, Infineon and Mars. The findings show that, in some cases, these companies reduced direct, indirect and/or downstream greenhouse gas emissions across the product life cycle by at least ten per cent using Ansys simulation solutions.
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Sustainability is a key global business priority driven by regulatory pressures, consumer demand and climate change. However, a lack of robust data on material usage, power consumption, waste and emission generation often prevents companies from embracing large-scale sustainability initiatives. According to Ansys, its simulations enable businesses across industries to respond to these market challenges with agility and can help support sustainability efforts.
For instance, after identifying an ideal design, customers can further optimise it to meet their specific sustainability goals, such as reducing waste generation, improving energy efficiency or lowering the overall carbon footprint. Ansys simulation helps companies predict return on investment for sustainability initiatives through virtual prototyping, process optimisation and high-fidelity results via four sustainability-focused solutions pillars: clean environment, materials and circularity, energy solutions and manufacturing and operational efficiency.
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In addition, the report outlines a four-step methodology to clearly identify how simulation positively impacts sustainability efforts: 1) Identify and prioritise key metrics; 2) Evaluate and rank initiatives; 3) Assess simulation’s contributions; and 4) Quantify and aggregate impact.
For example, Danfoss Drives, a global leader in energy-efficient solutions, used Ansys simulation to optimise its latest-generation drive controller – used in a variety of applications to manage the speed, torque and power of electric motors. Using the Ansys methodology, Danfoss Drives determined simulation helped make the drive more efficient, contributing to a reduction in lifetime energy consumption of up to 45 per cent compared to the previous generation – double what could have been achieved without simulation.
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‘Ansys simulation is key to helping us reach our sustainability goals and drive our business model of providing our customers with the most energy-efficient solutions,’ said Michael Laursen, head of virtual design, test and optimisation at Danfoss Drives. ‘With simulation, we can improve our product design processes by enabling rapid, thorough analysis, faster decision-making and emissions estimates. The data we capture is critical to shaping our current processes, helps us identify opportunities for cost savings and ultimately opens the door to technological advancement and innovation.’
The methodology also helped Infineon, a global leader in semiconductor and system solutions, measure the total electrical losses of an electric vehicle inverter design. Using simulation, Infineon cut the total electrical losses by half, reducing downstream emissions by two to three per cent per vehicle. Moreover, Mars, a leader in snacking, food and pet care products and services is using Ansys simulation to redesign more than 12,000 packaging types across its portfolio and has reduced plastic use by about 246 tonnes in 2024.
‘Advanced simulation technologies can play a pivotal role in helping companies meet their global emissions targets,’ said Jan Paul Stein, a partner at McKinsey. ‘The four-step methodology laid out in this report clearly shows how to identify the most relevant opportunities to leverage simulation for driving sustainability in engineering and product design, and also quantify their impact. This is critical for achieving an even larger contribution to sustainability targets from using simulation tools.’
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‘The Ansys suite offers a range of solutions to evaluate environmental impact at every stage of product development for any type of application or industry,’ said Prith Banerjee, chief technology officer and executive sponsor of Ansys’s sustainability programme. ‘Addressing climate change and reducing global emissions depends on how fast we act. Ansys’s leading solutions empower customers to develop innovative and sustainable products more efficiently and in significantly less time, ensuring compliance with current regulatory standards and preparing companies for future regulations.’