IT as a Utility Network+ community conference 19-20 June 2014, Southampton (ITaaU Network+)

1. A cloud-based simulation
platform for manufacturing
and engineering
Dr Tamas Kiss,
CloudSME Project Director
University of Westminster, London, UK

2. *Simulation software is widely used in manufacturing and engineering today.
*Simulation can be used to analyse a wide range of physical and chemical
processes, manufacturing systems, logistics, transportation networks and
supply chains.
*Take-up of simulation software by SMEs has been low until now due to high
barriers of entry, including:
* hardware prices
* licensing costs
* technical expertise
Cloud computing can help!
Simulation software at manufacturing and
engineering SMEs

3. *The CloudSME project develops a cloud-based, one-stop-shop solution providing
a scalable platform for small or larger scale simulations, and enable the wider
take-up of simulation technologies in manufacturing and engineering SME’s.
The CloudSME project
Cloud-based Simulation platform for
Manufacturing and Engineering
July 2013 – December 2015
Funded by the European Commission’s FP7 Framework
* CloudSME builds a simulation platform that allows
seamless access to multiple heterogeneous cloud
resources and provides a high level of abstraction to
users when accessing these resources for simulations in a
one-stop-shop solution.
* Provides a Platform as a Service (PaaS) solution to build
customised cloud applications
* Enables simulation software providers to offer Software as
a Service (SaaS) simulation solutions
* Enables SMEs in the manufacturing and engineering
domain to access simulation services
* Provides seamless access to HPC resources in order to
speed up the simulations on-demand
* Defines generic and concrete business models for SMEs
in the manufacturing/engineering sector to facilitate the
take-up of cloud-based simulation solutions

4. The CloudSME project
Partnership
Cloud
infrastructure
providers
Academic and commercial clouds
Commercial: CloudSigma (CH),
Academic: SZTAKI (H), UoW (UK) and Unizar (E)
Cloud
Platform
provider
Provide seamless access to potentially heterogeneous
cloud platforms: CloudBroker (CH), Scaletools (CH)
Simulation
platforms
providers
Utilise PaaS based on their software packages to build
custom simulation solutions for end-users – Ascomp
(CH), Simul8 (UK), INGECON (E), 2MoRO (F), ~3 new
simulation software provider s
End users
Utilise SaaS solution based on the CloudSME Simulation
Platform - Podoactiva (E), Saker Solutions (UK),
Eurobios (F), Cutting Tools (UK), ~7 new end-users
Gateway
provider
Provide customised gateway as the basis for the PaaS
solution: MTA-SZTAKI (H)
Developmentofend-usercasestudies–
BrunelUniversity(UK),UoW(UK)
DisseminationandMarketing-Unizar(E),
Sanderwerbung(D)
Projectcoordination-UoW(UK)

5. The CloudSME Simulation Platform

6. The cloud resource layer
* Private and public clouds
* Private clouds: SZTAKI (OpenNebula), BIFI and UoW
(OpenStack)
* Public clouds: CloudSigma, Amazon WS

7. © CloudBroker GmbH
All rights reserved.
The cloud platform layer
The CloudBroker platform
User Tools
Java Client Library*
CloudBroker Platform*
…
Cloud
Chemistry
Appli-cations
Biology
Appli-
cations
Pharma
Appli-cations
Web
Browser
UI*
…
Appli-
cations
REST Web Service API*
End Users, Software Vendors, Resource Providers
CLI*
Engineering
Appli-
cations
Euca-
lyptus
Cloud
Open-
Nebula
Cloud*
Open-
Stack
Cloud*
Amazon
Cloud*
CloudSigma
Cloud*
• Seamless access to heterogeneous cloud resources – high level interoperability

8. The cloud platform layer
WS-PGRADE/gUSE
• General purpose,
workflow-oriented
gateway framework
• Supports the
development and
execution of
workflow-based
applications
• Enables the multi-
cloud and multi-
grid execution of
any workflow
• Supports the fast
development of
gateway instances
by a customization
technology

9. The cloud platform layer
WS-PGRADE/gUSE workflow
*Each box
describes a task
*Each arrow
describes
information flow
such as input
files and output
files
*Special node
describes
parameter
sweeps

10. Taylor, S.J.E., Kiss, T., Terstyanszky, G., Kacsuk, P. and Fantini, N. (2014): Cloud Computing
for Simulation in Manufacturing and Engineering: Introducing the CloudSME Simulation
Platform. In Proceedings of the Annual Simulation Symposium 2014 (ANSS’14), April 13 -
16, 2014, Tampa, FL, USA.
ASCOMP develops and distributes the
TransAT commercial software tool.
TransAT is a finite-volume code for
Computational Fluid Dynamics
simulation. It implements state-of-the-
art physical models and numerical
methods for simulating multiphase
turbulent flows, using structured grids
with an Immersed Surface Tracking
method to represent solid boundaries.
ASCOMP is working with EUROBIOS to
develop a high performance Cloud-
based version of TransAT the
simulation of complex multiphase flow
phenomena that will be accessible by
SMEs.
CloudSME use-cases
Computational Fluid Dynamics

11. CloudSME use-cases
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Run from desktop GUI mapping the simulation to various clouds

12. CloudSME use-cases
Insole design
INGECON has developed the 3D Scan Insole
Designer, a PC based software platform used in the
shoe industry to design tailored insoles for sports
enthusiasts and people with problems in their feet.
3D Scan Insole Designer consists of a set of
powerful plug-ins, add-ons and scripts developed to
automate the creation of insoles from the design
and simulation of a virtual mold of the foot to its
robotic manufacture by milling a solid piece of
material.
INGECON and PODOACTIVA are developing a Cloud
hosted version of 3D Scan Insole Designer to be
accessed by SMEs across the world.

13. 1st Podiatrist Surgery

14. 2nd Engineering Office

15. 3rd Manufacturing

16. Supporting large number of podiatrist surgeries
around Europe

17. CloudSME use-cases
Process simulation
Simul8 is a discrete-event process
simulation tool developed by the
Simul8 Corporation widely used to
study problems in manufacturing,
healthcare, commerce and service
industries.
A high performance Cloud-based
Simul8 will improve significantly the
capability for process design and
evaluation.
The Simul8 Corporation is working with
Saker Solutions and Cutting Tools to
produce Web/Cloud-based template
simulations to make process simulation
accessible across many different
manufacturing and engineering
sectors.

18. CloudSME use-cases
Aircraft logistics
2MoRo produces the aircraft
maintenance optimisation
software Bfly.
Bfly enables aircraft operators as
airlines to fly more with minimum
operational and maintenance
costs, aircraft maintenance
centres to be more efficient and
manufacturers to improve their
current and future products.
A high performance Cloud-based
version of Bfly will enable aircraft
maintenance logistics to be
optimized in real-time and to
make this technology accessible to
small aircraft operators and parts
manufacturers.

19. Open call for further experiments

20. Any questions?
http://cloudsme.eu