Simulations are indispensable tools for research and development. They make it possible to reduce the number of physical tests, make processes more efficient and save valuable resources. Until now, however, their use has mostly been reserved for specialized experts.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films (IST) wants to change this with a new approach that transfers simulation into industrial practice. The aim is to provide people from the design and development departments with a sound basis for decision-making without them having to delve deep into the complexity of numerical modeling. The institute is already using a PICMC/DSMC code developed in-house and established in the industry to simulate low-pressure plasmas and gas flows in PVD coating processes. The models provide important information on gas separation factors, target burn-off and coating thickness profiles. This is supplemented by methods such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD), which are used in the design of electrolyte reactors or dryer constructions, for example. In the future, access to simulation methods will be further simplified with a growing team, intelligent data strategies and the integration of artificial intelligence. Machine learning methods and large language models will help to make simulation-based decisions accessible to non-experts. Digital twins, systematic data management and networked sensor technology will also play an important role.
