Andy Christophersen | VP Sales | GSC

Harold Morrow Jr | Mechanical Engineering Supervisor | NeoCoil

Kyle Johnson | Sr. Mechanical Engineer | NeoCoil

Brandon Donnelly | Simulation Manager | Dassault Systèmes
Your company has already decided whether mastery matters. Most engineers just haven't realized it yet.

Every engineering decision carries a different level of consequence. This keynote explores The Reversibility Spectrum, a powerful framework for understanding how simulation transforms decision-making, accelerates innovation, and enables engineers to solve the right problems with greater confidence. Using real-world examples from industries where failure is not an option, you will see why simulation has become an essential driver of engineering excellence rather than simply another design tool.

Attendees will gain a new perspective on engineering mastery, learn how to communicate the business value of simulation, and leave with a practical framework for making better decisions throughout the product development process.

Cody Pendzich | Sr. Platform Applications Engineer | GSC
Chris Schaefer | Director of Technical Engineering, Simulation | GSC

Artificial intelligence is changing the way engineers approach simulation.

Discover how AI is enhancing engineering simulation by accelerating finite element analysis, simplifying complex workflows, and making advanced simulation more accessible to engineers of all experience levels. Through real-world examples and emerging applications, this session demonstrates how AI complements traditional simulation techniques to enable faster iteration, earlier validation, and more confident engineering decisions.

You will leave with a clear understanding of today's AI-powered simulation capabilities, where they deliver the greatest impact, and how to incorporate them into your product development process.

Dr. Joseph Lacey | Sr. Principal Mechanical Engineer | GE Healthcare
Engineering better products starts with understanding how fluids behave.

This session demonstrates how Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) enables engineers to analyze complex flow behavior long before a product reaches physical testing. Using anesthesia delivery systems as a real-world example, you will discover how virtual simulation reveals airflow patterns, pressure losses, turbulence, and gas mixing to optimize performance, improve reliability, and reduce development time.

You will leave with a deeper understanding of how CFD supports faster design decisions, minimizes costly prototypes, and helps engineers deliver safer, higher-performing products across a wide range of industries.

Lunch & Visit Breakout Tables

Kevin Corr | Senior Industry Process Consultant | Dassault Systèmes Simulia
Better fan performance requires more than optimizing airflow alone.

Explore how multi-physics simulation can help engineers optimize fan designs while accounting for performance, manufacturability, and structural integrity. You will learn how parametric design studies can be used to evaluate design variations, compare fluid flow performance, and identify the best-performing design without relying on time-consuming manual iterations.

The session will also demonstrate how plastic injection simulation and structural analysis can work together on a single CAD model to evaluate manufacturability, capture fiber orientation, and predict structural performance—helping engineers make better design decisions earlier in the development process.

Rob Evans | Senior Engineer | Element Materials Technology

Robert Pieper, PhD | Department Manager, Polymer Materials & Paints/Coatings & Failure Analysis | Element Materials Technology

Chris Schaefer | Director of Technical Engineering - Simulation | GSC

Accurate simulation starts with accurate material data.

Explore how material characterization and material models impact the accuracy and reliability of engineering simulation. You’ll learn how commonly overlooked or misunderstood material properties can affect results, how real-world material testing translates into simulation inputs, and how to select appropriate testing methods for different material models.

The session will also examine fatigue testing and calibration for both ductile and plastic materials, giving you practical insight into how better material data can lead to more realistic simulation results and more confident engineering decisions.

Chris Schaefer | Director of Technical Engineering - Simulation | GSC
Finding the optimal design shouldn't require countless iterations.

Discover how Design of Experiments (DOE) in SOLIDWORKS Simulation helps engineers explore more design possibilities in less time. By leveraging proven optimization techniques such as the Taguchi Method, you'll learn how to identify the most influential design variables, reduce unnecessary simulations, and achieve better-performing products with greater confidence.

You will leave with practical strategies for streamlining design optimization, accelerating engineering decisions, and maximizing the value of simulation throughout the product development process.

Closing Remarks