Using deep learning surrogates to improve new product development

For decades, digital technology has been quietly revolutionizing the world of engineering design. Three-dimensional digital models have supplanted drawings, and the development of simulation software has allowed engineers to replace many physical tests with faster, cheaper virtual ones. Engineering companies have invested hundreds of millions to make these computationally and data-intensive solutions more efficient. As computers have become more powerful, engineering teams have been able to develop ever-more-detailed digital models that replicate more of a product's characteristics and expected behaviors. Today, digital twins are changing the way products are designed, operated, and maintained in a host of fields, from industrial machines to medical devices.