Skip to Main Content

Simulation Process and Data Management: 5 Keys to Success

July 22, 2025

5:00 Mins

READ ALOUD

Jeff Bernier | Area Sales Director, Ansys
jet-engine-inensia-banner

Inensia, an Ansys partner, has helped leading product development teams gain enormous value from a more structured approach to simulation. Inensia’s Hernan Giagnorio outlines five critical elements of successful SPDM deployment.

Virtually every product development team today is leveraging simulation, in large part because it cuts significant time and costs out of the launch cycle. As companies focus more on value generation and cost reduction, Ansys is seeing increasing interest in simulation process and data management (SPDM) via Ansys Minerva SPDM software.

Enabled by Minerva software, SPDM has been proven to increase the productivity, speed, efficiency, and end results of simulation. Minerva provides the entire development team access to the same data and simulation results in real time, creating a single view of all projects and milestones. Informed by shared goals and guided by standardized, structured workflows, engineers advance their projects more quickly, confidently, and collaboratively toward market launch.

As managing director and co-founder of the consulting and professional services company Inensia — an Ansys partner — Hernan Giagnorio has witnessed the value of SPDM firsthand. From jet propulsion systems and commercial aircraft seats to wireless communication systems for automobiles, Inensia helps leading manufacturers realize the full potential of simulation to drive product innovation. Increasingly, that means implementing SPDM.

“We support customers around the world in maximizing their simulation results via digital transformation,” says Giagnorio. “A key component is using a structured approach to manage simulation data, processes, and workflows — enhancing speed and productivity, without compromising analytic rigor. Ansys Minerva is the ideal solution for creating that more disciplined approach.”

jet-engine-inensia

Enterprise simulation process and data management (SPDM) systems revolutionize manufacturing by centralizing simulation data management, streamlining analysis workflows, and orchestrating complex business processes.

The Proven Value of SPDM and Ansys Minerva Software

In a recent webinar with Ansys called “Building Blocks to SPDM Success: Laying the Foundation of the SPDM Journey,” Giagnorio discussed Minerva software’s value as a centralized platform in which simulation data can be stored, accessed, and managed throughout the product development process. Based on Inensia’s work with customer engineering teams, implementing SPDM with Minerva software delivers these proven benefits:

  • Enhanced data accessibility and collaboration. According to Giagnorio, one of the primary benefits of SPDM is increased accessibility to simulation data and results. By centralizing data storage, SPDM ensures that all product development stakeholders can access data quickly and efficiently, leading to improved collaboration. When everyone has a clear view of simulation data, they can make better decisions more quickly.
  • Reduced time and costs. By minimizing the time spent searching for data, simulation experts can focus on their core tasks and contribute at a higher level. And, by accelerating simulation processes and handoffs, product development teams can quickly optimize virtual designs, minimize the number of prototypes, and reduce time to market, leading to significant cost savings.
  • Improved decision-making. By making data widely available, SPDM enables data-driven decisions to become the norm. Minerva software provides reporting and analytics tools that simplify data interpretation, enabling faster and more informed decision-making.
  • Enhanced design quality and traceability. By maintaining a complete record of all simulation data with version control, SPDM enables engineers to track changes, verify the accuracy of inputs, and ensure that the correct data is always used. Traceability not only helps avoid costly mistakes, such as using incorrect files, but also creates a digital thread that enables easy regulatory and industry compliance.
  • Streamlined reporting and automation. By standardizing and automating reporting processes, teams save valuable time and resources. Automated reports ensure all stakeholders are kept up to date with the latest simulation results, facilitating faster reviews and approvals.
auto-inensia

Transform simulation outputs into actionable insights to drive productivity gains with SPDM.

Mastering SPDM Adoption: 5 Expert Lessons

“While our team at Inensia has seen customers achieve incredible benefits from SPDM, we recognize that adopting SPDM is a journey — and one of the most challenging steps is getting started,” says Giagnorio.

“A lack of internal SPDM expertise, unclear objectives, and overly ambitious milestones only make the journey more complex,” he adds. “To help product development teams overcome the challenges of SPDM adoption, Inensia and Ansys collaborated on a comprehensive package of tools, methodologies, and training. We work together to support clients in designing and deploying an SPDM solution that addresses all their needs, both technical and cultural.”

The Inensia–Ansys collaboration is aimed at instilling five key success factors into every customer engagement. By following these guidelines for SPDM implementation, Giagnorio says engineers can dramatically increase their chances for success, as well as their return on investment in simulation.

1. Establish a Solid Foundation

Before embarking on an SPDM journey, it’s critical to make a clear case for why SPDM is needed. What are the team’s current simulation practices, where do they fall short, and what does the future look like? Product development leadership must set clear goals and align stakeholders with the ultimate project objectives. Training is fundamental at this stage to ensure that all users understand the benefits of SPDM, are onboard with the initiative, and are prepared to embrace new ways of working.

2. Create a Comprehensive Project Plan

A comprehensive project plan must include clear goals, timelines, budgets, and a roadmap for implementation. It’s important to involve all stakeholders, including the IT department, simulation experts, and management, to ensure the deployment aligns with the organization’s overall strategy. The plan should be ambitious, but achievable. Changing fundamental practices and workflows is a big undertaking, but having a clear roadmap helps.

3. Implement SPDM in Phases

Because of the length and complexity of the journey, SPDM deployment should be approached in phases. A phased implementation helps manage complexity, ensure a smooth transition, and encourage team members to celebrate victories along the way. Product development teams should start small with pilot projects that demonstrate SPDM’s value and build momentum. A phased approach delivers quick wins and provides an opportunity for real-world feedback.

4. Embrace Agile Methodologies

Given the complexity, length, and evolving nature of SPDM projects, adopting agile methodologies is beneficial. Agile frameworks provide flexibility and adaptability, enabling product development teams to respond to changing requirements and priorities. Regular feedback loops and iterative development ensure the SPDM solution evolves in line with real-world business needs.

5. Plan for Ongoing Support and Scalability

Of course, the successful rollout of SPDM via Minerva software is cause for celebration — but the work isn’t over yet. Product development teams need to plan for ongoing support and scalability. Continuous monitoring and maintenance of software, data, processes, and workflows are essential to ensure that SPDM remains effective and continues to adapt to the organization’s evolving needs. Scalability should be built into the SPDM footprint from the outset to accommodate future growth and changes in business processes.

Begin Your SPDM Journey Today

Simulation process and data management isn’t just a great idea in theory — it’s a proven best practice that is helping leading product development teams cut costs, launch faster, and grow revenue via more frequent product innovations.

By enhancing data accessibility, improving resource efficiency, enabling faster decisions, and  ensuring high-quality product designs, SPDM represents a significant competitive edge. After all, 99% of engineering teams worldwide use simulation. Distinguish your organization by using it smarter, faster, and better.

The Ansys Digital Transformation Assessment is a great way to get started. It uncovers how SPDM can add value to your specific product development process through improvements in speed, efficiency, accuracy, resource utilization, product quality, and innovation. Schedule your assessment today.


Just for you. We have some additional resources you may enjoy.

TAKE A LOOK


“To help product development teams overcome the challenges of SPDM adoption, Inensia and Ansys collaborated on a comprehensive package of tools, methodologies, and training. We work together to support clients in designing and deploying an SPDM solution that addresses all their needs, both technical and cultural.”

— Hernan Giagnorio, managing director and co-founder, Inensia


jeff-bernier
Global Sales Director - Digital Thread Solutions

Jeff Bernier has been with Ansys since 2015.  He is currently Global Sales Director leading the New and Emerging Technologies “Digital Thread Solutions Team” that includes Materials, Simulation Process & Data Management, Process Integration & Design Optimization, and Cloud. He brings 29 years of enterprise experience in CAD, PLM, CAE, ERP, middleware, and cloud computing with expertise in engineering and product development productivity enhancements.

Recommendations

2025 R2: What’s New With Ansys Minerva SPDM Software

2025 R2: What’s New With Ansys Minerva SPDM Software

Learn how, in 2025 R2, several enhancements have been made to simplify using Ansys Minerva simulation and process data management (SPDM) software.

Maximize Your ROI: The Value of Simulation Process and Data Management

Maximize Your ROI: The Value of Simulation Process and Data Management

Top engineering teams believe in the value of engineering simulation, but many are still learning the power of managing simulation-related processes and data.

Simulation Process and Data Management: 5 Keys to Success

Simulation Process and Data Management: 5 Keys to Success

Inensia’s Hernan Giagnorio outlines five critical elements of successful simulation process and data management (SPDM) deployment.

The Advantage Blog

The Ansys Advantage blog, featuring contributions from Ansys and other technology experts, keeps you updated on how Ansys simulation is powering innovation that drives human advancement.