Heard recently at an industry gathering, “The number of engineers that use simulation on a daily basis could probably fit within a single football stadium.”

Think about that: Of the millions of design engineers worldwide, only a small minority use simulation regularly. This lack of widespread usage is largely due to the long-held view that simulation tools are the exclusive province of specialized analysts.

It is time to rethink this notion, not just because it is the right choice for all manufacturers, but because soon there will be no other choice. Simulation should not be in a small number of specialists’ hands; it should be in as many hands as possible.

A quick review of human history shows that any technology’s impact is maximized when the usage is pervasive. From the earliest technologies like fire and agriculture to more recent ones like automobiles and airplanes, the use of technologies invariably spreads once more people understand them and are able to take advantage of them, and so does their impact on the world.

Making simulation pervasive will enable a greater number of manufacturers to “push the envelope” of their product performance and, in doing so, better address a host of 21st century challenges:

Increasing scarcity of raw materials. Raw materials are becoming an ever-more precious commodity, particularly as developing economies like China and India ramp up production and consume resources. As a result, manufacturers no longer have the luxury of over-engineering and over-designing products, creating machines that are bigger and heavier than they need to be. Every ounce of material must count.

This is where simulation technology comes into play. A comprehensive simulation environment that provides support for motion simulation and finite element analysis (FEA) for parts and entire assemblies. Results from dynamic simulation allow engineers to use FEA more effectively by leveraging the reaction forces to set up accurate conditions for finite element stress analysis. As a result, products are designed so that they’re only as strong as they need to be—and only use as much material as is necessary.

Pressure to make greener products. It isn’t enough just to minimize material waste, however. Manufacturers must also be mindful of what materials they are using in their products. The harvesting and extraction of traditional materials can cause substantial environmental harm, especially as supplies dwindle and resource recovery becomes more invasive. Industrial materials pose their own challenges, often emitting pollutants as by-products of their production process.

Manufacturers looking to “go green” aim to select materials that are (1)plentiful—such as readily available industrial materials such as recycled aluminum; and (2) healthy and safe—not subject to regulation or questions about their environmental impact on humans, wildlife and habitat.

Simulation has a role to play here as well, enabling manufacturers to replace environmentally dubious materials with renewable and recyclable materials—all while maintaining product performance standards. As an added benefit, swapping out traditional materials with more environmentally friendly materials can make products lighter. These products thus use less energy during transport and operation—the rising cost of energy is another critical factor in the coming years.

Global competition from low-cost manufacturers. As the world becomes one global marketplace, it becomes harder and harder for manufacturers to compete on price. Product quality and reliability have become differentiators: customers want to buy products that are built to last.

Simulation rises to this challenge as well, enabling design engineers to create cost-effective designs that maximize initial quality and lifetime durability. The ability to fully experience a design before it is real—in the process, uncovering design flaws and optimizing performance—is one of the surest ways to achieve outstanding product quality.

Since the manufacturing challenges of the 21st century are pervasive—and felt equally by companies of all sizes, not just those with specialists on staff—it is time for the use of simulation to become pervasive as well.

The way forward is to arm design engineers with simulation tools that are cost-effective, easy to use, and seamlessly integrated with the 2D and 3D design software that they’re already using in their design processes. Design and simulation are facets of the same product creation process. Breaking down the artificial barriers of exclusivity between the two will unify the process and help the greatest possible number of manufacturers to have the greatest possible impact on the manufacturing industry, the world economy and the health of the planet.