Honda aids OSU SIMCenter in new auto research

By Matt Sanctis

Staff Writer, Springfield News-Sun

COLUMBUS — Honda and Ohio State University unveiled a new research facility Thursday that will use computer simulations to test new automotive materials and designs.

The Simulation Innovation and Modeling Center on OSU’s campus opened with the help of a $5 million gift from Honda R&D Americas, Inc. The SIMCenter has been operating for months, but opened to the public for the first time Thursday as OSU begins seeking other potential firms to partner with, said Shawn Midlam-Mohler, associate director of the SIMCenter.

The research facility has already been working closely with Honda, but also plans to collaborate with parts manufacturers and auto industry firms to conduct advanced simulations on new materials, vehicle designs and manufacturing procedures. The center will also develop workforce, training engineers to use more advanced computational tools with a goal that they can eventually work for Honda or other manufacturers, Midlam-Mohler said.

“As you can imagine from what is happening in any area driven by computers, our ability to use simulation tools to do things like virtual crash tests and virtual wind tunnels is rapidly evolving,” he said.

The simulations the SIMCenter can use will also be beneficial to firms that make auto parts for large auto companies, Midlam-Mohler said. Other fields like aerospace and appliance manufacturers can also use the simulations, he added.

Companies like KTH Parts Industries in St. Paris could also potentially benefit from the new SIMCenter, said Kevin Beam, a simulation engineer for that company. KTH is currently building a new $6.7 million research and development center in Union County. There it will research and develop new, lightweight materials for Honda as the auto industry tries to meet tougher fuel efficiency standards by 2025.

KTH could potentially collaborate with the SIMCenter’s researchers and use its more advanced computer modeling systems to answer questions about new materials more quickly than KTH’s resources would otherwise allow, Beam said.

The center will benefit not just Honda and its suppliers, but the entire automotive industry, said Frank Paluch, president of Honda R&D Americas.

Demands for higher fuel economy, better safety and more technology in vehicles is increasing, Paluch said, and the advanced simulations can help manufacturers test products more rapidly and at a more affordable cost.

Large firms like Honda already have their own research and development facilities, but there are often gaps in the accuracy of the tests they are now able to conduct. By working with the SIMCenter’s researchers to develop better simulations, companies like Honda and their suppliers can close some of those gaps, he said.

“It’s going to benefit the state of Ohio, our suppliers and ultimately our customers,” Paluch said.

Along with conducting research, the SIMCenter will also be responsible for training qualified students, who can then fill a significant need for employers as the demand for trained engineers with those skills increases.

“All vehicle manufacturers are relying more and more on simulation — which has displaced a lot of the capital, material and human-intensive testing programs of the past,” Midlam-Mohler said. “As the vehicle (manufacturers) do this more and more, they will need their suppliers to advance their capabilities as well.”

By the numbers

$5 million — Honda’s investment into the SIMCenter

50 — Transportation industry professionals invited to the opening

10 — OSU faculty members actively participating in the center

1,400 — Approximate Honda workers from Clark and Champaign counties

Complete coverage

The Springfield News-Sun provides unmatched coverage of the auto industry in Ohio, including manufacturers like Honda. For this story, the paper interviewed officials from Honda, Ohio State University and other automotive industry representatives.

Article originally featured in the Springfield News-Sun.