CAE
Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) is software used to analyze, simulate, and validate product designs before physical prototypes are built. Finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), thermal analysis, and multi-body dynamics are all CAE disciplines. Products like ANSYS, Nastran, Abaqus, and Siemens Simcenter are the dominant tools. CAE consumes geometry from CAD and returns simulation results that increasingly are managed as first-class governed artifacts in PLM.
Why it matters
Simulation-driven design compresses the prototype-test-fix cycle that traditionally consumed months and millions in physical testing. PLM's role as the system of record for which simulation validated which design revision is becoming a regulatory and audit requirement in aerospace, automotive, and medical devices.
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Cite this definition
Finocchiaro, Michael. “CAE.” DemystifyingPLM PLM Glossary, 2026, https://www.demystifyingplm.com/glossary/cae