Summary. We discuss a methodology for systematically using an Simulation Process and Data Management (SPDM) platform in product development. The purpose of this paper is to get the reader acquianted with the concept and the importance of such an approach. The target is to base product development on clearly defined targets and requirements in different phases of the product development lifecycle. This is achieved by means of a data-centered approach where all data is retained in a digital form in the platform. Instead of reporting, users are provided with different views to the same data. We will discuss how a static document-based validation system can be replaced by a common validation data platform. In addition, we aim to base the validation requirements on a reliability analysis workflow.In this case, the platform is used not only to handle the simulation data but to encompass the whole product validation scope. To this end, the fundamental concept of our data management approach is to couple the requirements directly to the simulations and handle all the design decision data together with the simulations using these to drive the design.The motivation for the activity is a dramatic reduction in product development time based on a possibly longer concept phase but less iterations during the detail design phase. Future developments will include moving also the physical testing data and coupling that with the corresponding simulations and validation requirements.

This paper opens up the history of structural analysis and dynamics simulations of Wärtsilä engines. It cites already published articles and theses with some backgrounds information. It also discusses some of the backgrounds of the in-house tool development. Additionally, this paper presents the development of the computers and investment of the simulation capacity in order to understand how it has been the enabler of ever more complicated models. It lists the work done during fifty decades. The authors sincerely attempt to make this article as reader-friendly as possible, even though there are over 220 references, which of course demonstrates how dedicated Wärtsilä has been in supporting numerical simulations research in the past fivedecades.

T his paper describes the simulation-driven design process used in engines technology. The research question is "how to use research in the structural analysis and dynamics field to ensure world-class product development?" This paper describes research on simulation methodologies from the design process perspective, demonstrating the need for research in various steps of product development. Each section of the paper includes one or two practical examples in which research was needed to increase product design quality. In the product definition section, the Digital Design Platform (DDP) shows the coupling between product requirements and simulation tasks. At the concept design stage, it is shown that computational methods can optimize the placement of material in the case of the main bearing cap topology. The second example is JuliaFEM, an open-source finite element method (FEM) platform, which is suitable for heavy-duty method development, where the internals of the FE solver is needed to make new calculation methodologies available. The next section is about detailed design, where an example of an oil sump welds fatigue illustrates the continuous improvement of the simulation methodology. The second example is connecting rod fretting calculation, which illustrates the full complexity of the structural analysis and dynamics simulations. The second last process step is the virtual validation, where first the cylinder head simulation methodology shows the internal connections between different disciplines' simulations. Another example here is the crankshaft virtual validation process, which describes the complexity of the "simple" component calculation as well as illustrates the number of needed competencies. Finally, in the validation process step, Big Data analyses describe the internals and complexity of the methodologies. Lastly, counterweight measurement device development illustrates that validation of the simulation models and methods sometimes leads toward a measurement device development project. As a conclusion, all the previous methodologies are used to build the Wärtsilä 31 engine, which is the most efficient four-stroke engine in the world. It is, of course, a performance achievement, but a lot of research in simulation methodologies, as explained, was needed to make a reliable product with such a high cylinder peak pressure.

The vision expressed and summarized in this work is the result of the practical and theoretical experiences gained by Wärtsilä experts in more than 100 years of history. Noise and vibration have always been a major priority for engine builders; at the beginning of time, the scope was the structural integrity of parts, while it slowly moved to comfort, health, and safety. The purposes of this article are as follows: enumerate some of the main and typical noise and vibration sources onboard modern ships; propose a schematic classification; take as exhaustive example the four‐stroke diesel engines; and explain basic principle of propagation through ship structure and propose a problem solving and control strategy. The study focuses on the major effects of noise and vibration such as comfort, health, and safety of human receivers, while other aspects such as structural integrity of ship's hull or superstructure are not considered. At the end of this article, the reader will have an overview of noise and vibration source mechanisms, which may be expanded with the help of the books listed in the Reference section.