JECO and HPC by E.H. Edersheim

“We are just beginning to imagine the power of High Performance Computnig(HPC) in the hands of small manufacturers, giving them the ability to be dynamic competitors within a cluster. A recent test by the National Digital Engineering and Manufacturing Consortium, or NDEMC, made HPC resources available to a handful of firms. One of those firms, Jeco Plastic Products, is a 25-employee firm that makes plastic pallets for packaging auto parts. The plastic pallets are less expensive alternative than traditional steel pallets, which are heavier and can rust. When Jeco makes a new product, its engineers repeatedly build a prototype, test it in the lab to see how it bears up under the stress it is likely to encounter in the field. When Jeco engineers got a chance to tap expertise and HPC at Purdue University, they began virtual simulations of a pallet designed for a BMW. As a result, Jeco completely bypassed the trial-and-error process, arriving at a design after only a few hours of computer time.”