The high power consumption of electronic systems, driven by applications in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC), is generating a significant demand to address overheating and thermal management challenges. This extends from the infrastructure of data center rackmount AI servers to user-end AI PCs and a diverse range of electronic computing systems, consuming substantial resources and time for engineering teams to confront these new challenges. To effectively address the computational demands of the AI era while simultaneously mastering thermal design challenges, the use of multiphysics simulation systems, employing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods to simulate airflow distribution and cooling efficiency, has become a prominent product development focus in the electronics and semiconductor industries.
To embrace this immense AI demand and innovation momentum, Altair, the global leader in computational intelligence with a comprehensive portfolio spanning computer-aided engineering (CAE), high-performance computing (HPC), and AI solutions, offers a suite of multiphysics analysis and simulation solutions specifically addressing thermal management and related complex challenges. Frank Wu, Vice President of Global CFD Business at Altair, illustrates the capabilities of Altair® ultraFluidX® simulation software through application examples in thermal flow simulation, assisting the industry in rediscovering the "cooling" pathway in electronic system design.
Leading-edge aerodynamics simulation tool ultraFluidX delivers innovative cooling solutions for electronic devices
Altair has cultivated long-standing collaborations with customers in Detroit, the automotive manufacturing hub of the United States. Its ultraFluidX, initially developed for the automotive industry to handle aerodynamic characteristics and simulation technology, utilizes Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis to identify designs that minimize air resistance, thereby reducing fuel consumption and enhancing vehicle stability – establishing its leadership in the field. Now, trending products such as electronic systems, AI PCs, and data center AI servers face thermal system design challenges. Beyond optimizing cooling performance, these often require overcoming coupled multiphysics issues like noise and vibration. Due to the involvement of various design departments and architectures, Altair introduced ultraFluidX as a design simulation tool to address this complexity, supporting electronics manufacturing and thermal system supply chain partners and establishing crucial ultraFluidX usage examples to create optimized thermal system design workflows.
He exemplifies solutions for the cooling fan and overall thermal system design, where the primary focus is on maximizing cooling efficiency through the airflow and aerodynamic effects generated by the fan. Secondly, it addresses the noise effects resulting from the turbulence created by the interaction of airflow with the fan blades – two key parameters influencing the quality of thermal system design. Effective analysis of these two main design requirements utilizes air pressure flow analysis to understand aerodynamics. In terms of processing and computational efficiency, ultraFluidX holds a leading position in the market. This is attributed to ultraFluidX's mesh generation method, employing the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). Compared to traditional CFD mesh generation, LBM offers the advantage of not requiring simplification of complex geometric shapes and enables rapid part replacement, reducing the time engineers spend on meshing. Coupled with the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) mathematical model and GPU computing power for calculation and solving, it significantly reduces computation time compared to traditional CPU-based methods. A single ultraFluidX computation yields both flow field and sound field results, eliminating the need for secondary calculations. Furthermore, leveraging GPU computing resources enables a comprehensive grasp of details, providing a novel solution for fan and thermal design in electronic products. Regarding GPU computing power, Altair offers three flexible service models to cater to diverse customer needs: first, customers can utilize their own GPU processor servers to run ultraFluidX software; second, they can access ultraFluidX through Altair's connection to public cloud computing services; and third, Altair provides dedicated GPU systems for customers to use within their internal environments. These three models encompass different business service content, offering multiple choices to meet various customer requirements.
AI-driven design tools enhance collaboration, accelerate design convergence, and foster product innovation
To meet the demands for design precision and reduced design and validation times, Altair's AI technology is rapidly proving its value. For instance, for manufacturers of fans or thermal modules, after accumulating a substantial amount of historical ultraFluidX data, software such as Altair PhysicsAI™ can be used to learn the relationships between these flow field plots and sound pressure level. This enables the creation of accurate AI prediction models, allowing for rapid evaluation and design of more effective fan blade shapes to reduce aerodynamic noise while ensuring maximum cooling capacity, and overcoming various engineering challenges.
This example of AI technology accelerating simulation, design, and AI applications offers the electronics and semiconductor industries a new perspective on solving engineering design problems. More multiphysics simulation technologies and applications will play an indispensable role in electronic system and semiconductor design, with their scope and reach continuously expanding. This includes areas such as chip package design, electronic printed circuit boards, and the common technical challenges in electronic systems involving structural, impact, electrical, thermal, thermal warpage, and fluid dynamics phenomena.
Altair Technology Conference Taiwan 2025 Credit: Altair
Altair Technology Conference focuses on "AI-powered engineering"
To ensure customers stay ahead of this product design trend, Altair will convene its Altair Technology Conference in Taipei on May 28, 2025, focusing on the widespread application scenarios of "AI-powered Engineering." Leveraging its extensive experience in the simulation domain and the power of AI technology, Altair will provide research and design engineers in the semiconductor and electronics manufacturing industries with comprehensive multiphysics simulation solutions. This will empower R&D and manufacturing teams to grasp complex physical phenomena early in the product development cycle, enabling optimized designs.
In recent years, Altair has not only integrated numerous AI capabilities into its comprehensive HyperWorks platform to streamline modeling and analysis processes but has also leveraged features like PhysicsAI. By utilizing vast amounts of historical multiphysics simulation data, PhysicsAI helps engineers create entirely new design concepts. This conference will feature an overview of the new capabilities in HyperWorks 2025, demonstrating its seamless integration of finite element analysis, multiphysics, and materials simulation to assist R&D teams in solving complex and interconnected challenges. Keynote speeches will also delve into realizing smarter product engineering through AI agents and small language models (sLLMs).
Furthermore, the conference will address the various challenges arising from the popularity of AI chips and AI PCs, ranging from advanced high-level packaging chips to thermal modules on PCBs or electronic systems, and liquid cooling systems in data center servers. Dr. Chou, Ming, Chief Engineer at Altair and a 2025 National Academy of Engineering elected, will provide insights for electronics and semiconductor customers in Taiwan on leveraging Altair SimLab in PCB and 3DIC packaging design. He will also share how to integrate AI prediction and present case studies from world-class IC design industry clients, promising compelling content.
To learn more about Altair's solutions and event details, please click here to visit the registration website.
Article edited by Sherri Wang