Managing Editor of Future Vehicle magazine, Steve Welch, interviewed Mike Dempsey, Managing Director of Claytex prior to the Future Powertrain Conference 2022.
Strength in depth
Claytex Strengthens TECHNIA in Advanced System and Autonomous Vehicle Simulations.
Leamington-based Claytex is the UK’s leading provider of solutions systems for automotive manufacturers, OEMs, Tier-1s and 2s with unrivalled expertise in Dymola modelling software from Dassault Systemes. Eagle-eyed readers may have read that Claytex has been acquired by TECHNIA, a global software provider and Dassault Systemes partner. So, is this the end for Claytex? Far from it, says CEO and Founder Mike Dempsey. “As a business, we’re still here, we’re still doing the same things we’ve always done, but we’re now part of this larger organisation that brings both strength and scale,” says Dempsey.
Future Vehicle Magazine – FPC2022 Show Issue
Dempsey explains the deal as one of expansion, with Claytex being able to call upon TECHNIA’s support and expertise. It will enable Claytex’s technological knowledge in advanced simulation to be made available to the global markets and its established client base. Claytex and TECHNIA share what Dempsey describes as a “passion for innovation” to create better performing and more sustainable products using advanced simulation. Claytex will play a critical part in TECHNIA’s attempt to establish itself as a global leader in simulation and modelling software systems.
Claytex continues to exist and operate independently, Dempsey says, but will have access to a global partner’s resources, skills, and support. What remains intact is the UK’s most advanced expertise in automotive software modelling solutions. “We’re still a Dassault Systemes distributor focused on systems simulation. We’re still developing our bespoke application libraries and autonomous driving solutions,” says Dempsey. At a practical level, customers continue to access technical support in the same way, including customer contacts.
The deal provides the financial stability and support Claytex needs to expand, with Dempsey kick-starting a recruitment programme, which is proving to be a challenge. “Finding that right balance of expertise is important to us, but it’s not easy,” he says. “We’re currently recruiting recent graduates, those with PhDs and industry experts, to help us grow and offer our customers more.” Nevertheless, as the economy opens up, Dempsey is overwhelmingly positive about the future.
Now that’s out of the way, what has Dempsey and Claytex been up to in the last year? The business continues to strengthen its simulation capabilities, offering manufacturers, OEMs and Tier-1 and Tier-2s access to the latest simulation technologies. “Inside the Dymola environment, we can create incredibly detailed models, creating a digital proving ground that enables our engineers to drive a virtual vehicle within a simulation,” says Dempsey. “Automotive manufacturers can test their systems and assess whether they meet durability requirements, rapidly iterating designs at a much lower cost than alternatives.”
Dempsey and colleagues enable customers to virtualise powertrain durability test procedures, including building detailed surface models of conditions including rough roads, potholes and other damage a driver may encounter on the roads. The models simulate driving actions, controlling the vehicle in a way a human driver would while in motion. For example, the simulation can specify the gear and engine speed to replicate real-world conditions. Coupled with an incredibly accurate vehicle physics model from an ICE, hybrid or EV, the tests provide vast amounts of essential data, says Dempsey. “We can start to look and understand the forces, the torques acting on all of the different elements of the vehicle. This can include demands on the battery and the motors, vibrations and more.”
Read the full article here: Strength in depth
If you have any questions or for more information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Telephone: +44 1926 885900 — Email: info@claytex.com
