14th December 2020 9:41 am 14th December 2020 10:06 am Simulation, designing with Artificial Intelligence, and Model-based Definition (MBD) are three trends that will gain significance in 2021, says Brian S. Thompson, DVP and GM, CAD segment, PTC. Simulation In 2021, PTC predicts the industry will realise that simulation capabilities are a necessity, not a luxury. Manufacturers will view simulation as something they must do, not only for the obvious reasons of cost and efficiency, but because innovation drives positive business results. Innovation is more likely to occur when simulation results are available early in the design process instead of at the end. Additionally, the pandemic is keeping engineers out of their product labs, which further underscores the urgency of using simulation in 2021.