Advanced analysis capabilities Simulation isn’t just validating designs anymore. It’s shaping decisions. Most engineering decisions are made long before anything is built. The further a project moves from that early stage, the harder and more expensive it becomes to change course. Getting analysis involved before a design is locked is not a luxury. It is how you avoid the expensive problems. That is why simulation is shifting earlier in the process. What was once used to validate designs at the end is now being used to shape them from the start. Across fluids, structures and system-level modelling, advanced analysis is helping engineers reduce uncertainty, test options faster and make better decisions before physical work begins. That shift was evident at LEAP Tech Day in Sydney, where engineers and simulation specialists shared how these tools are being applied across a range of industries. From validation to direction The way simulation is being used is changing. “The correlation between simulation and real-world results is getting very strong. That means we can use it as a starting point for design, not just something you check at the end,” said Jack Cassidy, Analysis Engineer. That distinction matters. When analysis runs alongside mechanical design from the preliminary stage rather than after it, teams can test whether a concept actually works before committing to it. Problems surface earlier, when they are still cheap to fix. The alternative is discovering them later. A recent project illustrates the point: a client came to Soto with a preliminary design for a large-diameter duct to be operated under vacuum. Analysis showed it would buckle under those conditions. The design was changed before anything went to fabrication. Without that early check, the failure would have been found in the field. AI is accelerating the iteration further. “AI is starting to play a role in speeding up iteration within simulation. When that’s paired with solid engineering analysis, you can move through design options much faster and land on better decisions earlier,” said Jack Mattingly, Graduate Mechanical Engineer. Fewer physical prototypes. Faster iteration. Better decisions earlier in the process. Across the full problem Most organisations apply advanced analysis within a single domain, treating structural, mechanical and fluid systems separately. Soto integrates it across the full engineering problem. “Most organisations apply advanced analysis in a narrow domain. We’re applying it across a much broader range of problems and industries. That gives clients one partner who can solve different challenges, not just a single niche,” said Jack Brooks, Analysis Engineer. In practice, advanced analysis becomes critical when projects move beyond what standards comfortably cover. Standards are designed to be broad and applicable across common scenarios. But many real-world problems are not standard. Geometry can be unusual. Loading conditions can be complex. System behaviour can fall outside typical assumptions. In those cases, analysis is not replacing engineering disciplines. It is extending them. It allows engineers to understand behaviour that cannot be resolved through standard methods alone. That capability only has value if it is applied correctly. The tools are widely available. What is less common is the depth of engineering judgement required to use them well, to trust the outputs, and to know when the model is telling you something important. Your browser does not support the video tag. Applied in practice On a separate project, a heavy-duty towbar rated to 16 tonnes with complex loading conditions required assessment for fatigue and strength to meet Australian design rules. These calculations could not be completed by hand. Advanced analysis provided the depth of assessment required. It was designed, installed and has been performing as intended. In another case, a client brought a preliminary design for a large-diameter duct to be operated under vacuum. Analysis showed it would buckle under those conditions. The design was changed before anything went to fabrication. In both cases, the value was not in confirming what was already known. It was in resolving what wasn’t. What this means for clients Clients who bring functional requirements to Soto early, before geometry is fixed and options are narrowing, get more from the engagement. There is more room to move, more ways to solve the problem, and more confidence in the outcome before physical work begins. The practical effect is the same across projects: decisions made earlier, with better information, and less exposure to costly rework later. That is the shift simulation makes possible. Not just better answers, but better answers sooner, from engineers who know what to do with them.