Siemens acquires Altair: what it means for the future of simulation
- Babak Baghaei
- Mar 27
- 2 min read
The simulation industry has entered another defining moment. Siemens has completed its USD 10 billion acquisition of Altair Engineering, one of the world’s leading providers of computational simulation, modelling, and high-performance computing (HPC) software.
For Siemens, the move strengthens its position as a global leader in industrial software, digital twins, and AI-enabled engineering tools. For organisations relying on simulation, including Mansim’s clients across energy, manufacturing, nuclear, healthcare and infrastructure — it signals an industry-wide acceleration toward faster, more integrated, and more intelligent engineering workflows.
A new combined force in simulation and industrial AI
Altair brings deep capabilities in:
advanced mechanical simulation
electromagnetic analysis
HPC orchestration and cloud compute
data science, machine learning and optimisation
multi-domain modelling and digital twin technologies
Integrating these capabilities into the Siemens Xcelerator platform will create what Siemens calls the “world’s most complete AI-powered design, engineering and simulation portfolio”.
This mirrors trends Mansim is seeing across all sectors:
more multiphysics coupling
more AI-driven optimisation
shorter design cycles
heavier demands on thermal, fluid and structural simulation
increased need for HPC scalability
Why this matters for Mansim’s work
As an independent expert in high-fidelity CFD, multiphysics simulation, AI-enabled modelling, and process systems engineering, Mansim does not depend on any single software ecosystem. But changes at the top of the simulation industry directly affect:
1. Simulation capability and solver performance
Greater investment from major vendors means faster solvers, more robust physics coupling, improved turbulence/particle models, and better numerical stability, all of which enhance Mansim’s ability to deliver accurate, fast and reliable engineering insight.
2. More accessible, AI-enhanced modelling
Siemens’ strategic vision is to make advanced physics simulation accessible beyond specialist users. This aligns with Mansim’s mission to help companies adopt simulation-first engineering, even without internal CFD teams.
3. Stronger digital twin ecosystems
Combining Altair’s and Siemens’ technologies will accelerate digital-twin adoption for power plants, process systems, hospitals, cleanrooms, buildings and data centres — many of the domains where Mansim operates.
A sign of the industry’s trajectory
The deal is also part of Siemens’ ONE Tech Company growth strategy, signalling broader industry priorities:
AI-first engineering
HPC-accelerated workflows
sustainability-driven design
unified data and simulation platforms
stronger integration between physics and electronics
This reflects what we see daily at Mansim: simulation is no longer optional. It is becoming central infrastructure for engineering innovation, from hydrogen systems to SMRs, energy storage, advanced manufacturing and medical technologies.
Looking forward
As major vendors consolidate and invest heavily in AI-driven simulation, Mansim will continue to operate at the leading edge — combining the best tools, solvers and research-grade methods with deep domain expertise.
Our independence allows us to select the optimal technology for each project, whether commercial solvers (Ansys, Siemens/Altair, Cadence/Fidelity, COMSOL, STAR-CCM+), in-house CFD (LES-LBM), or bespoke modelling frameworks.
The Siemens–Altair acquisition signals a clear future: more integrated, intelligent, and automated simulation — perfectly aligned with Mansim’s mission to deliver high-impact engineering insight.
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