Introduction to the market

Computer-aided engineering (CAE) is the practice of using a broad range of software products to assist in engineering tasks. These software products support a wide range of tasks such as the simulation, validation, analysis, and manufacture of engineering products. CAE includes two major tools-finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). FEA is an applied technique in engineering that evaluates the functionality of a certain product design before the prototypes are produced. It is used in various manufacturing industries for the estimation of structural strength and behavior, modeling, simulation, and design optimization. CFD is a tool that analyzes the flow, turbulence, pressure distribution, and interaction of liquids and gases with various structures.

Market overview

The Global CAE market is expected to post a CAGR of 11.18 percent during the period 2012-2016. The market is expected to post revenue of US$3,402.30 million by 2016 according to TechNavio's report, the Global CAE Market 2012-2016. The Global CAE market is driven by many growth factors. One of the major drivers in the market is the increasing need to reduce time-to-market. There are, however, certain factors that may affect the growth of the market. One of the major challenges in the market is the increasing threat of open-source CAE software that could affect the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Regional overview

North America accounted for the largest share of revenue in the Global CAE market in 2012, and it was followed by the APAC region. The APAC region is one of the fastest growing geographies in the global market due to the emergence of several manufacturing industries in this region.

End-user segmentation/product segmentation overview

There are a number of end-user segments in the Global CAE market of which the Automotive, Electrical and Electronics, Industrial Machinery, and Aerospace and Defense are the key end-user segments in this market.

Vendor Landscape

Currently, there are a few companies that have a significant presence in the Global CAE market as a result of the commercialization of their products. Many pure-play companies in this market are either being acquired or being approached for acquisition by larger corporations for their technological capabilities. Some of the key vendors mentioned in the Global CAE Market 2012-2016 report include Ansys Inc., CD-adapco Group, Dassault Systèmes SA, LMS International NV, and MSC Software Corp. Other prominent vendors in the Global CAE market include Altair Engineering Inc., AspenTech Ltd., Bentley Systems Inc., Blue Ridge Numerics Inc. (Autodesk), Computational Engineering International Inc., ESI Group, Exa Corp., Flow Science Inc., Mentor Graphics Corp., NEi Software Inc., Numeca International SA, COMSOL Inc.

Key questions answered in this report:
- What will the market size be in 2016 and what will the growth rate be?
- What are the key market trends?
- What is driving this market?
- What are the challenges to market growth?
- Who are the key vendors in this market space?
- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?