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Autodesk Support
Feb 24, 2017
1. General product information
1.1 What has changed?
Following the 2018 version release, Autodesk® Simulation Mechanical will begin going through a phased discontinuation. New subscriptions to Simulation Mechanical will not be available, but customers can purchase an annual renewal in 2017. Annual renewals will not be available after March 2018. Finally, Simulation Mechanical customers will also receive a one-year entitlement to Autodesk Fusion 360™ Ultimate, our exciting new solution for advanced mechanical simulation, plus 1000 cloud credits along with the Simulation Mechanical 2018 release at no additional charge. Fusion 360 Ultimate and the 1000 associated cloud credits will appear in a separate new contract.
1.2 Why is Autodesk® making this change?
Simulation Mechanical has been a key offering on the Autodesk portfolio for a number of years to address their customers’ FEA needs. However, the technology and its architecture is built on an older platform, which restricts the ability to scale it to meet the growing needs of our customers and the manufacturing community.
Autodesk has always stayed committed to staying ahead of the needs and helping its customers achieve their goals. Over the past two years, Autodesk has invested in more open, robust, scalable and industry grade solvers to address a broader range of physics and capabilities. Such technology is now able to rapidly drive innovation with unparalleled ease of use and simultaneously leverage the power of cloud computing. Bringing such technology to our customers means they have the ability to explore designs in a global space, test for more dynamic operating conditions, and more importantly, be able to do so right through the product development cycle. Switching Simulation Mechanical to maintenance mode allows Autodesk to stay focused in developing cutting-edge offerings significantly faster over the coming months and years to meet the rapidly evolving needs of the user community.
1.3 What does phased discontinuation imply?
During the phased discontinuation period lasting the next two years, technology development will be restricted to critical fixes.
1.4 How long does Autodesk plan to keep up with critical fixes to Simulation Mechanical?
Autodesk will continue to deploy critical fixes for Simulation Mechanical through 2019.
1.5 What GEOs are affected by this change?
All geographies are affected.
1.6 Which customers are impacted by this change?
This change applies to all customers that have purchased a maintenance plan or have subscribed to Simulation Mechanical.
1.7 Does this change affect Autodesk® cloud credit allocations in any way?
2. Customer Impact
2.1 What is the overall impact of this change?
There is no immediate impact to the ability to use Simulation Mechanical, or renewing their existing subscriptions. Currently active subscribers will receive the 2018 release of Simulation Mechanical and can continue using it as usual. Autodesk will release any critical hot fixes or patches required to maintain this next release. Beyond the next year, future technology development will continue to stay restricted to critical security patches through 2019.
The only notable changes are that customers are not able to add new subscriptions to Simulation Mechanical after March 21, 2017. Renewals will only be available through March of 2018.
2.2 I have a perpetual license (maintenance subscription) of Simulation Mechanical. How does this change impact me?
Customers with a perpetual license and an active maintenance subscription will receive the 2018 release of Simulation Mechanical. They will have the option to renew their maintenance subscription for an additional year when the renewal cycle comes up. They will continue to receive support, and critical patches till they are active on subscription. In addition, perpetual license customers can continue using Autodesk® Simulation Mechanical without support/maintenance from Autodesk after the discontinuation.
2.3 I have a network subscription of Autodesk Simulation Mechanical. How does this change impact me?
Customers with an active network subscription will receive the 2018 release of Simulation Mechanical. They will continue to receive support, and critical patches/bug fixes till they are active on subscription. They will have the option to renew their network subscription if their renewal comes up between now and March 2018. After these contracts expire a year later, network subscription subscribers will be able to choose from the available offerings in the Autodesk portfolio that meets their FEA needs.
2.4 Can you itemize the timeline involved?
The table below illustrates the timeline involved.
|
DATE |
DESCRIPTION |
|
03/20/2017 |
Last date to obtain a quote for a new subscription to Simulation Mechanical |
|
04/05/2017 |
First Customer Shipment of Simulation Mechanical 2018; beginning of phased discontinuation; Fulfillment of Autodesk Fusion 360™ Ultimate with 1000 cloud credits in a separate contract |
|
04/19/2017 |
Last date till which any outstanding quotes for a new subscription can be fulfilled |
|
March 2018 |
Last opportunity to renew Maintenance and Network Subscriptions to Simulation Mechanical |
|
End of 2019 |
Discontinuation of critical fixes for Simulation Mechanical |
|
2020 |
Discontinuation of Autodesk Support for Simulation Mechanical |
As noted above, customers active on subscription and maintenance will continue to receive support on Simulation Mechanical until 2020.
2.5 Can I get a new subscription to Simulation Mechanical after March 2017?
Autodesk will continue to fulfill orders for new subscriptions to Simulation Mechanical until 4/19/2017 for quotes that are issued on or before 03/20/2017. Beyond this date, new subscriptions to Simulation Mechanical are not available for purchase.
2.6 How long can I keep renewing my subscription to Simulation Mechanical?
Annual renewal for both maintenance subscribers and network subscribers will be available up to the next annual release cycle in March 2018. Beyond this date, customers current on maintenance subscription or network subscription will continue to receive the benefits of subscription (bug fixes and support) through the remainder of their subscription term, but will not be able to renew their subscription.
2.7 Can I get a 2 or 3-year renewal of Simulation Mechanical?
Multi-year renewals for Simulation Mechanical are not available for purchase. However, an active subscription of Simulation Mechanical is not required for perpetual license owners. They can continue using the software even after expiry of their maintenance subscription.
2.8 What should I do when my renewal comes up in 2017?
All customers with an active subscription for Simulation Mechanical will have the opportunity to renew their subscription in 2017. This ensures that there are no breaks in access to technical support as well as access to critical fixes over the next two years. For network subscription customers, renewing the subscription ensures continued access to Simulation Mechanical for another annual term.
2.9 What if I have a multi-year maintenance/network subscription for Simulation Mechanical that runs through 2020?
Customers with multi-year contracts will continue to receive technical support through this term. They will also continue to receive any critical fixes released during the term.
2.10 What changes will be visible in my account portal? When will this happen?
In early April 2017, all customers with an active subscription (both maintenance and network) will receive Simulation Mechanical 2018. In addition, customers will also notice a one-year entitlement to Fusion Ultimate, and 1000 cloud credits added to their account in a new contract at no additional charge. The count of Fusion Ultimate subscriptions will match the number of active subscriptions of Simulation Mechanical as of that date.
3. Additional Details
3.1 Are there any alternate offerings from Autodesk that offer FEA capabilities?
Yes. Autodesk has two offerings in its portfolio that offer FEA capabilities suitable for both local and cloud workflows. Autodesk® Nastran® In-CAD offers CAD integrated workflows, while Autodesk Fusion Ultimate offers next generation FEA capabilities and tools that leverage the benefits of cloud computing. For more details on these offerings, please contact your local reseller.
3.2 Why are you providing Autodesk Fusion 360™ Ultimate as a one-year entitlement with Autodesk® Simulation Mechanical 2018?
Autodesk’s long term vision is to narrow the gap between design and simulation and to make Simulation more pervasive and expansive in usability and value. Coupled with the significant advantages that cloud computing promises, Autodesk is investing in building FEA capabilities right within its Fusion 360 platform. The Fusion 360 platform already has some of the widely used FEA tools such as Linear, Thermal, and Modal. In addition, the recent release of Fusion Ultimate showcases advanced technology such as non-linear, next generation event simulation, and shape optimization that can have significant benefits to users.
As a valued customer of Autodesk’s FEA technology, we would like you to experience the next generation feature-rich interface and capabilities that are being built into the Fusion platform. Throughout the upcoming year, Autodesk is planning to add more features to the Simulation capabilities. Autodesk is keen to bring this to you for a full year at no additional charge to test drive the technology and see if it is applicable to your needs.
3.3 What purpose do the 1000 Cloud Credits serve?
Cloud credits allow a user to offload the intensive solve process to the cloud so that they can pursue alternative tasks. Cloud computing has a number of benefits including increased productivity, ability to support numerous simultaneous solves, global design exploration with optimization algorithms, reduced IT-demand, hassle-free access to the latest version, etc., to name a few. For these reasons, cloud computing is the primary experience on the Fusion platform.
To leverage the power of the cloud for solving simulation jobs, a user needs to have cloud credits. Each time a simulation job is solved, cloud credits are consumed from the available cloud credits. For more details on Autodesk Cloud Credits, please click here.
3.4 I have multiple licenses of Simulation Mechanical. How many fusion ultimate entitlements and cloud credits will I receive?
Customers with multiple active subscriptions of Simulation Mechanical will receive an equivalent number of entitlements to Fusion Ultimate. In addition, each of these Fusion Ultimate entitlements will add 1000 Cloud Credits to their account.
3.5 Where can I learn more about Fusion Ultimate?
There are multiple ways to learn more about the cutting edge FEA technology being introduced into Fusion Ultimate. The capabilities of the Fusion platform are discussed here. Customers also have the option to reach out to their local reseller or Autodesk directly to learn more. Finally, Autodesk will be conducting local and virtual sessions through the year to inform its customers of the capabilities in the Fusion platform.
3.6 Can you tell me more about Autodesk® Nastran® In-CAD? Why would this be a qualified alternate offering?
Autodesk Nastran In-CAD is a desktop-based FEA offering that works within Autodesk Inventor (prerequisite). The purpose of the CAD integrated technology is to leverage CAD data and workflows to deliver a familiar and easy-to-use interface for simulations. Since its launch in 2014, Autodesk Nastran In-CAD has quickly become one of the most comprehensive and robust CAD integrated FEA technologies in the market. It covers the majority of the common workflows and use cases that Autodesk Simulation Mechanical customers have enjoyed over the years, and offers the same powerful and respected underlying Nastran technology as the Fusion 360 platform offers.
3.7 What are the benefits to the customer because of this change?
The adoption of FEA in mainstream engineering is rapidly increasing as products become more complex and the need for innovation grows. However, currently available FEA tools have been around for more than three decades, and the underlying code has not kept pace with the advancements in computer technology, architecture and cloud computing.
Autodesk is committed to helping its customers use the technology that they have invested in, while also bring the forefront of technology innovation to its customer base. With this change, Autodesk is now able to deliver
Autodesk is keen to re-assure you that you can continue usage of your existing investment in Autodesk® Simulation Mechanical beyond its discontinuation if you have a maintenance plan. Additionally, for both maintenance and subscription customers, we are thrilled to be able to bring next generation functionality and technology to help you make innovative products by leveraging FEA as part of your process. To learn more, please contact your local reseller or your Autodesk representative.
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