I joined Ansys as software developer and reduced-order model (ROM) expert on the Ansys Workbench DesignXplorer (DX) team in 2016. After two years in development, I led a small team responsible for the creation of the DX 3D ROM framework. We won Ansys’ CEO Innovation Award for technical innovation in 2019, for our submission titled "ROM Framework or how to extract Ansys solver's magic to win new business markets." Then, the DX team was disbanded to merge all our ROM capabilities in the digital twin solution. I had the opportunity to join the Ansys Twin Builder team in early 2020. Since then, I've grown as a product specialist in this team.
How I’d Explain My Job to a Kindergartener
I would start by explaining that Ansys is creating tools that draw the behavior of everything surrounding us, from the coffee turning in its cup to the magnet that sticks on the fridge, and the apple that falls from a tree. Then, I would explain why Ansys software is essential to create all the very complex objects we are using in our day-to-day life.
What I Actually Do
I'm developing the PyTwin package within the PyAnsys ecosystem, as well as our hybrid digital twin capabilities that combine data-based and physic-based models. I'm also helping the ACE team to support our customers on the most complex digital twin projects.
Why I Choose Ansys
My first experience was with Ansys Mechanical structural finite element analysis software. That was during an academic exchange at Technical University Berlin in 2007, and I fell in love with finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics (FEA/CFD) at that time. When I came back to Lyon, I said I would love to work for a company like Ansys, but everyone laughed at me, saying it was too ambitious. I started in the industry as a calculation engineer and realized I liked to create tools better than using them. So, when the 2008 economic crisis hit, I decided to go back to the university and started a Ph.D. in computational mechanics. Then, I realized Ansys — the company of my dreams — had an office across the street from where I defended my Ph.D. so I decided to apply.
What really keeps me here is our technology, our values, and most importantly our people. Before moving to the digital twin team in early 2020, I was questioning my future at Ansys. Then I saw an interview with Ansys Founder John Swanson and Ansys President and CEO Ajei Gopal. That was an important video for me and after seeing it, I was reminded why I was working for Ansys.
Fulfilling Our Mission
One of my first missions was to deploy a digital twin on site for a customer who makes district heating compressors. I went on site, the customer showed me the asset, explained to me how it worked, and then he gave me an ethernet cable and told me: "Ok that's it, you know everything, now here is the cable, please connect your digital twin with my compressor!" I found myself in the middle of the production line, with plugs in ears, and my laptop on my knees, trying to connect the digital twin. Of course, I had to fix some issues and started the most intense debugging session of my career. But at the end of the day, I could fix the issue, the digital twin worked as expected, and the customer was very happy! During this on-site day, I realized what were the fascinating challenges I'll have to solve to help scale our digital twin business.
Our ONE Ansys Culture
We are truly creating a ONE Ansys culture. I've worked with lots of colleagues from all over the world: USA, Canada, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, India, Korea, Japan, China, and I'm sure I missed some! And every time I felt we were sharing the same passion for our software and simulation in general. Maybe even more importantly, I feel we share the same way of being. I found all the colleagues I've been in contact with to be respectful and open-minded to each other's cultural differences. So, I think each of us — by bringing his/her own culture — is actually contributing to something unique that we call the ONE Ansys culture.
Sense of Belonging
Surprisingly, the pandemic and working from my home office increased my sense of belonging at Ansys. Working from home kept me connected with normal life. And when I saw that we were able to work all together from home and performed very well during that very hard time, I realized we were a very special company, that I was really proud to work for.
Getting Involved
I've been involved with the (dis)Ability Network employee resource group (ERG) since 2022. While doing so, I discovered how interesting it is to create inclusive user experiences (UX), as well as how anything you do to help colleagues with disabilities will benefit all.
Making Our Products Accessible
I started getting interested in product accessibility after a colleague posted about looking for volunteers to help our Mechanical documentation team decide if our Ansys gold color was readable by everyone. I sent an email to all employees from Ansys France and got so much positive feedback. I also discovered we have an amazing feature in Ansys Speos CAD integrated optical and lighting simulation software that lets our users design products for colorblind individuals. A collaboration started and that led to us sharing this news in an Ansys blog. Later that year, I discussed this topic at our internal tech conference with a friend from the Ansys UX team. By coincidence, another colleague presented a poster on color vision deficiency as well. We were all very enthusiastic and decided to start an initiative on this topic.
Anyone outside the company is amazed when I talk about that story. It says a lot about the quality of our products and the level of importance we give to our user experience. So, I’m convinced making our product more inclusive could resonate as an Ansys value, both internally and externally. That is why I decided to focus my contribution to the (dis)Ability Network ERG on that topic.
My Best Advice
Be curious and talk to your colleagues. You have a lot to learn from them.
What You Might Not Know
I spent all my Saturday afternoons from 8 to 14 years old underwater in the same swimming pool, doing scuba diving. I completed a double major, combining theater acting and mechanical engineering courses. I like painting murals on big formats. I'm a big fan of David Hockney.
Learn More
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"What really keeps me here is our technology, our values, and most importantly our people."
— Lucas Boucinha, lead product specialist, Ansys
