# Exploring Cross-Disciplinary Integration in CAE and EDA

- Show: [OnTrack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack)
- Published: 2025-01-28
- Length: 37m
- Episode: 285
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda
- Listen: https://podcast.altium.com/e/exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda/

## Summary

Keith Hanna, an independent consultant with extensive experience at Mentor Graphics, Siemens, and Ansys, discusses the convergence of CAE and EDA industries driven by the 'electrification of everything.' He analyzes recent high-profile M&A activity, such as Siemens acquiring Mentor Graphics and Synopsys acquiring Ansys, noting that these deals aim to integrate mechanical and electronic design workflows. Hanna argues that while AI and cloud computing offer efficiency gains, the primary challenge remains creating a seamless 'digital thread' across disparate engineering disciplines and legacy software architectures.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda#t=0) Introduction: Keith Hanna and the CAE/EDA Convergence
- [1:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda#t=105) Keith Hanna's Background: From Chemical Engineering to Mentor Graphics
- [4:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda#t=277) Defining CAE and the Historical Separation from EDA
- [6:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda#t=387) The Fusion of Disciplines: Electronics Embedded in Mechanical Products
- [10:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda#t=636) The Digital Thread and Integration Challenges Between EDA and Mechanical
- [15:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda#t=935) AI in Engineering: Machine Learning vs. True AI and Simulation Risks
- [17:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda#t=1061) Recent M&A Activity: Synopsys/Ansys and Siemens/Mentor Graphics
- [22:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda#t=1365) Impact on Users: Monopoly Concerns vs. Suite Integration Benefits
- [24:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda#t=1475) Future Integration: Embedded Software, AI, and Cloud Computing
- [29:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda#t=1753) Market Predictions: Potential Acquisitions of Dassault, PTC, and Autodesk
- [31:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda#t=1865) Geopolitics and Defense Spending Driving Software Demand
- [33:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda#t=2035) Startups, AI, and the Likelihood of Future IPOs vs. Acquisitions

## Topics

- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Altium (company)
- Mentor Graphics (company)
- Siemens (company)
- Ansys (company)
- Synopsys (company)
- Fluent (product)
- Dassault (company)
- PTC (company)
- Autodesk (company)
- Cadence (company)
- Renaissance (company)
- Kambashi (company)
- Hexagon (company)
- Nvidia (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Mergers and Acquiescence](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-08-05-mergers-and-acquiescence) (The Amp Hour)
- [Episode 67: A Conversation with Aart de Geus on EDA and the Future of Silicon Design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-05-13-episode-67-a-conversation-with-aart-de-geus-on-eda-and-the-future-of-silicon-des) (The Circuit)
- [Thousands Of Dependencies](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-06-22-thousands-of-dependencies) (The Amp Hour)
- [An Interview with Matt Berggren](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-12-16-an-interview-with-matt-berggren) (The Amp Hour)
- [Consolidate All The Things - Zonked Zelotic Zaitech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-06-12-consolidate-all-the-things-zonked-zelotic-zaitech) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-28-exploring-cross-disciplinary-integration-in-cae-and-eda. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to OnTrack.