Cooper Stage-Gate™ · NASA TRL · MSC Software

Simulation-Driven
Development

Connecting Cooper's Stage-Gate model to NASA Technology Readiness Levels and MSC's simulation toolchain — from concept to certification.

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Current Stage
Discovery
Ideation & Market Research
NASA TRL
1–2
Basic Principles
TRL 1–2 · BASIC
TRL 2–3 · CONCEPT
TRL 3–4 · PROOF
TRL 4–5 · VALIDATION
TRL 5–7 · DEMONSTRATION
TRL 7–9 · SYSTEM · QUALIFICATION · PRODUCTION
G0
STAGE 00
Discovery
Ideation, market scanning, voice of customer, initial requirements capture
● TRL 1–2
Requirements Mgmt Benchmarking
G1
STAGE 01
Scoping
Technical feasibility, concept generation, preliminary business case assessment
● TRL 2–3
Concept Modeling Trade Study Risk ID
Adams Nastran SimManager
G2
STAGE 02
Business Case
Proof-of-concept simulations, preliminary design, analytical model validation, business case
● TRL 3–4
FEA / CFD DoE FMEA V&V Plan
Nastran Actran Digimat SimManager
G3
STAGE 03
Development
Detailed simulation, design iteration, prototype testing, model correlation, virtual testing campaigns
● TRL 4–5
NVH Analysis Durability Crash Thermal Correlation
Adams Nastran Marc Actran Cradle SimManager
G4
STAGE 04
Testing & Validation
System integration testing, hardware-in-the-loop, physical prototype validation against simulation models, regulatory compliance
● TRL 5–7
HIL / VIL Correlation DVP&R Regulatory Safety
Adams Nastran Marc Actran Digimat Cradle SimManager
G5
STAGE 05
Launch & Production
Production ramp-up, manufacturing process simulation, in-service monitoring, continuous improvement loops
● TRL 7–9
Manufacturing Sim Process Opt. Fleet Monitoring Lessons Learned
Marc Digimat Simufact Cradle SimManager
SimManager — Active Throughout All Stages
Simulation Data Mgmt
Process Automation
Version Control
Multi-solver Orchestration
Results Traceability
Audit Trail
Team Collaboration
Active Processes
Requirements Mgmt Benchmarking
MSC Software Tools in Use
SimManager Role
Centralizing all simulation data and requirements from day one.
Backbone Tool
SimManager
Spans the Full Journey

While individual solvers address specific physics and design challenges at each stage, SimManager provides the connective tissue — a single platform that manages simulation data, automates workflows, and ensures traceability from first concept through production readiness.

Data Management
All simulation inputs, models, and results versioned and searchable across the full project lifecycle.
Process Automation
Automated solver pipelines, parametric studies, and multi-solver workflows without manual handoffs.
V&V Traceability
Links requirements to simulation results to test data — critical for regulatory and certification gates.
Team Collaboration
Distributed teams share models, configurations, and results in a unified environment.
SimManager Coverage across TRL & Stage
TRL 1–2
Discovery
●
TRL 2–3
Scoping
●
TRL 3–4
Business Case
●
TRL 4–5
Development
●
TRL 5–7
Testing & Val.
●
TRL 7–9
Launch / Prod.
●
● SimManager active at every level
MSC Simulation Portfolio
The Right Tool. The Right Stage.
Each solver targets specific physics, but all are orchestrated through SimManager for a seamless, traceable workflow.
MSC Nastran
Stages 01 → 04
Industry-standard structural analysis solver for static, dynamic, buckling, and thermal simulations. Foundation for all structural design decisions.
Adams
Stages 01 → 04
Multibody dynamics simulation for mechanical systems, handling, ride, and mechanism analysis. Validates system behavior before physical prototyping.
Marc
Stages 02 → 05
Advanced nonlinear FEA for contact, large deformation, material nonlinearity, and manufacturing process simulation.
Actran
Stages 02 → 04
Vibro-acoustic simulation for NVH performance, acoustic comfort, and noise radiation analysis across all frequency ranges.
Digimat
Stages 02 → 05
Multi-scale material modeling and simulation for composites, plastics, and advanced materials from microstructure to component level.
Cradle CFD
Stages 03 → 05
Computational fluid dynamics for thermal management, aerodynamics, HVAC, and fluid-structure interaction analysis.
Simufact
Stages 04 → 05
Manufacturing process simulation for forming, welding, and additive manufacturing — ensuring virtual sign-off before production tooling.
SimManager
Stages 00 → 05 · Always On
The simulation lifecycle backbone. Manages all solver data, automates workflows, ensures traceability, and connects teams across the entire project timeline.