Digital Materials On-Demand Webinar Series: Replay, Learn, Share

With over 20 years of industry experience, Aaron brings deep expertise in injection moulding, simulation, and part validation across the automotive product lifecycle. Currently serving as Technical Specialist for Instrument Panels at General Motors, Aaron has held key roles at OEMs, Tier 1 moulders/tool shops, and hot runner suppliers.

A certified Autodesk Moldflow Expert and a frequent presenter at the Autodesk Moldflow Summit, Aaron combines hands-on technical mastery with system-level simulation strategies. He is also certified by RJG and the American Injection Molding Institute, with a strong foundation in systematic moulding and tool launch optimisation.

Aaron holds a BSc in Engineering Technology from Central Michigan University and is currently completing his MSc in Systems Engineering at Oakland University.

Outside of work, Aaron enjoys spending time with his family, especially his three red-haired boys. He’s passionate about road and mountain biking, golf, swimming, running, 3D printing, home brewing, and building or fixing just about anything around the house.

Dustin holds a BSc in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University, with specialisations in structural mechanics and aerodynamics. During his Master’s studies, he worked closely with Dr. Byron Pipes on advanced composites across manufacturing and simulation.

Since joining e-Xstream Engineering in 2013, Dustin has been a core contributor to the development and customer enablement of Digimat. Today, he supports leading US automotive OEMs in deploying advanced material modelling strategies and continues to drive simulation excellence within Hexagon’s Design & Engineering team.

Ramona-Monica Buzdugan holds a PhD in Heat Treatments of Steels applied to Material Science, as well as a Batchelor degree in Mechanical Engineering. She graduated the Polithenica University of Timisoara Romania and earned her PhD from the same university, after which she worked as a Scientific Researcher in the National R&D Institute for Welding and Material Testing in Timisoara Romania.

Currently, Monica is leading a group in Schaeffler Romania, in the Powertrain and Chassis Division, Common Engineering Department, group responsible with numerical simulations and material selections.

Dr. Moncef Salmi is a PhD-qualified engineer and MBA with a unique cross-disciplinary focus on data science applied to material science. He holds dual engineering degrees from ENSAIT and ENSAM ParisTech (France), earned his PhD from Blaise Pascal University in 2012, and later completed his MBA at the University of Northampton (UK) in 2019.

Moncef joined e-Xstream Engineering in 2012 and has since led the design and deployment of AI-powered solutions for material and process modelling. As Solution Lead for Data Science Applied to Materials at Hexagon, he brings deep expertise in full-stack development of highly applied, industrial-grade AI tools that bridge simulation, materials, and advanced manufacturing.

Dr. Gilles Robert is a seasoned polymer engineer with over two decades of experience in material modelling, mechanical testing, and simulation development. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering, a Master’s in polymer physical chemistry, and a PhD in polymer engineering.

Gilles began his career at Rhodia in 1999, where he managed mechanical testing laboratories and developed expertise in the usage properties of technical fibres. Since 2006, he has focused on engineering materials at Domo Chemicals, where he has led the technical development of advanced modelling frameworks for time-dependent behaviour, thermal analysis, fatigue performance, and ageing prediction – forming the foundation of what is now known as MMI.

His deep domain expertise supports the integration of reliable material data into simulation workflows, helping manufacturers enhance durability, predict performance, and accelerate product validation.

Bernard Alsteens is a seasoned mechanical engineer with over 20 years of experience in simulation, customer enablement, and materials engineering. Currently serving as Senior Manager of Technical Support at Hexagon Design & Engineering, he leads global customer support for advanced material modelling workflows, with a focus on structural simulations, fatigue, and creep behaviour.

Bernard began his journey in computational engineering with Fluent Benelux, performing CFD simulations and mesh generation. He later served as a consultant at LMS International (now Siemens), specialising in NVH and acoustics simulation for major European OEMs. At e-Xstream engineering, he held several key roles over nearly a decade – from Team Leader and Manager of Customer Services to overseeing training, benchmarking, presales, post-sales, and software quality assurance for Digimat users globally.

Today, Bernard combines his technical depth and leadership experience to help engineers worldwide integrate material modelling and simulation into their design processes – improving reliability, reducing physical testing, and accelerating development cycles.

Carlo Grassini is a materials engineering expert with over a decade of experience in technical service, application development, and CAE for high-performance polymers. He earned his Master’s degree in Materials Engineering from the University of Brescia in 2009.

Since 2010, Carlo has been part of RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers, where he leads global CAE activities, including material characterisation, simulation database management, and customer-specific service studies. His work bridges material science and simulation, supporting strategic projects through technical consulting, problem-solving, and the digital validation of polymer-based applications.

Carlo plays a key role in helping customers across industries select the right materials and optimise performance through advanced simulation workflows.

Shaun Gill is a mechanical engineer specialising in finite element analysis (FEA), structural mechanics, and computational modelling for advanced materials. He holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Galway, with a focus on simulation and high-performance structural applications.

Shaun joined Hexagon in 2023 as a Solution Engineer, where he supports Digimat customers with expert guidance on composite modelling, data science integration, and workflow automation. He works closely with engineering teams across industries to optimise material simulation strategies and drive digital transformation in product development.