Healing a bone defect can be a long, costly process. In the UK, for instance, it typically takes around three months and can cost up to GBP 10,000 (USD 13,550), making bone repair feel more like a luxury than a necessity. That has long been the global norm.
But the status quo is starting to shift.
In China, a hospital is piloting a novel solution that could potentially reduce the cost and duration of bone defect treatment by a significant margin. The system runs on a platform called AICode, which draws from the world’s largest single-center case database—comprising 160 cases in total—to optimize treatment plans. The result is faster recovery at a significantly lower cost. Bone repair is becoming widely accessible, enabled by homegrown Chinese technology.
The AICode platform is a computer-aided engineering (CAE) workstation developed by Femai, a startup founded in January 2024 by Zhuang Zhuo, a globally recognized expert in computational mechanics. The platform tightly integrates artificial intelligence and simulation engineering, combining fine-tuned large language models with proprietary algorithms. It autonomously assembles modular tools into workflows that span experimental sampling, batch simulations, feature engineering, model training, and intelligent optimization.
Femai specializes in AI-enhanced simulations, advanced material design, and structural optimization. It serves a range of sectors, including aerospace, new energy vehicles, consumer electronics, and smart healthcare.
Traditionally, industrial simulations—whether model building or result analysis—could take weeks. With AICode, these complex processes can now run in minutes, significantly accelerating product development. By replacing the fragmented workflows of conventional CAE software, the platform interprets natural language input to understand a user’s design needs and automatically executes tasks.
Industrial simulation is a foundational yet often overlooked component of modern manufacturing. From aircraft engineering and vehicle crash testing to medical device design, simulations underpin innovation. However, the software used in this field has long been dominated by Western companies, placing Chinese firms at a disadvantage due to high fees, clunky interfaces, and inefficient processes.
According to founder Zhuang, Femai’s AICode platform marks a turning point: a high-performance, domestically developed alternative. “CAE software dates back to the 1960s, and we started 20 years behind,” he said. “But the rise of AI has given us a new path forward. We no longer need to catch up by taking the long way around.”
At the core of the platform is a proprietary 3D generative tool that enables users to generate digital parts and assemblies from simple language descriptions. It can produce both 3D models and readable code and supports exports in widely used 3D file formats.
Another key innovation is the platform’s AI-driven simulation engine, which automatically generates mesh structures, materials, contact parameters, and boundary conditions based on user input. This replaces time-consuming manual setups with more accurate and efficient simulations. Its constitutive modeling tool supports experiments on strain rate, relaxation, and creep, with visualization and output of solver-ready material files.
AICode was built with modular architecture, supporting integration with third-party CAD (computer-aided design) and CAE tools. It also offers deployment flexibility, including private setups, cloud-based distributed computing, and API access, making it scalable for businesses of all sizes.
In the nuclear industry, the platform enables simulations that may more accurately predict how components perform under extreme conditions. In automotive design, it can support structural optimization to reduce vehicle weight, which in turn improves fuel efficiency and extends driving range. In aerospace, it could shorten development cycles for new aircraft parts.
So far, AICode has reportedly been adopted in use cases spanning medical devices, composite materials, vehicle structures, and nuclear engineering. Its users include China National Nuclear Power, the China Merchants Chongqing Communications Research and Design Institute, and several major state-owned enterprises involved in domestic aircraft development.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This article was written by Li Xiaoxia for 36Kr.