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Welcome to the 57th edition of eNews with the latest information from IDAC to keep you fully up-to-date on our events, courses, products and the company.
CONCORD - Applied Math Modeling Inc. announced today that it has entered into an exclusive agreement with ANSYS, Inc. for the distribution, support and ongoing development of CoolSim™, a product focused on modeling the thermal environment of data centers. CoolSim is a hosted product that utilizes advanced ANSYS® CFD solvers to compute the temperature, pressure and airflow within a data center. With the recent increased focus on data center cooling and efficiency, CoolSim has shown to be an effective tool for predicting the effect of changes in the data center. Read More.
Clavicle Fracture Analysis
One of the interesting uses of musculoskeletal simulation is to assess the forces and moments acting across a bone fracture. Knowledge of these loads is of crucial importance to designers of bone fixation devices as well as to the surgeons using them. John Rasmussen presented a paper on this idea co-authored with Australians Paul Taylor and Karl Stoffel at the recent Pre-ORS symposium on computer simulation in orthopaedics. The above picture shows an imagined position of a midshaft clavicle fracture. It is obvious that the bone is loaded by a multitude of muscle forces and the corresponding joint reactions at the bone’s end supports on the sternum and scapula respectively. The idea behind the simulation is Read More.
ANSYS Sponsors Dinosaurs Exhibit at Carnegie Museum of Natural History
ANSYS today announced it is a sponsor of the Dinosaurs in Their Time exhibit at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. This is the first permanent exhibit in the world to feature scientifically accurate, immersive environments that are composed of original fossil specimens. It is unique in that the dinosaurs are posed in active, engaging stances based on modern scientific conceptions, rather than the long-held notion of lumbering, tail-dragging, cold-blooded, lizard-like creatures. "Dinosaurs in Their Time gives the museum's world-class fossil collection a home worthy of its immense scientific importance," said Dr. Zhe-Xi Luo, acting co-director and associate director of science and research... Read More.
Furniture Company Shortens Office Chair Design Process And Quickly Completes Project
When office furniture manufacturer Allsteel set itself the lofty task of creating the 'perfect' office chair, they decided to call it number 19 because it has 18 major components, with the human as part number 19. Despite the name, the Allsteel #19 chair is made primarily of cast-recycled aluminum and has achieved critical acclaim in the office furniture and design industries. Because of the demands of the project and the complexity of the chair, Allsteel ran more than 300 analysis cases on the chair using ANSYS Multiphysics FEA software. The effort helped minimize both dependence on prototyping and repeated testing of the Allsteel #19 chair.... Read More.
ANSYS, Inc. Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Ansoft Corporation
ANSYS Inc. a global innovator of simulation software and technologies designed to optimize product development processes, and Ansoft Corporation a global provider of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software, announced today that they signed a definitive agreement whereby ANSYS will acquire Ansoft for a purchase price of approximately $832 million in a mix of cash and ANSYS common stock The strategic, complementary business combination of ANSYS and Ansoft will create the leading provider of 'best-in-class' simulation capabilities. The acquisition of Ansoft is ANSYS' first foray into the broader EDA software industry and will enhance the breadth, functionality, usability and interoperability of the combined ANSYS portfolio of engineering simulation solutions. The combination is expected to increase operational efficiency and lower design and engineering costs for customers, and accelerate development and delivery of new and innovative products to the marketplace. Read More.
HPC Powering Widespread Simulation Studies
Mid-sized companies are tapping high-powered HPC platforms to do more sophisticated simulation studies. The barriers to entry for high performance computing (HPC) continue to fall, portending big benefits for engineers looking to do virtual reality studies on design concepts or to solve problems around computational fluid dynamics or structural mechanics prior to building physical prototypes. The price/performance curve for powerful HPC hardware is accelerating at a rapid pace, opening up technology that was once accessible only to wealthy research and academic enclaves to mainstream manufacturers building... Read More.
nCode Invest In Materials Testing Laboratory
New lab meets increasing demand for specialist material characterization services from OEMS. nCode International, a leading global provider of durability, test & measurement, fleet monitoring, and product design (CAE) solutions, announces a major new investment in its specialist materials characterization laboratory, helping OEMS select the right material for performance throughout the product lifecycle.
nCode’s has relocated its laboratory into a new facility in Darley Dale, Derbyshire, adding both capacity and flexibility, as a direct response to the increasing demand for high specification characterization tests. The new facility adds over 50% more space for machines, as well improved environmental control and data acquisition. The SoMat eDAQ-lite is the standard data acquisition unit across the lab. Click here to read the full press release (English).
Events
8th Annual Conference: Innovation in Composites
Thursday 24th April 2008 | The Holiday Inn, Chapel Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham, B43 7BG, UK
Just a reminder that the Eighth Annual Composites UK Conference takes place on 24th April at The Holiday Inn, J7, M6.
Click here for more information.
Or give us a call on:- +44(0)870 160 5900
nCode - Health and Usage Monitoring Condition-based Maintenance and Prognostics Symposium
14-15 April 2008 | Shrivenham UK
Brief details click here.
Please email us by clicking here for more information.
Or give us a call on:- +44(0)870 160 5900
Software and Training Offers
1)
Purchase ANSYS Mechanical software license before the end of April and receive 3 days free training worth £1,125.
2)
Purchase ANSYS Structural software license before the end of April and receive 2 days free training worth £750.
3)
Purchase ANSYS Professional software license before the end of April and receive 1 day free training worth £375.
4)
Purchase 10 days training in advance during 2008 and we will give you an extra day for free.
View our new presentation on Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) which we also provide training, software and consultancy for by clicking here
Lease & Finance
Spread the cost of your purchase with Finance or a Lease solutions:
We are now able to offer two options to help cover the cost of your software upgrade.
Option 1:
You can lease any ANSYS software products with TECS included for up to 12 months at a time and all you have to do is contact us on +44 (0) 870 160 5900 or by clicking here to send us an email and we can go through which option is best for you.
Option 2:
Finance your software purchase over a longer period such as 3, 4 or 5 years.
Click here to view a simple interactive finance application if you would like to explore the cost of funding software or training services.
Consultancy Service
As part of our day to day consultancy and sales activities IDAC has often highlighted to customers that there are alternative, more efficient ways of using ANSYS software. This service also encompasses demonstrations of what is new in the current release of ANSYS Workbench. We at IDAC have a huge amount of experience using both ANSYS Classic and ANSYS Workbench environments and more that 700 consultancy projects delivered over the last decade of our operations. Please contact IDAC onl 0870 180 5900 directly if you would like one of our engineers to visit and review your engineering analysis process.
All we need to make an assessment of your product or process design is details of design (drawings, iges data, 3D CAD Models) and its performance specification. We are here to discuss your analysis needs so don't hesitate to contact us. IDAC consultants constantly help customers develop product designs and processes but also come up with new designs that solve a rang of industry problems. All consultancy project files are made available to our customers on CD/DVD to assist in technology transfer. Please take a look at the Consultancy Services section of our website for more information.
If you are interested in speeding up usage or to offer ‘simple to drive’ ANSYS software to other less technical members of your team such as sales or planning staff contact us directly and we will produce a proposal for you.
Case Study
Whittaker Engineering
Design and Analysis of a North Sea FPSO Turret Rail Repair Scheme
Founded in 1983, the last 25 years has seen Whittaker Engineering develop into a respected and reliable contributor to the North Sea oil industry, specialising in the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of FPSO turret turning systems. As one of the few specialists in this area their solutions are the result of an evolution in design from existing systems. From original concept through to offshore maintenance, their designs are engineered to fit the onboard working practices and procedures, delivering tough, reliable and cost effective solutions. were required to provide FEA work in order to verify the repair scheme. Three different phases to this work were considered as follows...
Click here for full story
A New Spin on Cement
Simulation broadens understanding of dynamic separators in cement manufacturing.
For nearly all products, it can be said that the quality of the raw materials being used in creating those products affects the quality of the final item. In cement production, control of the incoming raw materials influences not only the end product, but also the efficiency of the manufacturing process and its associated costs.The regulation of particle size is handled by two processes in cement production: raw/cement milling, which grinds materials to decrease their size, and dynamic separation, which classifies and partitions particles by size. If particles are smaller than about 90 µm in diameter, the dynamic separator...
Click here for full story
Dunham Associates
Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Consulting
Dunham Associates develops facility designs that maximize energy savings and optimize the quality of the indoor environment for building occupants. The company utilizes high-performance engineering strategies to reduce operating costs and to ensure the comfort of those using the facility. Dunham is committed to the principles of sustainable design; it works closely with its clients to achieve facility goals. Dunham believes it can most effectively create the kinds of spaces that clients desire by interacting early in the design process with...
Click here for full story
Articles
Proud Bird of the Deep
A Mechatronic Submersible: The Super Falcon
Looking for adventure? How about a frolic in your own personal submarine hundreds of feet below the surface of the ocean?
Hawkes Ocean Technologies, which has designed and built manned submersibles since the 1970s, has developed its latest model, the most advanced vessel yet. To bring a variety of design innovations to life, the team turned to a full suite of software tools, including simulation technology from ANSYS. Blending a sleek winged design with advanced mechatronics’ concepts, the craft promises to meet company founder Graham Hawkes’ goal of pushing the envelope in “deep water flight.”
Full story click here.
KISTI Selects ANSYS as a Key Supplier in Engineering Simulation
ANSYS Inc. today announced that the Korean Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI), one of the world's largest supercomputing centers, has selected software from ANSYS to strengthen its standing as an international engineering simulation and science technology information center. As a result, KISTI will be able to provide increased computing resources to academia and industry in Korea. "This is the largest supercomputing project ever completed in Korea. The overall cost of the computer and software is approximately 60 million U.S. dollars. We have already finished the introduction of this high-performance computing system, and we will start supporting customers' ANSYS simulations at the middle of this month," said Sik Lee, Ph.D., a leader at the KISTI Supercomputing Applications Team. Read More.
Fluent’s wind modelling program will blow you away
Mixed-mode ventilation is increasingly being adopted to help reduce the carbon footprint of new buildings. In exploiting natural ventilation, the challenge is how to design a window opening system that provides a good supply of air across a floorplate without causing uncomfortable draughts near openings. Building mock-ups and wind tunnel models can be time-consuming and expensive, but the risks of getting the design wrong are high. Using the type and level of technology normally reserved for Formula One racing cars, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has the potential to allow numerous design modifications to be tested before construction begins. Read More.
Tips & Downloads
Geometry checking in DesignModeler
As a beta feature, DesignModeler can detect short lines, small areas, sliver surfaces, etc, in the geometry and display where they are. This is useful for dealing with problematic geometries.
To use it, you must first activate beta features in ANSYS Workbench from the top menu Tools > Options. Choose Common Settings > User Interface and set Menus/Toolbars > Show Beta Options = Yes
After doing this, you can access the "Model Analyzer" feature in DesignModeler from Tools > Analysis Tools.
You can specify limits for area size, edge length, and so on and then request a search.
If you have any problems give us a call on +44 870 160 5900
Or email us
ANSYS Borrow License Capability
Did you know that you can borrow your ANSYS license from your network for up to 30 days for commercial users and up to 7 days for academic users. This facility enables you to take ANSYS software ‘on-site’ or ‘home’ for the enthusiastic. The borrow license capability can be requested from IDAC at any time but can only be added for free when you renew your technical support or purchase additional products.
For more information call us on +44 870 160 5900
Or email us
Do you have to repeat desktop actions over and over again?
If you do, you may save a lot of time using a neat little program called ‘My Function Keys’. You can use it to perform actions that require multiple button clicks such as Edit Copy, Paste Special, Text etc. This program is free in its basic format and only $13 for a full copy. Download it from here
Free File Shredder
With File Shredder you can remove files from your hard drive without fear they could be recovered. There are quite a few software tools today for retrieval of deleted files under Windows OS. Those tools, often referred to as "file recovery" software, are taking advantage of shortcoming of WIndows "delete" command that we all use regularly to delete files. Actually, the "delete" operation in Windows only removes bits of information from files so they appear deleted in OS. It is easy to retrieve those files using aforementioned specialized file recovery software. Download (.zip - 802kb)
ERROR NO: WB2008-01
Description of Error
When a model with a hydrostatic pressure load is duplicated, the local coordinate system used to define the fluid free surface location of the hydrostatic pressure load does not get updated with the duplicated local coordinate system of the new model. Hence, any changes that you make to the duplicated local coordinate system will not affect the hydrostatic pressure load in the new model, resulting in wrong results being calculated.
Click Here For Full Report
ERROR NO: 2008-04
Description of Error
Synchronous response using the SYNCHRO command in a harmonic (ANTYPE=HARMIC) analysis is incorrect when all of the following conditions are met:
1.
gyroscopic matrix is turned on (CORIOLIS,ON,,,ON), and
2.
rotating structure contains element types SOLID45, SOLID95, SOLID185, SOLID186 and/or SOLID187, and
3.
synchronous excitation is specified through SYNCHRO command.
The error occurs since the rotational velocity, Omega, used for calculating the gyroscopic matrix of solid elements is not updated as per the equation (shown on SYNCHRO command):
Omega = 2*PI*f / Ratio
Where,
f = frequency of excitation specified through the HARFRQ command
Omega = rotational velocity used for calculating the gyroscopic matrix
Ratio = synchronous ratio input through the SYNCHRO command
Instead, the gyroscopic matrix is erroneously calculated with a constant rotational velocity input through either the OMEGA or the CMOMEGA command.
Description of Error
When using the HBMAT command to dump the contents of the .SUB file created by a substructuring generation pass, the last value of the diagonal locator array written to the .MATRIX file produced by the HBMAT command is incorrect.
Click Here For Full Report
Training
FEA/CFD Training in Dubai
IDAC has begun holding training sessions in FEA/CFD for our clients in the Middle East. Given the vast interest in FEA/CFD that we have witnessed in this geographic region, we are now running ANSYS and CFX training courses in Dubai this year.
Click here to see our list of courses.
We are giving away 15% discount on our next CFX course running on 14th 15th & 16th April.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) using ANSYS/CFX
This course is designed for those interested in the analysis of fluid motion. Basic knowledge of the ANSYS interface is beneficial but not required. Prior knowledge of fluid mechanics and general FE modelling is particularly useful.
This course enables students to:
•
Analyse 2-D and 3-D flows to evaluate velocity and pressure distributions.
•
Calculate heat transfer coefficients and transfer them to an ANSYS/Thermal model.
•
Calculate fluid pressures and transfer them to an ANSYS/Structural model.
All scheduled courses are held in our dedicated, air-conditioned training suite. Price includes light refreshments and lunch ,but not manuals, which may be bought separately. Scheduled courses can also be run, on alternative dates, specifically for your company. Courses can also be held at your company offices for an additional cost.
Customized Courses
Courses can be tailored to your specific needs. The relevant chapters from any of the scheduled courses can be assembled into a customized course to cover the skills you need to solve your specific engineering simulation problems. Courses can be held at IDAC or at your company offices. Manuals can be bought separately.
Technology Transfer Courses
Let IDAC solve your problem for you and then transfer the technology to you and your colleagues. Contact the course coordinator, using the e-mail address or telephone number below, for further details.
Additional Courses
IDAC are also able to offer courses on the following subjects and programs:
CivelFEM for ANSYS, FE Weld, Fracture Mechanics, Design Optimization, Probabilistic Design System, Samcef.
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nCode - Health and Usage Monitoring Condition-based Maintenance and Prognostics Symposium 
