ALGOR V20 Provides Faster, Easier-to-Use Modeling Environment for CAD and FEA

ALGOR V20 FEA software features a new, faster, completely integrated CAD/FEA modeling environment, which makes working with imported CAD models or building original models easier and more efficient. Shown here is an oil pan assembly, which illustrates several key features of ALGOR's easy-to-use single user interface, FEMPRO: design scenarios, allowing a single FEA model to contain numerous analyses; an updated Material Library Manager featuring a new directory structure organization and tree view; improved results evaluation tools including the capability to use element length as a result type and in custom calculations; a software wizard for creating bolts and fasteners; design studies and size optimization, which provide automated tools for achieving optimal designs based on user-supplied criteria.

PITTSBURGH, PA – March 27, 2007 – ALGOR, Inc., a leading provider of design, analysis and simulation software, announced that its latest, major finite element analysis (FEA) software release, ALGOR V20, introduces a new, faster, completely integrated CAD/FEA modeling environment, which makes working with imported CAD models or building original models easier and more efficient. New features include design scenarios, allowing a single FEA model to contain numerous analyses; a software wizard for creating bolts and fasteners; design studies and size optimization, which provide automated tools for achieving optimal designs based on user-supplied criteria; improved meshing capabilities; a new k-epsilon turbulence model for fluid flow analysis, which provides more accurate results and allows specification of wall roughness; and a new reinforced (rebar) concrete element and material model for easier and more realistic simulation of concrete structures. These and many more V20 features provide ALGOR users with increased power, flexibility and ease-of-use for simulating engineering analyses of their product designs.

V20 users are voicing their approval for this major software release:

"I like V20's new design scenarios feature along with the improved meshing including midside nodes following curvature," said Luke McElligott, CEO of Silverarm Ltd. in Exeter, United Kingdom. "This allows me to carry out crucial mesh convergence studies more quickly."

"Design scenarios are a very useful feature for our customers," said Paolo Nagliati, president of 2 S.I. Software e Servizi per l’Ingegneria S.r.l. in Ferrara, Italy. "Normally, engineers have to design building structures for gravity, dead load and live load, plus dynamic loads such as wind and seismic. Engineers can model and analyze these conditions conveniently and efficiently by using design scenarios to apply various regulations and code checks to a single model – it's a great help for this kind of job."

"The new design scenarios capability provides an efficient way of evaluating whether a design meets a variety of operation modes," said Shigeru Maruyama, CEO of Numcraft, Inc. in Miura, Kanagawa, Japan. "You can execute a series of tests in one FE model by changing the analysis type, mesh, constraints, material, and more in a way that simulates each mode of operation. With this capability, our customers will be able to take advantage of ALGOR's all-around functionalities more effectively."

"V20's sparse solver for modal analysis with load stiffening provides a substantial improvement in execution time," said Paul Poorman, Mechanical Engineer of Hewlett-Packard Company in Boise, Idaho. "I especially like the ability to create design scenarios to quickly run what-if analyses."

"Similar to the productivity-boosting design scenarios feature, V20's new, integrated CAD/FEA modeling environment provides our customers with faster performance and greater efficiency for preprocessing imported CAD models as well as building original FEA models," said ALGOR Product Manager Bob Williams. "This major software release also provides many other new and improved design and analysis features – developed in response to customer requests – for enhanced ease of use and increased productivity."

Other highlights of ALGOR V20 include:

• enhanced capabilities for fluid flow analysis:
  • support for multiple rotating frames of reference for 3-D modeling of complex fans and similar systems
  • buoyancy effects for transient analyses
  • total pressure boundary for 3-D
  • static pressure boundary with backflow for 3-D
  • inlet and outlet vent for 3-D
• faster, best-in-class sparse solver for fluid flow, heat transfer and linear dynamic analyses
• updated Material Library Manager with new directory structure organization and tree view
• capability to define results-based load curves for Mechanical Event Simulation
• enhanced multiphysics analysis including coupled unsteady fluid flow and transient heat with buoyancy effects
• capability to use element length as a result type and in custom calculations

The new features of V20 enhance and expand ALGOR's wide range of simulation capabilities including static stress and Mechanical Event Simulation (MES) with linear and nonlinear material models, linear dynamics, steady-state and transient heat transfer, steady and unsteady fluid flow, electrostatics and full multiphysics.

To see a free learning session on the new ALGOR V20, view the "What's New Featuring V20" Webcast on the ALGOR web site. For more detailed information, visit the "ALGOR V20" features page. To schedule a personalized software demonstration and discuss how ALGOR can meet your engineering needs, contact an ALGOR account manager or visit our web site – www.ALGOR.com.

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