ALGOR V18 Features Expanded Modeling, Analysis and Presentation Capabilities

ALGOR V18 features powerful new capabilities, including the ability to read surfaces and materials directly from SolidWorks, making meshing and defining material properties easier and faster (top left); the ability to automatically model the fluid medium based on a CAD solid model (top right); a new isosurface display capability, expanding FEMPRO's results evaluation and presentation options (bottom left); the ability to specify the coloring and size of 3-D streamlines and particle tracking, making the display of fluid flow results clearer and more compelling (bottom right); and optimization for 64-bit operating systems.

PITTSBURGH, PA – October 17, 2005 – ALGOR, Inc., a leading provider of design, analysis and simulation software, announced that its latest software release, V18, features expanded capabilities for linear static stress analysis (optimized for 64-bit operating systems), Mechanical Event Simulation (new Arruda-Boyce and Blatz-Ko hyperelastic material models and Mooney-Rivlin, Ogden, Arruda-Boyce, Blatz-Ko and Hyperfoam finite-strain viscoelastic material models) and fluid flow analysis (automatic modeling of the fluid medium and a new segregate steady solver for faster runtimes). New presentation enhancements include the display of results on isosurfaces, colored, 3-D streamlines and particle tracking with size control and the ability to export results to VRML files.

“The 64-bit optimization is part of a significant expansion of the hardware platforms supported by all of our ALGOR solvers, which when complete in 2005, will include 32- and 64-bit support for Windows and Linux and the first platform in our support for UNIX workstations. This expanded hardware support will allow users to analyze larger, more complex models faster than ever,” said ALGOR Product Manager, Bob Williams. “Additionally, the new nonlinear material models allow for the consideration of a wider range of materials - especially rubbers and foams, while the new fluid medium modeling option allows CAD users to more easily gain access to our expansive suite of CFD tools.”

“With the release of ALGOR V18, fluid models are now a snap to create,” said Independent Contractor James A. Britch, P.E. “Model the structure in your 3-D CAD package, then select the fluid modeling option in ALGOR FEMPRO and simply define whether the fluid is internal or external.  ALGOR then automatically creates the fluid model as a new part and matches the mesh to the structural elements.”

“I have been using ALGOR V18 for a month and have been extremely pleased,” said Marc A. Meadows, P.E., of Meadows Analysis & Design, LLC. “The 64-bit optimization is excellent. I look forward to the increased performance on my new 64-bit computer.  The mouse customization is another great tool as I spend a lot of time switching between applications and this feature eliminates the need to change the operation of buttons and the wheel every time. I am also looking forward to the new VRML export options because my customers have requested this capability.”

ALGOR V18 also includes:

• CAD Support (Direct)
  • Ability to read surfaces and materials directly from SolidWorks
• FEMPRO
  • Support for 3Dconnexion's advanced motion controllers (including SpacePilot, SpaceBall, SpaceMouse and SpaceTraveler)
  • Customizable mouse actions
  • Ability to match CAD mouse actions
  • Ability to select neighboring objects
  • Ability to zoom while snapping
  • Ability to create fillets between beams
  • Improved meshing capabilities
    • Part mesh matching
  • Ability to import 3-D DXF files
•  Mechanical Event Simulation/Nonlinear Solver
  • Ability to perform a draft motion-based analysis to verify linkages
  • Curve fitting for new hyperelastic material models
  • Ability to specify velocity and angular velocity throughout analysis
  • Smoothing contact parameters across different contact surfaces
• Superview Results Environment
  • Contour plots for shell thickness
  • Factor of safety contour displays for beam elements
  • Ability to specify default display settings for new models
  • Ability to show node numbers for minimum and maximum values

To see a free learning session on the new ALGOR V18, view the "ALGOR V18" Webcast on the ALGOR web site. For more detailed information, contact an ALGOR account manager or visit the " ALGOR V18" features page.