New FLUENT for CATIA V5 Extends CFD Modeling CapabilityANSYS released version 4.0 of its FLUENT for CATIA V5 rapid flow modeling software. In addition to performance improvements, this release of FLUENT for CATIA V5 adds new physics models to its analysis capabilities that extend the types of products for which performance optimization is possible. The new species transport model allows the modeling of mixtures of fluids with different properties. This expands the types of equipment that can be optimized to include paint mixers, fire risk detection, airplane cabin ventilation, water treatment systems and the dispersion of exhaust gases. The new cavitation modeling feature lets users predict when cavitation may occur in a variety of systems. It allows performance optimization of fuel injectors used in car and motorcycle engines. It also lets users see when cavitation may occur in rotating pumps, enabling them to make design modifications to reduce the blade erosion that may result. New heat transfer boundary conditions let automotive companies model the cooling of brake rotor disks, to ensure that optimum braking performance is maintained under all conditions.

Inventor's Irrigation Pumps Help Lift African Farmers out of Poverty
Dr. Martin Fisher is transforming the lives of thousands of poor African farmers through a combination of technological invention and system-wide business development. In collaboration with his co-workers, Fisher, the 2008 recipient of the Lemelson-MIT Award for Sustainability, has already enabled over 310,000 people to rise out of poverty. According to the United Nations, more than 40 percent of Africans live in poverty, subsisting on less than US$1 a day. As co-founder and CEO of the nonprofit social enterprise KickStart, Fisher develops and markets moneymaking tools such as low-cost, human-powered irrigation pumps that improve the lives of small-scale rural farmers -- the majority of the poor in sub-Saharan Africa. Among the tools and devices designed and produced by Fisher and the KickStart team, the greatest impact comes from their line of MoneyMaker manual irrigation pumps. Inspired by a treadle pump used in Bangladesh and India, these pumps are distinguished by features, which include easy installment and maintenance, portability, and pressurization to facilitate irrigation on hillside landscapes. The Super MoneyMaker Pump, the most widely used model of these pumps, can pull water from a source (such as a pond, lake, stream, or well) as deep as 30 feet below the pump. It can then pressurize the water and spray it continuously to a height over 40 feet above the pump. It can also push water through a hose or pipe up to 1,000 feet on flat ground. It retails for about US$100, and its users are earning an average of US$1,000 profit per year.

Geometric introduces 3DPaintBrush, a design visualization software
Geometric Ltd. announced its new product, 3DPaintBrush, a visualization software that helps create near photo-realistic images, animations, and videos from existing computer-based 3D models within minutes. 3DPaintBrush is suitable for design professionals who need to create images and animations instantly. 3DPaintBrush allows real-time rendering of 3D models to create impressive digital image outputs for architects, interior decorators, industrial product designers, engineers simulating environments, advertising creative professionals, and multi-media content developers (animators; gaming, multi-media and e-learning content creators). It’s easy-to-use features include the ability to import and combine 3D models from multiple sources, manipulate material properties, adjust light settings, add backgrounds and environments, create animations, and finally save the results in popular image formats.

Bunkspeed and Icona Solutions partner in new solution for perceived quality studies
Icona Solutions Ltd. and Bunkspeed announced that Version 3 of Icona's aesthetica software will feature photographic-quality snapshot capabilities through direct integration with Bunkspeed's HyperShot 3D visualization software. Icona's aesthetica software is used in perceived quality studies in the automotive industry and by other product design and manufacturing companies, throughout the product development process. It enables them to simulate the effects of component and assembly variation and component deformation and to visualize them directly on a 3D digital model to resolve fit and finish issues. HyperShot allows product designers to visualize and evaluate their designs under real-world lighting conditions, with accurate materials and by authentically depicting how reflections will appear in any environment. Version 3 of aesthetica, including the HyperShot integration capability, is scheduled to begin customer shipments in June.


Jeffrey Rowe is the editor of MCADCafé and MCAD Weekly Review. He can be reached at Email Contact or 408.850.9230.



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Think3 Looking To Expand Sales Channel in U.S.
IMSI/Design Adopts Spatial's 3D Components Across Product Line
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