Easy-to-use “First Pass” CFD Tool Enables More Intuitive, Rapid Design Process

Fluent Inc., the worldwide leader in computational fluid dynamics, announces FloWizard™, a highly-automated “first-pass” flow simulation tool designed to quickly validate product design concepts in the earliest stages of the development process. This powerful, yet easy-to-use tool allows engineers with a fundamental understanding of fluid dynamics to gain access to the power of fluid flow and heat transfer modeling to make informed design decisions. FloWizard is also fully customizable, and features peer-to-peer collaboration as a standard feature, allowing advanced users to collaborate with new users for support and the review of results.

By simulating a product’s fluid flow characteristics earlier in the design process, companies using FloWizard can realize several benefits, including:

· Fewer physical prototypes required, saving significant time and cost

· Improved decision support information during the early stages of the design process

· Improved overall design engineering efficiency and productivity

· Identification of optimum designs earlier in the design cycle

· Customers receive prototypes sooner, and with higher quality

· Functionally superior products reach the market more quickly

“FloWizard automates many of the standard modeling procedures, making it very easy to use,” says Dr. Ferit Boysan, President of Fluent Inc. “The door is now open for widespread deployment of CFD as a decision-support tool throughout the entire design process. And its collaboration abilities help CFD analysts ensure that simulations are conducted properly and results are analyzed correctly, “ he adds.

Sharing the same solution engine as FLUENT version 6, FloWizard provides complete compatibility with the world’s leading CFD tool for virtual prototyping, providing virtually unlimited headroom as a company’s flow modeling needs and complexity grow. Key features of FloWizard include:

· An intuitive “user-centered” interface that guides designers through fundamental fluid flow analysis using well understood terminology and procedures that are easy to use and remember

· Automated processes for flow volume extractions, defeaturing, boundary condition application, solution set-up, and post processing

· Automated post-processing including path-line animations, guided visualization contours and vectors on easily swept planes

· Automated summary reports that include minimum, maximum, and average pressures, temperatures, and velocities at inlets, outlets, walls, and throughout domains, pressure drops between all inlets and outlets, heat transfer coefficients on walls, net mass and heat flow rates

· Full binary file compatibility with the entire Fluent 6 product set including the Gambit 2.1 pre-processing tool set

· Provides CAD connectivity including support for CATIA via “FloWizard for Catia”, Unigraphics, ProEngineer, SolidWorks, Solid Edge, as well many others via industry standard file formats.

· Highly customizable user interface with “out-of-box” functionality that is perfect for occasional or non-specialist CFD users

· Built-in collaboration for the virtual design team

FloWizard is currently in beta test with leading customers worldwide. Shipments are expected to begin the second quarter. For information on product configuration and pricing please contact a Fluent sales representative or visit the FloWizard web site: www.fluent.com/direct/wiz.

About Fluent

Fluent is the world's largest provider of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software and consulting services. Fluent's software is used for simulation, visualization, and analysis of fluid flow, heat and mass transfer, and chemical reactions. It is a vital part of the computer-aided engineering (CAE) process for companies around the world and is deployed in nearly every manufacturing industry. Using Fluent's software, product development, design and research engineers build virtual prototypes and simulate the performance of proposed and existing designs, allowing them to improve design quality while reducing cost and speeding time to market. Fluent's corporate headquarters are located in Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA, with offices in Belgium, England, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan and Sweden. Its CFD software is also available around the world through joint ventures, partnerships, and distributors in Korea, Australia, Brazil, China, Taiwan, the Czech Republic, Middle East, and most European countries.

FLUENT® is a registered trademark of Fluent Inc.

For more information, contact:

Jennifer Correa, Fluent Inc., 10 Cavendish Court, Lebanon, NH 03766, (603) 643-2600 Ext. 668, jrc@fluent.com