FormSys and FRIENDSHIP SYSTEMS Collaborate on Ship Optimisation Tools

Fremantle, WA, Australia – April 28, 2009 – FormSys and FRIENDSHIP SYSTEMS have announced the first products to be produced as a result of their collaboration on development of ship optimization software. The new software release links the FRIENDSHIP-Framework 2.0 system with the Hydromax stability module from FormSys’ Maxsurf suite of naval architecture software. This new software capability will allow naval architects to include detailed intact and damaged stability calculations at the earliest stages of their vessel optimization work.

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The major and improved functionality of the FRIENDSHIP-Framework 2.0 is the ability to easily link external programs through either Automation (COM), generic, or XML interfaces. An example for an advanced COM integration is the seamless coupling of Hydromax to the FRIENDSHIP-Framework.

Hydromax provides hydrostatics, stability and longitudinal strength calculations and determines a wide range of hydrostatic and stability characteristics for any hull design. The new link provides direct access to this advanced stability and strength analysis during the formal optimization and variation process within the FRIENDSHIP-Framework.

This capability allows the FRIENDSHIP-Framework to benefit from Hydromax’ performance without the need for any user manual input – the FRIENDSHIP-Framework acts as a COM client with Hydromax as a COM server. In this way Hydromax can be asked to undertake certain computations on behalf of the integration environment.

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This first integration of the FRIENDSHIP SYSTEMS and Maxsurf suites of ship design software marks the first results of the two company’s collaboration. Future development will include integration of other parts of the Maxsurf suite with the FRIENDSHIP-Framework optimisation system.  These other components include Seakeeper motions prediction, Hullspeed resistance prediction and Multiframe structural analysis.

FRIENDSHIP SYSTEMS GmbH is the first company worldwide to focus on the simulation-driven design of functional surfaces. It offers innovative software solutions for the Computer Aided Engineering of ship hulls, propellers, turbines, pumps etc. The continuing development of its FRIENDSHIP-Framework introduces cutting-edge parametric design methods for the systematic investigation and assessment of many hundreds and even thousands of design variants. FRIENDSHIP SYSTEMS has been a member of the Germanischer Lloyd Group since the beginning of 2009.

For further information see www.friendship-systems.com

or email us at info@formsys.com