CSIRO has added new features to its cutting-edge engineering software, Fastflo Version 3 has just been released.

Fastflo will be one of the world leading Australian technologies on display at the Hannover Trade Fair in Germany next week.

Fastflo is an Australian developed mathematical software package for scientists and engineers. It was launched in 1996 and released on the world market just over two years ago.

The new features include 3-D graphics and a range of new tools to help users solve a wide range of industrial and engineering problems.

"We see Fastflo as a premier product," says Dr Nick Stokes of CSIRO Mathematical and Information Sciences, the Chief Technologist of the Fastflo project. "It is one of only a handful of scientific packages developed in Australia that has achieved successful international distribution, and a shining example of what Australian ingenuity and persistence can achieve."

The package has been used by scientists and engineers around the world. It provides advanced tools to quickly solve the complex problems encountered in their work, which would otherwise involve lengthy computer programming.

Fastflo has been used to solve problems relating to the packing and transport of slurries in mining and pharmaceuticals, and to investigate the feasibility of new ways of handling molten steel which minimise contact with the 1500°C liquid.

"Fastflo is extremely useful at the prototyping stage," said Dr Stokes. "It is ideal for testing new concepts or proposed new processes."

The software is also being used to model the formation of giant mineral deposits in the earth's crust, aiding the exploration for these resources. It can work in 1, 2 or 3 dimensions.

Recently the software was found to have applications in finance as well. Fastflo is being used to streamline the ability of financial institutions to trade in financial options.

"Fastflo's strength is in the vast range of equations, called partial differential equations (PDEs), which can be easily specified and solved," said Dr Stokes.

"Because these equations occur universally in science and industry, the number of applications are immense, including the study of vibrations, heat conduction, elasticity, electromagnetism and fluid mechanics, to name just a few," he said.

"It has been used to give insights into industrial processes by, for example, simulating arc welding plasma processing during metal production and modelling the flow of molten metal," said Dr Stokes.

The new version opens up the range of applications even further. A new Fluids ToolBox makes it simpler to solve problems in fluid dynamics by providing a step-by-step menu-driven system.

The ToolBox is designed to solve fluid flow problems that occur commonly in industry. Applications include laminar and turbulent flow of common fluids - water and air - in industrial settings. The ToolBox also allows users to define their own code for special or unusual effects.

Dr Andrew Currie, Managing Director of Compumod, distributors of the software, says "We have been involved in the Fastflo project from its inception and are proud to be associated with such an innovative Australian product. Whilst most of the products we distribute are market leaders in their own clearly defined fields, Fastflo covers wide ranging fields from industrial applications to education and financial pricing. The common thread for Fastflo is the solution of the mathematics behind these needs."

The Fastflo project was greatly assisted in its early stages by an R&D grant from the Industry R&D Board, now under the Department of Industry, Science and Resources.

Compumod (www.compumod.com.au) is an Australian company that distributes engineering software, especially for fluid flow, structural analysis and fatigue life analysis, and provides services to a large portfolio of clients mainly in the heavy engineering and research sectors of the economy. Headquartered in Sydney, it also has offices in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

The CSIRO/Australian Industry Exhibit at Hannover Fair is proudly supported by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources through the Technology Diffusion Program.

The support from Australian Federal Department of Industry, Science and Resources (ISR) has enabled greater involvement by innovative Australian companies in the exhibit at Hannover Fair.

More Information

Dr Nick Stokes, CSIRO (03) 9545 8006
e-mail: nick.stokes@cmis.csiro.au

Dr Ron Cresswell, Compumod (02) 9283 2577

Images available from Janelle Kennard (02) 6216 7157
e-mail:Janelle.Kennard@cmis.csiro.au

http://www.cmis.csiro.au/fastflo/index.htm