The FORAN System celebrates half a century in 2015. With 50 years of active service, FORAN is the longest standing CAD/CAM/CAE software on the market and a technological asset for the engineering and technology group SENER, which has placed its trust in this project throughout its history as a hallmark of its identity. To commemorate this anniversary, SENER will host an event in Spain with the presence of FORAN customers worldwide.
FORAN, an acronym of FORmas ANalíticas (ANalytic FORms), is a complete CAD software for the design, construction and engineering of all kinds of ships and marine units. FORAN allows for the efficient creation of a complete and detail 3D virtual model of the vessel, from which it is possible to automatically obtain all the information needed for its manufacture and assembly. In addition, this 3D model can be reused as a data source for other tools, such as Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), procurement management or planning applications.
Currently, FORAN is used in 30 countries around the world. Among the most significant clients are Navantia (Spain), BAE (UK), Bae Systems (UK), Sanoyas (Japan), UDIN (South Korea), Severnoye DB (Russia), the international group Rolls-Royce Marine and the VARD group (Norway). In Spain it is the standard tool, being employed in almost all technical offices. It is also a benchmark system in Europe and is installed in shipyards in Latin America and in the United States, as well as in the Middle East. In recent years, FORAN has determinedly set foot in Asia, where SENER has opened offices in China, Japan and South Korea. Almost 90% of the world’s commercial shipbuilding is concentrated in these countries, which will be the main market for FORAN in the short term, along with the naval shipbuilding sector.
Some of the most noteworthy projects involving FORAN in recent years are the Spring Aeloian vessel for Sanoyas, the largest PANAMAX class (dimensions adapted to cross the Panama Canal) bulk carrier in the world; the TEXACO Captain FPSO vessel for Navantia, with a storage capacity of 550,000 barrels and a processing capacity of 60,000 bopd; the dredger Leiv Eiriksson for Construcciones Navales del Norte, the largest in the world, with 46,000 m3 capacity; and the aforementioned projects for BAE Systems, the HMS Queen Elizabeth Carrier and the Successor series of submarines.
