CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
24 May 2004
Implementation Investments
2003 America's Cup Winner Chooses ANSYS Integrated Simulation Solutions to Drive Title Defense
ANSYS, Inc. ( http://www.ansys.com ) announced a four year Official Supplier contract with Team Alinghi, the Swiss sailing team leveraging ANSYS' integrated simulation solutions as a key component of its strategy to defend the America's Cup in 2007.
Team Alinghi now is placing even greater demands on virtual prototyping tools because the design rules for this competition have undergone significant changes, and the number of variables affecting the boat's performance has changed dramatically. In turn, Team Alinghi is relying upon ANSYS products and services for its system-level computer modeling and simulation needs. In addition to implementing ANSYS Workbench and ANSYS Mechanical, Team Alinghi also plans to use ANSYS computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools such as ANSYS ICEM CFD and CFX-5.
"We have used multiple simulation tools from different suppliers in the past, but after seeing the breadth and depth of ANSYS' integrated technology capabilities, we realized this was the ideal match for us," said Grant Simmer, design coordinator at Team Alinghi. "Since the design simulation throughput and accuracy for rapid iterations of experimentation and ensuing design modifications will be key in securing our second America's Cup in 2007, ANSYS was the obvious choice."
Furthermore, Team Alinghi's success partly depends upon arriving at a design that will outperform competitors under multiple and uncertain environmental conditions. ANSYS' multi-physics-based integrated solutions will allow Team Alinghi to achieve this feat. The multi-disciplinary coupling attribute of the ANSYS solution is used specifically in the design of the mast and keel fin. ANSYS' mechanical solutions are used extensively to analyze the composite structures in the Team Alinghi yachts. ANSYS ICEM CFD and CFX will be used to study the various underwater components and the mast/sail interaction.
Team Alinghi was formed in 2000. Three years later, Alinghi won the America's Cup against Team New Zealand (5-0) and became the first team to win the America's Cup on its first attempt. Due to this victory, the Cup is back in Europe for the first time in 152 years.
Team Alinghi is an international team based in Switzerland. It carries the colors of the yacht club, Societe Nautique de Geneve. UBS, Infonet, Audemars-Piguet, SGS and Nespresso are its sponsors, alongside official suppliers that include ANSYS, Inc.
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