DNV Software has a long history of regular investment in its product portfolio for the benefit of all users. This strategy for continuous improvement to address market needs has been reinforced within our new organisation by providing increased focus on product management.

In order to ensure market-driven development, new releases this year will focus specifically on our most widely used modules. These enhancements are described in detail below.

Sesam Explorer
DNV Software has a long history of providing tools for modelling and management of workflow processes. The main motivation has been to ensure capturing of best engineering practices and to maintain quality, efficiency and distributed work. During the past 2–3 years, DNV Software has established a common architecture, Brix Workflow, as a framework for customising workflow systems for particular usage. This framework is already a key component of DNV’s internal marine production system, with more than 2,500 users globally. A customised version based on Brix Workflow and known as Sesam Explorer, is now being introduced for running Sesam, and this will replace the existing Sesam Manager. More advanced features like graphical workflow, data storage (revision control), concurrent engineering, role descriptions, built-in templates, audit trails and guidelines will follow. Sesam Explorer will also provide full customisation capabilities.

DeepC
DeepC has now been available in the market for three years and during this period we have gained practical xperience and seen potential for usage beyond the original scope. One example is fatigue of metallic risers; another is code checking of risers according to the DNV code DNV-OS-F201. Both enhancements are scheduled for release in 2005. Many other enhancements are planned for inclusion in releases scheduled end Q2/2005. These include a new environmental module, ball joint connections for modelling of hinges, stress joints for modelling of varying conical cross sections, execution of multiple analyses in batch, spring to ground functionality and export to a ‘clean’ journal file, a feature already popular in HydroD and GeniE.

GeniE
GeniE has primarily been used for modelling and analysis of jackets, jack-ups and topsides including plates. Recent enhancements for integrated analysis of the environment (waves, current, wind, soil) mean that GeniE has become a comprehensive design tool for these structure types. To make the program an even more complete integrated design tool, we are now adding further enhancements for automatically generated and customisable design reports and code checking. The required design features have always been part of Sesam, but now they will be available from the same user interface. We have already built a prototype report generator based on customer feed-back, and we are now working on integrated code checking and reporting based on the concept model. Both features are planned for inclusion in releases this year and will contain support for the Eurocode/Norsok and API-LRFD codes of practice (others will follow next year).

GeniE uses Acis from Spatial Technology as its kernel providing access to a very powerful modelling tool for plates in addition to beams. This capability will now be utilised in panel modelling (for export to HydroD) and concept modelling of general curved structures. As such, the user can do more and more from the same user interface. It is not the intention to replace Patran-Pre which has a long and good track-record for modelling of complex structures – GeniE’s feature for curved modelling is intended to be complimentary. Panel modelling is scheduled for release early Q3/2005, while curved modelling will come late 2005.

HydroD
HydroD has been well received by our users working with hydrodynamic analysis. Features for stability calculations and graphically driven mass modelling have been requested by the users. These are now being implemented and will be available this year. We already have a prototype which performs stability calculations, by adjusting mass and c.o.g. and showing the vessel in its position of equilibrium taking into account sinkage, trim and heel.

Xtract
Xtract has now replaced Postfem to user acclaim. One of the benefits of using Xtract has been the direct communication with the result database which eliminates the need for a special purpose post-processing database and reduces disk storage requirements. This has resulted in some speed issues, particularly for large models when performing load combinations and scanning operations, which have now been addressed. The version to be released Q2/2005 is at least 5–10 times faster than the previous version.

Sestra
Sestra being the most widely used analysis tool in Sesam remains high priority for future enhancements. Over the past few years we have significantly improved the speed of running analysis; static as well as eigenvalue. Focus for 2005 will be to allow for contact analysis (typically used in jack-up and transportation analysis) and the elimination of the so-called ‘zero’ load-cases on the result database.

This means that the size of the database will be reduced in proportion to the ratio of ‘blank’ load-cases to those containing data. In addition, the inclusion of contact analysis will lead to similar developments in both GeniE and Presel.