Dassault Systèmes Announces New Solution to Improve Reliability of Welded Joints

Verity® for Abaqus from SIMULIA Leverages Battelle Technology for Nuclear Power, Oil & Gas and Heavy Machinery Applications

Paris, France and Providence, R.I., USA, April 10, 2009 – Dassault Systèmes (DS) (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, today announced the availability of Verity® for Abaqus, from the DS SIMULIA brand, for simulating realistic structural stress in welded joints and other connections.

Verity® for Abaqus, a new add-on product for Abaqus FEA software, enables engineers to easily and accurately predict a consistent stress characterization for welded joints in industrial applications such as pressure vessels, piping, storage tanks, offshore platforms, and construction equipment. The new product is based on the Verity® mesh-insensitive structural stress method from Battelle, the world’s largest non-profit independent research and development organization.

In addition to welded joints, the Verity® structural stress method can also be applied to structures with geometrical notches such as adhesive joints, mechanically fastened joints, electronic packages, and manufacturing notches that exhibit stress concentrations due to loading. The method has been adopted in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Division 2 Code and API 579/ASME FFS-1 Codes for Fitness-for-Service assessments based on allowable stress methods and plastic collapse loads.

"Due to mesh sensitivities in finite element models, it is difficult for engineers to accurately characterize structural stress in welded joints and other discontinuities, and this often results in unreliable fatigue life prediction," stated Steve Crowley, director of product management, SIMULIA, Dassault Systèmes. "By leveraging Battelle’s technology, Verity® for Abaqus provides a mesh-insensitive solution and enables engineers to improve reliability and safety of structures that use welds or other joining techniques such as soldering or brazing."

In the nuclear power industry, Verity® for Abaqus helps engineers to more accurately evaluate weld performance of mission-critical components and systems such as pressure vessels to reduce maintenance and in-situ physical inspection. In the oil and gas industry, benefits include improved operational availability of physical systems such as pipelines and offshore structures. "The industry challenge of meeting regulations for structural stress of welded joints requires new technology and methods," stated Spencer Pugh, Vice President for Battelle’s Industrial and International market sector. "By integrating our Verity® technology with Abaqus, SIMULIA is providing a unique simulation solution that enables companies to analyze accurate weld performance, lower development costs, and accelerate their design and implementation processes."