Formation Releases Structural Engineering Automation Software

Multiframe version 8 links with Microsoft Office, AutoCAD.

Fremantle, January 26th, 2002

Formation Design Systems has announced the release of version 8 of Multiframe, a suite of structural engineering design and analysis software. Used by consulting engineering and construction companies worldwide to design all kinds of engineering structures, Multiframe is now receiving its most important update since its debut in 1990.

Version 8 of Multiframe features a technology new to the world of structural engineering. Dubbed Multiframe Automation by the company, this technology allows engineers to develop their own design scripts or macros - using industry standard tools like Excel and AutoCAD - and dynamically access the details of 3D structural models developed in Multiframe. Multiframe Automation is based on Microsoft's COM data exchange architecture.

Multiframe Automation is 100% compatible with the industry standard VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) environment popularised by Microsoft in its Office suite of products. VBA is now also supported by a number of engineering applications such as AutoCAD, MathCAD and Visio. Engineers typically use VBA to record or write macros for common or repetitive tasks such as performing design checks or creating standard reports.

The addition of automation to Multiframe means that engineers may now write macros which dynamically exchange data between these other applications and Multiframe. Applications for this include: an engineer who writes a macro in Excel to automatically find the highest stressed members in a structure and perform a design check on them; developing a macro in AutoCAD to automatically export a sketch to create a 3D structural model in Multiframe; writing a script in Access to automatically build a database containing the number, size and weight of all of the steel beams in a structure.

Commenting on the release of Multiframe version 8, Formation Design Systems Managing Director Philip Christensen comments, "Formation is the first company worldwide to add VBA automation to a structural engineering product. This reinforces our position as an innovator in structural software and shows our commitment to embracing industry standards while delivering great flexibility to our users"

Multiframe is being released simultaneously in English and Japanese versions. This reflects the continuing popularity of Multiframe in the Japanese, US and international markets. Multiframe has been particularly successful in Japan with over 400 companies there having adopted the software. This is based in part on Multiframe's highly regarded visualisation capabilities which have been further enhanced in the version 8 release with the addition of OpenGL 3D rendering support.

OpenGL 3D rendering allows very fast 3D display of a realistic colour shaded model of the structure. Originally developed for 3D computer games, OpenGL has now found favour as the preferred display system for complex CAD models such as those found in Multiframe. The OpenGL support Formation has added means that Multiframe users can now manipulate shaded 3D views of large structures in real time. One unique characteristic of Multiframe's OpenGL support is its "clipping and masking" capability which allows a user to slice through a complex model and use "X-Ray" vision on the area of interest. Other parts of the structure are instantly made partially transparent allowing the engineer to focus on the area of interest. This can even be done in conjunction with Multiframe's animation capabilities allowing a full animated movie of a structure deforming under load to be viewed in this way.

Multiframe version 8 will be available worldwide in February 2002.

Formation Design Systems is a developer of complex 3D computer aided design software. Specialist areas of application include structural engineering, shipbuilding and industrial design. Formation's products are used worldwide by leading construction companies in Japan, shipbuilders in Australia and Europe and educational institutions in the USA.