Computing
- A Cray SVP makes supercomputing predictions for 2017. Regarding the cloud, 2017 will be “partly cloudy.”
- [This might be another supercomputing prediction but…] Inside HPC reports that China will develop an exascale computer by the end of 2017.
- [And while we’re making predictions for the coming year…] Robert Cringely says the cloud will be huge in 2017 with “Amazon, Google, and Microsoft having all staked their corporate futures on their cloud services.”
From Pointwise
- We’d like to learn what software you think does 3-D pan, zoom, and rotate the best. Please take our 1-question survey.
- Pointwise V18.0 R2 was released last month and includes a new “script server” capability that, among other things, gives you the ability to make Glyph calls from Python, Perl, or potentially every other scripting language.
Applications
Screen capture of a must-see video of simulation results from Jacobs Analytics of a barbecue smoker. This simulation was a winner in the Startup category of the ANSYS Hall of Fame Competition. Image from ANSYS. See link below.
- ANSYS’ annual Hall of Fame Competition always recognizes some great applications of simulation technology and the 2017 results are no different. Be certain to check them all out but the one that touched my heart was the simulation of a barbecue smoker [because food]. See image above.
- CFD simulation of a supersonic UAV was performed using ANSYS Fluent, Zona’s Zeus, and Tecplot.
- Symscape finishes their look-back at CFD in 2016.
Software
- SU2 Version 5.0.0 “Raven” is the latest release of this open source CFD solver. This release includes improved freeform deformation and a new transition model, among other additions.
- Tech Soft 3D released HOOPS Exchange 2017 for CAD file interoperability.
- ANSYS 18 is coming soon, starting with a webinar on “pervasive simulation.”
Events
Volvo is using STAR-CCM+ as part of their thermodynamic simulations. Image from Siemens PLM. Read full article here.
- ENGINEERING.com writes about COMSOL Days, free CAE training sessions to be held in 19 cities furthering the company’s goal of bringing simulation to the masses.
- If you missed AIAA SciTech here in DFW last week, AIAA has posted a Flickr album with 1,805 photos from the event. [Play the game Let’s Find a Pointwise Person.]
- An update to the book Computational Fluid Dynamics: Principles and Applications by Blazek has been posted and includes errata and source code.
- The 12th OpenFOAM Workshop will be held 24-27 July 2017 at the University of Exeter.
- The SIAM Conference on Computational Science and Engineering will be held 27 Feb – 03 Mar in Atlanta.
Mesh Patterns
Jessica Snow’s painting 16 Triangles (see below) not only fits my predeliction for mesh-like artworks but also reminds me of other works that explore the motif of simple shapes repeated in a pattern with different colors.
Jessica Snow, 16 Triangles, 2013. Image from JessicaSnowArt.com. See link above.
The first comparison that comes to mind is Gerhard Richter’s series of color chart paintings, exemplified by 180 Colors (see below).
Gerhard Richter, 180 Colors, 1971. Image from ArtNet. See link above.
And, of course, one can’t forget Damien Hirst’s famous spot paintings.
Damien Hirst, Abalone Acetate Powder, 1991. Image from DamienHirst.com. See link above.
IMO, what each of those paintings offers is eye motion and rhythm induced by the interaction of each colored shape with its neighbors and the activation of the white space between those shapes. For more on this, see the outstanding reference Interaction of Color by artist Josef Albers. [Not an art book; a reference for anyone who produces graphics. Highly recommend.]
