Here you will find the latest news on the development of OrcaFlex. Alongside our LinkedIn page, it is a valuable source of information about what we are up to!
A new diffraction example is now available on our website: L05 Panel pressures.
The example is a post processing exercise. Using the models built during example L04, we demonstrate how panel pressures are reported using the OrcaFlex interface to Python. We discuss panel pressure results reported directly from an OrcaWave results file. We also explore how features released in version 11.5 can be used to compute a time history of panel pressure.
Unlike the standard OrcaWave result set that describe wave induced loads per body, panel pressure results allow the user to disaggregate the wave induced load at finer resolution. Whilst OrcaFlex does not make use of these results, they may be used to inform structural analysis in another dedicated program.
We hope you find this new example useful!
3D scatter plot of panel pressure, plotted at the centroid of each mesh panel, reported at a simulation time of 5s.
Following the release of OrcaFlex 11.5, we can now announce our OrcaFlex 11.5 user group meeting. Once again, we are running this as a virtual webinar.
This webinar will cover all the new features introduced in version 11.5 of OrcaFlex and OrcaWave. In previous years we had separate webinars for the two programs, but this year we will cover both OrcaFlex and OrcaWave in a single webinar. This webinar will be delivered twice in the same day to give users in different time zones the opportunity to attend.
We anticipate that each webinar will be around 90 minutes in duration, and we will schedule a short break part way through the meeting. Attendees will be able to ask questions. A recording of the webinar will be available on our website shortly after it has taken place.
We are running the webinar over Zoom. You will need to register for whichever webinar you wish to attend, using the links below. Zoom webinars can be attended using the Zoom client, or directly from the browser if you do not have the Zoom client.
We look forward to catching up with our regular user group attendees, and hopefully some first timers too!
OrcaFlex and OrcaWave UGM
This webinar will cover the new features introduced in version 11.5 of OrcaFlex and OrcaWave.
We have just released a minor upgrade to OrcaFlex, version 11.5b. Version 11.5b fixes a single bug in 11.5a. If OrcaFlex 11.5a cannot find a license at startup, it reports an access violation error instead of an informative error message.
We recommend that all users of 11.5a upgrade to 11.5b.
To upgrade to OrcaFlex 11.5b from any previous version, download the install program from your company’s Orcina software download page. A link to this page was sent to your software administration contact when we released 11.5a. If you do not have access to this page, please contact us.
We are very pleased to announce the release of OrcaFlex version 11.5. The software was finalised and built on 12th December. All clients with up-to-date MUS contracts will receive, in the next few days, an e-mail with instructions on how to download and install the new version.
Update: These e-mails were all sent on 13th December.
Version 11.5 introduces much new functionality, including:
These are the most significant developments, in our opinion. As always there are more enhancements that are not listed here. All new features are fully documented in the what’s new topics:
A new diffraction example is now available on our website: L04 Sectional bodies. The example demonstrates how sectional bodies, introduced in v11.4, can be used to enhance the multibody analysis capabilities of OrcaWave & OrcaFlex.
Prior to v11.4, OrcaWave & OrcaFlex were capable of undertaking multibody analysis, provided that each body could be considered closed. This capability is useful when modelling two or more independent structures in close proximity. Furthermore multibody analysis can be used to analyse the loads within a single structure, provided that structure can be represented by a collection of distinct meshed bodies (see Example L03).
In v11.4 onwards, a new type of body has been introduced that we refer to as a sectional body. Users are able to construct structures from multiple sectional bodies. Each sectional body references an open ended mesh. When considered as a group, the sectional body meshes unite to represent the closed hull.
The example focusses on a semi-sub platform that closely resembles the VolturnUS platform, as modelled in example K03. The platform is represented using a system of seven sectional bodies. We show how sectional multibody analysis can be used to evaluate the distributed loads within a structure. Furthermore we demonstrate how this approach can be used in tandem with OrcaFlex line and constraint objects to model a degree of flexibility in the platform. We anticipate that the results reported by OrcaFlex could be used to inform a targeted analysis conducted with specialised structural analysis software.
We hope that this example is informative and helps to expand your knowledge of the diffraction capabilities within our software.
Semi-sub platform modelled as a sectional multibody system
On the 7th November 2024 a staff member’s email account was compromised and unfortunately this has resulted in phishing emails being sent to some of our customers. We were aware of the breach within minutes of it occurring and were able to quickly secure the account to prevent further malicious actions. We have investigated activity on this account and are sure this was limited to the online email account and no more.
The email sent had the subject line Emma Johnston shared “Orcina Ltd Project Report” with you, and the email contained an attachment. In many cases this will have been quarantined by your email system but if you see this email in your inbox then please delete it, do not click on any links within the email or attempt to open the attachment.
We apologize for any inconvenience and confusion this may have caused. It is embarrassing for us that this has occurred as we take security very seriously. We are consequently reviewing our security configuration.
We have just released a minor upgrade to OrcaFlex, version 11.4d. Version 11.4d fixes a number of bugs. Full details of the changes are described in the documentation:
We recommend that all users of 11.4 upgrade to 11.4d.
To upgrade to OrcaFlex 11.4d from any previous version, download the install program from your company’s Orcina software download page. A link to this page was sent to your software administration contact when we released 11.4a. If you do not have access to this page, please contact us.
The example illustrates how to access the OrcaFlex interface to SHEAR7, using the steel catenary riser system considered in the A05 Catenary with spar example.
SHEAR7 is a third-party program, distributed by AMOG, which performs frequency domain VIV analysis for the purpose of estimating fatigue and/or drag amplification due to VIV. A separate licence is required to run SHEAR7 through the interface. However, the example results can be viewed without a SHEAR7 licence.
The accompanying PDF document provides detail on how to access the interface, what input data are required and how to access the VIV results. However, the example does not address how to choose appropriate values for the SHEAR7 data inputs, as these relate to SHEAR7 itself, rather than the OrcaFlex interface.
We hope that the example provides a useful guide to the SHEAR7 interface, allowing it to be used effectively.
A new example, K06 FPV array, is now available on our website. This example demonstrates one method of modelling a floating photovoltaic (FPV) array system in OrcaFlex and can be found in the K Renewables section of the OrcaFlex examples webpage.
The array is made up multiple modular rafts which are connected using indirect constraints with double-sided connections. The array model was built by duplicating a template model which represents a single raft module. The model building process was automated using the OrcaFlex programming interface (OrcFxAPI) and this is demonstrated in the Python script supplied alongside this example.
The accompanying PDF document goes into further detail on the model building process, setting data and interpreting results. It also includes a discussion on indeterminate systems and how they can sometimes arise.
We hope that this example is informative and can provide some useful insights into both new and existing OrcaFlex features that can help model floating array systems.
OrcaFlex model of a floating photovoltaic (FPV) array.
