Bentley Acquires FormSys
Bentley Systems has acquired FormSys, based in Perth, Australia. This software development company has a 20-year track record in 3D design, analysis and construction software for structural engineering, offshore engineering, and naval architecture. The acquisition will expand Bentley's SACS offerings for the design and analysis of floating structures, thus further extending the company's reach in the offshore energy market.
SACS is an integrated finite element structural analysis suite of programs that supports the design, fabrication, installation, operations and maintenance of offshore structures, including oil platforms and wind farms. Thirty-eight years of focus on these specialised requirements have made SACS the analysis mainstay for most of the world's offshore engineers. FormSys brings complementary capabilities to this market leader.
FormSys software is employed around the globe. Among the users of its products are consulting engineering companies in the offshore sector, including Aker Solutions, DOF Subsea, and Noble Denton, and classification societies Lloyds Register, DNV and ABS. FormSys software is strong in the analysis of offshore vessels and structures such as offshore supply vessels, FPSOs and drillships, as well as spars and semi-submersibles. This complements the industry-leading capabilities of the SACS product line in the design and analysis of fixed offshore structures, making the combined technology strengths a compelling fit for offshore structures of all types.
The two primary products in Bentley's FormSys portfolio are Multiframe and Maxsurf. Engineers use Multiframe for general structural analysis, lifting analysis, calculation of motion induced loads, wind loads, hydrostatic loads, stiffened plate analysis, and steel code checking. Naval architects use the Maxsurf suite of software to model vessels and floating structures, assess stability and strength, and predict motions and power requirements.
