Proven Success of ProCAST 2005 Helps ESI Group Pick Up 2006 Frost & Sullivan European Technology Leadership of the Year Award

The ultimate goal of simulation is to provide rapid and accurate results, where the challenge in simulating the casting process is to solve both the macroscopic scale and the microscopic scale for microstructure predictions. "ProCAST 2005 solves this paradox by using two meshes, thus bringing a viable solution for both process engineers and metallurgists," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Michael Valenti. "At the heart of the software lies an advanced distributed memory parallel (DMP) capability, which automatically distributes simulation tasks among several processors running in parallel."

The DMP solver, based on a dynamic domain decomposition technology, optimises performance by partitioning the finite element mesh generated on the CAD model in as many sub-domains as there are processors. By updating the domain decomposition at regular intervals, ProCAST 2005 obtains maximum scalability. ESI Group has designed its parallel solver to serve in small to medium-size parallel hardware configurations. End users can adapt their hardware configuration, the number of CPUs and interconnect switches as needed.

ProCAST 2005 performance best corresponds to the size of the model generated, the type of application it serves, and the system components that it comprises. "Performance improvement can be significant, as was the case when the software was used on a Linux cluster with gigabit Ethernet interconnect - an arrangement that reduced analysis times by a factor of six for filling and solidification modelling on eight processors," notes Mr. Valenti. "A more powerful interconnect for up to 32 processors would further reduce run times due to the outstanding scalability of the ProCAST 2005 solver." "This award is a recognition of ESI Group's vision which has allowed us to produce a best in class software suite for casting engineers and metallurgists." said Alain de Rouvray, Chairman and CEO of ESI Group. "It is also a great pleasure and pride for us, as pioneer and leader in the 'Realistic Simulation' market, to see our casting simulation solution widely accepted as an important productivity and quality driver in product design and process development."

About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit http://www.frost.com.

About ESI Group ESI Group is a world-leading supplier, and a pioneer of digital simulation software for prototyping and manufacturing processes that take into account the physics of materials. ESI Group has developed an extensive suite of coherent, industry oriented applications to realistically simulate a product's behaviour during testing, to fine-tune manufacturing processes in accordance with desired product performance, and evaluate the environment's impact on product performance. ESI Group's products, which have a proven track record in manufacturing and have been combined in multi-trade value chains, represent a unique collaborative and open virtual engineering solution known as the Virtual Try-Out Space (VTOS), enabling virtual prototypes to be improved in a continuous and collaborative manner. This integrated protocol allows all the company's solutions to work with each other and with applications developed by independent software vendors.

By significantly reducing costs and development lead times and enabling product/process synergies, VTOS solutions offer major competitive advantage by progressively eliminating the need for physical prototypes during product development. The company generated sales of EUR62.2m in 2005, employs over 500 high-level specialists worldwide covering more than 30 countries. ESI Group is listed in Eurolist compartment C of Euronext Paris. For further information, visit http://www.esi-group.com. Virtual Try-Out Space(R) and VTOS(R) are registered trademarks of ESI Group. All other products, names or companies are the brands or registered trademarks of their respective owners. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics.

For more information, visit http://www.awards.frost.com.

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