SonoAnalyzer

The first public release of SonoAnalyzer version 2 is now available to download in the usual Pro, OE and Free editions. This release is not a beta and has no fixed expiry time, but please be aware that it is a very new release. I've given it the designation "Pre-release" (PR1) because it has so many new features that testing everything fully has been a struggle. But many users have requested the new features that it brings, so I think it's better to release it now rather than keep you all waiting any longer. If you discover an issue please let me know and I'll do my best to work it out!

Geometry imported from STEP format (SonoAnalyzer Pro only)

The new version offers several new features and UI tweaks but without doubt the most requested is the ability to analyze user-geometry in STEP format. The user's selected STEP file is auto-meshed with tetrahedra and then the mesh is converted to 10-noded tetrahedral elements for FEA. In addition to the FEA program CalculiX, the version 2 analysis servers in the background are now using Netgen for the initial mesh generation and FreeCAD (OpenCascade) for STEP file creation.

Compared to the earlier SonoAnalyzer models there are several advantages to this approach, but also some limitations:

Pros:

• Ability to handle a very wide range of possible geometries.
• Much easier route to analyze an existing design.

Cons:

• Fine detail leads to a fine mesh which can slow the analysis, increase memory usage and in extreme cases cause the analysis to fail. Some simplification of real-world designs may be required.
• Only one material is supported (transducer models are not possible).
• Modifying a dimension requires returning to CAD, changing the design, exporting as STEP and re-importing to SonoAnalyzer.
• No guidance towards producing a viable sonotrode design.

Apologies for the long wait but it's finally coming. SonoAnalyzer version 2 will offer geometry import and export in the platform-independent STEP file format. This means:

1. You can export a SonoAnalyzer model and use the geometry in your own CAD-CAM systems.
   
2. You can import your own design (any geometry) into SonoAnalyzer and calculate its resonant frequencies, amplitudes and stresses.
   

Full details will be published on release and an email notification will be sent to all on the mailing list. For now a beta version is in testing - available to all current SonoAnalyzer Pro license holders so if you'd like to join them please purchase SonoAnalyzer Pro or (for previous buyers whose license has expired) renew your licence.

Announcing the release of SonoAnalyzer Pro, OE and Free, all now at version 1.7.1. These versions provide some bug-fixes and one significant improvement to Pro models: Contour displays within the SonoAnalyzer display window.

As for other Pro features, SonoAnalyzer OE and Free (the latest versions only) have limited access. Users of these versions can view contour plots of the results after analysis on the full version.

Upgrade is recommended. Further details are shown below.

Announcing the release of SonoAnalyzer Pro, OE and Free, all now at version 1.7.0. These are built for Windows 64-bit (all previous releases were 32-bit) and include several bug-fixes and improvements. As an upgrade to the Pro cylindrical-axial models with stepped / conical / exponential / user-defined external profiles and optional internal hole, new versions are introduced that also includes an optional internal "core" (simple cylindrical or profiled, like the hole) which may be of a different material. As for all Pro models, SonoAnalyzer OE and Free (latest versions) can load and view results files but cannot perform new analyses of this type.

By combining multiple elements with profiled cores it is possible, for the first time, to analyze sonotrodes with screw-on tips and sandwich-construction ultrasonic transducers, as in the image to the right. Certain limitations are inherent to this type of analysis however - please see the updated Pro-models manual page for full details.

Upgrade is strongly recommended. Further details are shown below.

Welcome to the new sonoanalyzer.com - now live on the new server running Drupal 7. Please let me know if you find any issues.

Chris Cheers

I'm just in the process of updating the Power Ultrasonics website to Drupal 7, and at the same time moving it to a new server. This site (sonoanalyzer.com) will follow on shortly afterwards.

Apologies in advance for any disruption to services - I am trying to minimise issues but there's always something unexpected. Clients: if you find any problems with the website or the SonoAnalyzer software please let me know through the usual channels.

Chris Cheers

There was a build error in version 1.6.6, leaving out support for non-English, non-European locales which resulted in a program crash for some users. To overcome this I've reissued SonoAnalyzer Pro, OE and Free as version 1.6.7. The programs are unchanged except for the addition of some support files so if you have version 1.6.6 installed and working then there's no need to upgrade.

For anyone using an earlier version, upgrading is recommended.

Announcing the release of SonoAnalyzer Pro, OE and Free, all now at version 1.6.6. This update includes fixes for several minor bugs in the user-interface and one (more serious) bug in the animation display for certain ranges of dimensions in the OE stepped sonotrode models. A new "Nodal lengths" output has also been added to the results of the latest OE hollow sonotrode models. Upgrade is strongly recommended. Further details are shown below.

A half-hour video to demonstrate SonoAnalyzer Free - downloading, installing and basic usage.

Or view directly on YouTube

The initial release of SonoAnalyzer Free version 1.6.4 was missing some files from the setup package. A new setup.exe file has now been added to the site, designated version 1.6.4a. The program itself is identical - the only change is the addition of some cache files.

If you have installed SonoAnalyzer Free during the 2 days before this announcement, please reinstall from the new package. Apologies for the inconvenience.