PreonLab 3.3 Released

PreonLab 3.3 represents the final 3.x release and we are very excited to share it with you. Here is a selection of the most notable new features and improvements:

• Non-Newtonian fluids: For the first time, the Preon Solver supports the simulation of non-Newtonian fluids.
• Improved car suspension model: The improved car suspension model now simulates vehicle suspension due to fluid interaction more accurately and supports user-defined spring constants.
• Improved efficiency: PreonLab 3.3 includes an optimized geometry handling that improves performance, cuts down loading times and reduces memory consumption
• “Experimental” mode: The experimental mode exposes selected features currently in development to all users who wish to try them out

Read more “PreonLab 3.3 Released” →

PreonLab 3.2 Released

PreonLab 3.2 is here! Besides numerous smaller improvements, this release also includes major innovations that open up new applications and new workflows:

• Implicit viscosity solver: The new (optional) solver is capable of simulating highly viscous fluids at large timesteps and superior performance.
• Optimized post-processing: PreonLab 3.2 greatly reduces the system requirements for post-processing and improves overall responsiveness of the user interface for large scenes.
• Keyframe spline interpolation: The new interpolation method significantly reduces the effort to generate smooth interpolation between keyframes and makes defining kinematics even easier than before.
• Unified Area source with cone support: All two-dimensional fluid sources are now unified into one. The new versatile Area source also introduces a conical emission shape.

Read more “PreonLab 3.2 Released” →

PreonLab 3.1 Released

We are proud to anounce the release of PreonLab 3.1. Without further ado, here is why you want to update to PreonLab 3.1 as soon as possible:

• New viscosity model: The new default viscosity model combines the strengths of the different previous models into one and delivers realistic results on all resolution scales.
• New rigid body solver: The new experimental solver brings key ideas behind the PREON fluid solver to rigid body dynamics.
• Improved renderer: Preon renderer now supports a wide range of materials like steel, rubber or glass.
• Improved thermodynamics solver: Added MPI support, resolution-independent diffusion model and better free-surface handling.
• Improved usability: PreonLab has never been more fun to use.

Please note that with PreonLab 3.1, we have updated our toolchain and now provide unified binaries for Linux distributions.
Read more “PreonLab 3.1 Released” →

PreonLab 3.0 Released

PreonLab 3.0 released

Three years ago, FIFTY2 was founded under the premise to bring the revolutionary PREON® fluid solver from university to industry. Today, this dream has become reality – PreonLab has found adoption by engineers around the world. Now, it is time to look ahead and open up PreonLab for more applications. PreonLab 3.0 is by far the most transformative update yet and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with you.

An extract from the extensive list of new features in PreonLab 3.0:

• Distributed computation: PreonLab becomes MPI capable – use clusters for even faster simulation results.
• Additional simulation capability: add thermodynamics and evaporation models to your simulation.
• Improved water wading simulation: increased reliability by taking into account the vehicle suspension.
• Improved workflow: an entirely redesigned Playback and Simulation control and improved connection editor improves the workflow.

Read more “PreonLab 3.0 Released” →

PreonLab 2.3 Released

PreonLab 2.3 released

It has been a great year for PreonLab – what better way to celebrate than by releasing a new version? PreonLab 2.3 marks the final update before the next major version and brings more powerful post-processing, improved usability and many refinements, addressing some of your most pressing feedback. Some of the most prominent new features are:

• Sensor mesh:: Measure fluid attributes on arbitrarily shaped surfaces.
• Improved usability: A redesigned message area and cleaned-up on-screen-display.
• Better rain source: Rain drops with randomly varying diameters.

Read more “PreonLab 2.3 Released” →

PreonLab 2.2 Released

We are proud to announce the release of PreonLab 2.2. It introduces new post-processing and export capabilities that will allow you to get more information out of your simulations. Furthermore, we added a much-requested new type of fluid source and extended the Python interface for more versatile scripting. Finally, PreonLab 2.2 introduces many usability improvements as a direct result of your feedback.

Read more “PreonLab 2.2 Released” →

PreonLab 2.1 Released

We are proud to announce the release of PreonLab 2.1. Some of the most prominent new features are:

• Improved PREON® Solver:: timestep criterion for viscosity forces and stopping criterion for the pressure solver
• Revised Plot Dialog: post-process statistics data before exporting them
• Enhanced Python library preonpy: full access to connections and keyframes
• Full preonpy API documentation: each function and every argument explained
• PreonLabCLI: simulate pre-processed scenes or run Python scripts
• Dynamic pathlines: see how particle traces evolve over time

This is just a small excerpt from the extensive feature list of PreonLab 2.1. Be sure to check the changelog for a complete overview.

Read more “PreonLab 2.1 Released” →

PreonLab 2.0 Released

We are proud to announce the release of PreonLab 2.0. Some of the most prominent new features are:

• PairwiseForce model for cohesion, adhesion and roughness
  (calibrated and validated by the TU Dresden).
• PreonLab boundary handling: with the ‘no gap’ option, the offset between fluid and boundary is eliminated.
• Python library ‘preonpy’: the power of PreonLab at your hands right from your own python scripts.
• Velocity keyframing for even more intuitive and easily accessible rigid kinematics.
• Extended file format support: export your fluid data to the Ensight file format.

This is just a small excerpt from the extensive feature list of PreonLab 2.0. Be sure to check the changelog for a complete overview of the impressive changes.
Read more “PreonLab 2.0 Released” →

PreonLab 1.4 Released

PreonLab 1.4 provides a batch of usability improvements and additional features such as:

• Improved Connection Editor for a simplified and quicker simulation setup
• Revised Keyframe Editor for more efficiency and precision in setting up the kinematics
• Introduction of a separate simulation and view frame rate for, e.g., versatile post-processing
• Archive function for sparse data storage
• Integration of FFmpeg enables rapid video export from within PreonLab
• Liu drag force model introduces an improved droplet behavior without the need for parameter tuning

Read more “PreonLab 1.4 Released” →

PreonLab 1.3 Released

PreonLab 1.3 comes with an enriched and optimized feature-set for pre- and post-processing. The improved camera and the extended clipping objects make navigating in the 3d scene much easier. Pre-processing is simplified by resource objects which can hold animations provided in vda file format or manage multiple meshes stored in one file. Furthermore, an alternative sampling method is introduced which is independent of the triangle mesh structure. This prevents leakage for high-poly meshes. Post-processing capabilities are extended by motion-aware pathlines as well as the Preon renderer which now supports wetting and force sensors. Read more “PreonLab 1.3 Released” →