07 April 2008

Sheffield University software aids high-speed swimsuit project

Source: The Star, 2 April 2008

A revolutionary swimsuit, created with help from Sheffield-based design experts, using locally-developed, world-beating software, was showcased at the British Swimming Championships last week.

Competitors, bidding for a place in the British Olympic swimming team at the championships in Ponds Forge, were hoping to cut their times by wearing the special suit, designed to reduce the drag, which slows all swimmers.

The Fastskin LZR Racer swimsuit has been created by swimming costume manufacturer Speedo, with help from Sheffield Business Park-based ANSYS and its Fluent software.

The software, developed at Sheffield University, simulates the way liquids and gases flow around solid bodies. It has been used by the American Olympic team to help swimmers improve their technique and is also used by Formula One teams such as Ferrari, and America's Cup yacht designers.

In Speedo's case it was used to simulate a swimmer in a pool and discover where drag is most likely to occur, so that designers could work out the best place for panels of drag-resistant material.

Speedo's swimsuit is the first to be fully bonded and ultrasonically welded and should enable swimmers to move through the water faster and with less effort.

ANSYS's Dr Keith Hanna, a Sheffield-based expert in using engineering simulation in sport, who was involved in the Speedo project, said: "The LZR Racer is the most technologically advanced suit ever created and we are extremely confident it will prove itself in Beijing.

"Since Speedo launched the suit in February, three world records have already been broken by swimmers wearing it, so we're pleased the work we've done seems to already be making an impact.

"From the ANSYS perspective, this is yet another testament to the power of our engineering simulation.

"The fact that our customers include leading sports teams and brands such as Ferrari F1, America's Cup champion Alinghi and Speedo demonstrates this fact.

"The skills we have amongst our engineers also demonstrates the level of expertise that exists in this city and we're proud to be part of a growing high-tech industry here that is helping to drive the economy of 21st century Sheffield."

Following its acquisition of Fluent two years ago, US-based ANSYS became a world leader in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software which reduces engineering cost while improving the final design of products in applications ranging from electronic components and system to automotive engineering.