Customer Driven Product Development

An Interview with Simon Lamb, Development Director, Flowmaster Group

Why is Flowmaster’s Development Process so important?

The use of best in class development tools, combined with over 20 years experience as a software vendor, has enabled Flowmaster to develop a strong, process based development framework that is ideally suited to understanding and anticipating customer requirements - and to delivering products that meet those requirements.

An important part of Flowmaster’s development process, is our ISO 9001 certification which has recently been re-awarded for the next 3 years. ISO 9001 certification not only provides a framework to ensure quality assurance is achieved throughout our development process, but is also a requirement driven by our customers. Our processes are externally audited every 6 months by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and are continually improved in response to audit findings, project reviews and customer feedback.

Flowmaster Development Strategy

Flowmaster’s Integrated Development Environment (IDE), which underpins the development framework, enables us to operate globally, bringing together teams in the USA, India and the UK. Unification of the development process allows us to choose the best people and infrastructure to support the development of Flowmaster V7. Our International strategy extends throughout our organisational activities, from product management, research and product development to international sales and support.

Customer driven development

During the development process, in particular an early phase called “pre-development”, Flowmaster Product Managers work with customers and industry experts to understand the near and long term requirements for thermo-fluid system simulation. These requirements are constantly changing and evolving as industry developments occur and it is important as a software vendor that we keep abreast of these developments in order for us to continue to provide an innovative tool which exceeds our customers’ expectations. Product Managers work as part of the Pre-Development team where prototype designs and code are developed as a means of clarifying requirements, exploring design alternatives and understanding the technical challenges and risks that need to be managed.

The feedback we receive from the market, coupled with knowledge gained from prototype development, forms a Statement of Requirements for each new product version we develop. The Statement of Requirements ensures we capture the needs of our customers, including essential details pertaining to their particular application. This not only focuses our development and project plans but also ensures at each step of the process, the product is verified and the final product is validated to customer requirements.

How has product testing changed?

Flowmaster continually improves its testing processes for all new product versions. Automated testing is used throughout the development process, running an extensive database of networks built up over 20 years of Flowmaster development (these cover a wide range of application and analysis types) to test the software against benchmark data. Testing is also conducted by our Global Applications Engineers – ensuring that testing is conducted on behalf of all our customers worldwide.

2010 and beyond...

A step further, customer BETA testing is an area which Flowmaster sees great value in conducting and is an activity we would like to do more of. By participating in a BETA test programme, customers are able to see new products earlier and can influence their development before final release. It also provides an opportunity for customers to meet with Product Managers and to work with our development team, to influence the development of Flowmaster V7. Customers wishing to participate in a BETA test programme should contact their Regional Flowmaster Representative to discuss this for 2010 development projects.
Product Development for V7.7 Aerospace

As part of the development of Flowmaster V7.7 Aerospace, Doug Kolak, Flowmaster Aerospace Product Manager has been working with customers to develop scenario testing based on where the component will actually be used.

For example, the new Multi Arm Tank component in V7.7 Aerospace designed to aid the development of multi celled fuel systems, has not only been unit tested, but have also undergone scenario testing in the environment that aerospace engineers operate, simulating under ‘real’ conditions i.e. to simulate inerting at the concept stage of development.

V7.7 Aerospace

This means by the time Flowmaster V7 comes to market, issues which would have only been found during extended application have already been identified and corrected during testing, ensuring a more robust software product.

In the Aerospace industry in particular, accuracy and precision is essential as the cost of failure is so high. For our customers, validating the code for the work they do provides confidence that when they run the analysis, the results are true – reducing the number of tests required and focussing Iron Bird Testing.