Why should engineers and specialists have all the fun when it comes to airflow simulation for a cool new product or building? Designers and other creators can get in on the action too with Autodesk Flow Design software, formerly Project Falcon from Autodesk Labs.

Autodesk Flow Design is easy to use, simulating airflow around an object of the user’s choice in a virtual wind tunnel. Users without any kind of simulation background can begin seeing and understanding airflow behavior around their model within seconds of starting the application. Providing insight at such an early stage ensures that designers can create their model with airflow in mind from the start, thus encouraging exploration of concept variations to make educated early-stage design decisions.

This type of early conceptual understanding can benefit a wide range of users, including vehicle designers that need to understand how aerodynamic performance is impacted by form changes; building designers that need to see how a cluster of new buildings might effect wind levels in the pedestrian areas connecting them; and consumer product designers who want to see how their conceptual design for, say, a golf club or a helmet, behaves in the wind.

“Flow Design is a terrific addition to the designer’s toolkit,” said Luke Mihelcic, marketing manager at Autodesk. “By giving designers a way to visualize airflow at the conceptual level of the design, Flow Design aims to foster more creativity and innovation.”

Getting started is easy. Flow Design is extremely geometry tolerant and can accept model types ranging from conceptual designs all the way to fully detailed models, with little or no preparation necessary. Users of Autodesk Inventor 3D CAD software and Autodesk Revit Building Information Modeling (BIM) software can use Flow Design directly within their design while other 3D CAD users can leverage a standalone Flow Design interface.

Once the model has been entered, Flow Design provides real-time feedback, enabling users to visualize wind interacting with their designs. They can instantly see how the airflow circulates and recirculates, visualizing where wakes will form, and where there will be high and low pressure regions.

To see Flow Design in action, view the featured video and visit the Flow Design e-Store for additional product information, pricing and availability.