OrcaFlex User Group 2003 www.orcina.com Slide 1 of 7

OrcaFlex - The Dynamic Link Library

Introduction

• What is a DLL?

• The OrcaFlex DLL (OrcFxAPI)

• What can OrcFxAPI do?

• Application 1 – real time monitoring

• Application 2 – riser design

• Summary

OrcaFlex User Group 2003 www.orcina.com Slide 2 of 7

OrcaFlex - The Dynamic Link Library

What is a DLL?

• DLL stands for “Dynamic-link library”

• Keyword here is “library”

• A DLL is a library of functions that can be called by other programs

OrcaFlex User Group 2003 www.orcina.com Slide 3 of 7

OrcaFlex - The Dynamic Link Library

The OrcaFlex DLL (OrcFxAPI)

• The OrcaFlex DLL is called OrcFxAPI• Original version produced in 1997• Installed with OrcaFlex – part of the product

• Can be called from any programming language (eg. C, C++, Delphi, VB).

• Can also be called from general purpose packages like Excel, Matlab, Maple, Mathematica, Mathcad etc.

• Results spreadsheet uses OrcFxAPI

OrcaFlex User Group 2003 www.orcina.com Slide 4 of 7

OrcaFlex - The Dynamic Link Library

What can OrcFxAPI do?

• Data functions for model building

• File functions (load and save data & sim files)

• Calculation functions (statics & dynamics)

• Drawing functions (3D View, AVI file)

• Results functions (time history, range graph, linked statistics)

• Provides a programmers interface to the functionality of OrcaFlex

OrcaFlex User Group 2003 www.orcina.com Slide 5 of 7

OrcaFlex - The Dynamic Link Library

Application 1 – real time monitoring

• SRD sonar system on Deep Blue lay vessel

• Requirement to monitor pipe stresses during installation

• Sonar system monitors pipe weld positions

• These observed positions are then used to find best fit OrcaFlex model

• Pipe stresses, tensions, bend moments etc. displayed on on-board monitors

OrcaFlex User Group 2003 www.orcina.com Slide 6 of 7

OrcaFlex - The Dynamic Link Library

Application 2 – riser design

• Nicholas Cunliffe UMIST PhD student

• Automating and optimising riser design

• Riser must meet API 2RD and be cheap

• Optimisation algorithm uses OrcFxAPI to check that API 2RD is satisfied

• Automatic designs are cheaper than human designs and design stage greatly shortened

• General purpose – can design anything

OrcaFlex User Group 2003 www.orcina.com Slide 7 of 7

OrcaFlex - The Dynamic Link Library

Summary

• OrcaFlex DLL very powerful and flexible

• Harder to use than OrcaFlex since you need programming skills

• Although it is hard to use the benefits can make this effort worthwhile

• List of possible applications is endless…