NAFEMS Nordic Group formed

NAFEMS is an independent, not-for-profit association. The scope of its activities encompasses all simulation technology, including Finite Element Analysis and Computational Fluid Dynamics. In line with its objectives, NAFEMS is continually seeking to create awareness of new analysis methodologies, deliver education and training, stimulate the adoption of best practices and promote the effective use of technology by offering a platform for continuous professional development. NAFEMS and its members are involved in the application of many different types of engineering simulation covering both products and processes. Membership exceeds 700 organisations in over 30 different countries and almost 60 member companies in the Nordic Countries.

The activities of NAFEMS are organised by a number of local re-gional groups. As part of an ongoing strategy to increase the international coverage of the organisation, the number of regional groups is increasing. Currently there are groups in Germany, Italy, Spain, France, UK and North America.

A NAFEMS Nordic start up meeting held in Copenhagen on March 8, 2005 attracted more than 40 delegates from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Among the delegates were representatives from a variety of industries, research institutes and universities, as well as hardware vendors and main software ven-dors. With an overwhelming majority of almost all attendees it was agreed that there is a need to form a NAFEMS Nordic group. The majority also expressed the need for seminars, training courses and workshops in this region.

Now the NAFEMS Nordic group is formed and will first meet on April 14, 2005 - again in Copenhagen. The function of this group will be to direct and control the strategy for delivering the activi-ties of NAFEMS within the Nordic Countries. The group will consist of a small number of people from the engineering analysis community, comprising a mixture of representatives from industry, research, university, and major software vendors from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.

The intention is that this will be a dynamic group, bringing sub-stantial benefit to users of simulation technologies within the Nordic Countries. In general – beneath other activities - it is planned to have two seminars per year of 1.5 days each and for their location to alternate between the different countries. The first seminar is scheduled for autumn 2005. It is also planned to have local training courses in the four countries.

NAFEMS is a membership organization - all companies who work with simulation, should be part of NAFEMS.