Pronal Asia Manufacturing leveraged the nonlinear structural analysis capabilities of SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium software to improve the performance of its jacket diaphragm closure products, which are used to provide buoyancy and minimize vibration when sinking offshore oil and gas platform piles into the seabed.

PRONAL ASIA MANUFACTURING SDN. BHD.IMPROVING OFFSHORE JACKET INSTALLATION PILING WITH

SOLIDWORKS SIMULATION PREMIUM

“We believed that nonlinear finite element analysis [FEA] tools would enable us to improve design performance—so we can ensure proper penetration of the diaphragm closure,” Irwan adds. “This would set the quality of our products apart and support growth in this important sector.”

Pronal Asia evaluated leading nonlinear analysis tools before choosing SOLIDWORKS® Simulation Premium software. Pronal selected SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium because it is easy to use yet provides robust nonlinear analysis capabilities, which are fully integrated with the SOLIDWORKS design platform, and provides the best value.

“We compared SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium against ANSYS®, and some of my fellow workers thought we needed ANSYS,” Irwan recalls. “My view was why pay more for the same results? SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium gives us a better value while producing the same accurate results, and its integration with the SOLIDWORKS CAD system makes it easier and more efficient to use.”

IMPROVING JACKET DIAPHRAGM CLOSURE DESIGNUsing SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium, Irwan studied the force required to penetrate the jacket diaphragm closure, which is made from a composite material. With a pile that has a flat bottom, 80 tons of force is required to penetrate the diaphragm closure. Irwan used this information to modify the pile bottom. Then Pronal used SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium to verify that the new design would perform well with a diaphragm closure made from a number of proprietary fabrics, such as rubber layers, which are subjected to the hydrostatic pressure of a depth of 100 meters.

“Customers are more confident with our products because they can clearly see what will happen in the simulation,” Irwan stresses. “They know that as long as they follow our specifications, the piling will penetrate the diaphragm closure accurately by its own gravity. Since we pioneered the use of simulation for this purpose, our business has grown by 60 percent.”

Challenge:Examine the physical phenomena surrounding the setting of pilings for offshore fixed jacket, and to develop products that ensure the proper piling of and long performance life for these massive marine structures.

Solution:Add SOLIDWORKS Simulation Professional analysis and SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium nonlinear analysis software to the company’s SOLIDWORKS design solution.

Results:• Grew offshore business in the Asia-Pacific market

by 60 percent • Pioneered the use of nonlinear simulation for

offshore platforms piling• Used simulation results to improve

product performance• Saved customers $500,000 in daily offshore costs

“Elastomer simulation tools are critically important for advancing Pronal’s capabilities. Our experience in offshore development demonstrates just how effectively Pronal can use SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium software to develop better products and grow the company globally.”

— Muhammad Irwan Nordin, Regional Project ManagerPronal Offshore Division

Pronal Asia Manufacturing is a leading Asia-Pacific manufacturer of elastomer engineering products, which are used in the offshore, defense, aerospace, nuclear, industrial and environmental industries. The company is a part of Pronal Group, with additional operations in France, Tunisia, and the United States. Pronal companies have developed world-class expertise in the creation of products made from elastomer, plastomer, and composite materials. Pronal’s products range from fixed jacket buoyancy and grout plug products, lifting bags and parachute products for pipelines, and flexible tanks for storage and transportation, to flexible lifting bags and cushions, pipe stoppers, grippers, compensators, lifting aircraft cushions, and multiple types of custom-made products.

The increase in oil and gas exploration in the Asia-Pacific region represents a significant growth opportunity for Pronal Asia. According to Regional Project Manager of the Pronal Offshore Division Muhammad Irwan Nordin, who foresaw the potential for using structural analysis to capitalize on this opportunity—supported closely by Pronal CEO Sylvain Ehrhart—the company sought to differentiate itself by improving the performance of its offshore products with the help of nonlinear analysis tools.

“Offshore customers want to know how the changing profiles of subsea products made from nonlinear materials will be affected by any force applied, especially at locations where physical viewing is impossible,” Irwan explains. “For example, when the jacket is upended and set on the seabed, a diaphragm closure is utilized at the bottom of the jacket leg or sleeve to maintain buoyancy. The pile must be able to penetrate the diaphragm closure into the seabed while trying to minimize vibration in the structure in order to extend platform life. If the pile fails to penetrate the diaphragm closure by its own gravity, pile hammering will take place, and consequently, customers stand to lose a full day of offshore costs, about $500,000. If hammering begins prior to penetration, the entire structure will be prone to high vibration over time.

SIMULATING MUD WIPER AND GROUT PACKER PERFORMANCEPronal Asia is also implementing SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium to simulate the behavior and improve the performance of its mud wiper and grout packer products using nonlinear analysis. When the pile penetrates the diaphragm closure, the mud wiper prevents mud, water, and debris from entering the pile casing. The grout packer is used to plug grout (cement), which is poured down to secure the piling, prevent the flow of grout out into the ocean, and give additional strength of the structure. However, what happens when the grout packer fails?

“Typically, the ROV [remotely operated vehicle] is sent down to inflate the grout packer and if still fails, the grout plug is supported by the mud wiper, which is set up underneath the grout packer,” Irwan explains. “With SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium, we are able to calculate how much grout weight the rubber mud wiper could withstand as a second contingency.

Manufacturing’s success using SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium software to improve the performance of its jacket diaphragm closure products has not only enabled the company to grow its offshore business by 60 percent, it’s also prompted the Pronal Group to explore additional uses for elastomer nonlinear simulation tools across its global operations.

Our 3DEXPERIENCE® platform powers our brand applications, serving 12 industries, and provides a rich portfolio of industry solution experiences. Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE® Company, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported. Dassault Systèmes’ collaborative solutions foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real world. The group brings value to over 190,000 customers of all sizes in all industries in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com.

Focus on Pronal Asia Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd. VAR: CADVision Sdn. Bhd., Darul Ehsan, Selangor, MALAYSIA

Headquarters: PT 9891 (2738) Off Jalan BaruKampung Baru Sungai Buloh, Seksyen U440160 Shah Alam, SelangorMALAYSIAPhone: +60 3 6140 1860

For more informationwww.pronal.com

The software helps us to understand exactly how nonlinear materials will respond to unpredictable events in between the pile and sleeve/leg annulus, which cannot be viewed even with the ROV, and allows us to make better products.”

EXTENDING USE OF SOLIDWORKS SIMULATION WORLDWIDEPronal Asia’s success in pioneering the use of SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium for offshore products made from nonlinear materials has prompted management to explore extending its use across the group. Irwan will support the R&D team that is entirely focused on how to use composite simulation to improve the company’s products.

“Elastomer simulation tools are critically important for advancing Pronal’s capabilities,” Irwan notes. “Our experience in offshore development demonstrates just how effectively Pronal can use SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium software to develop better products and grow the company globally.”

Pronal Asia Manufacturing leveraged the nonlinear structural analysis capabilities of SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium software to improve the performance of its jacket diaphragm closure products, which are used to provide buoyancy and minimize vibration when sinking offshore oil and gas platform piles into the seabed.

Corporate HeadquartersDassault Systèmes 10, rue Marcel Dassault CS 40501 78946 Vélizy-Villacoublay Cedex France

AmericasDassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation 175 Wyman Street Waltham, MA 02451 USA Phone: 1 800 693 9000 Outside the US: +1 781 810 5011 Email: generalinfo@solidworks.com

Asia-PacificDassault Systèmes K.K.ThnkPark Tower2-1-1 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku,Tokyo 141-6020Japan

©20

15 D

assa

ult S

ystè

mes

. All

righ

ts re

serv

ed. 3

DEX

PER

IEN

CE®

, the

Com

pass

icon

and

the

3DS

logo

, CA

TIA

, SO

LID

WO

RKS

, EN

OVI

A, D

ELM

IA, S

IMU

LIA

, GEO

VIA

, EXA

LEA

D, 3

D V

IA, 3

DSW

YM, B

IOVI

A, N

ETVI

BES

, and

3D

EXCI

TE a

re c

omm

erci

al tr

adem

arks

or r

egis

tere

d tr

adem

arks

of

Das

saul

t Sys

tèm

es o

r its

sub

sidi

arie

s in

the

U.S

. and

/or o

ther

cou

ntri

es. A

ll ot

her t

rade

mar

ks a

re o

wne

d by

thei

r res

pect

ive

owne

rs. U

se o

f any

Das

saul

t Sys

tèm

es o

r its

sub

sidi

arie

s tr

adem

arks

is s

ubje

ct to

thei

r exp

ress

wri

tten

app

rova

l. M

KPR

OCS

ENG

0315