Graphics centre opens

ways produce inaccurate output data. Indiscriminate acceptance of the computer's output is a looming danger and to ensure that the output of the structural analysis is logical, a number of standard verification checks are introduced by Lloyd's Register both before and after solution. Plotting the undeformed structure to confirm the picture seen by the computer is one aspect of the verification process. Figure 2 shows the plot of deformed structure of a 120000 dwt bulk carrier, in an appropriate scale selected to emphasize the particular features of this loading condition (heavy ballast). It is now more than a decade since Lloyd's Register carried out its first large-scale structural analysis. The experience gained and the facilities developed over this period are now used for the benefit of the shipping community worldwide, through the medium of L. R. PASS (Plan Approval systems for ships). (Lloyd's Register

of Shipping, 71 Fenchurch Street, London ECSM 4BS. Telephone: 01709 9166)

ABACUS get NRDC fillip The NRDC (National Research Development Corporation) have invested £30,000 in a marketing and consultancy operation to disseminate more effectively the University of Strathclyde's Architecture and Building Aids Computer Unit (ABACUS) range of architectural CAD services. Since the launch in 1970, programs developed by ABACUS have been used in a number of architecture and design offices for designing housing, hospitals, schools, air terminals and other buildings. This new venture has been started to meet the rising demands for consultancy, documentation, maintenance and continued development of ABACUS soft-

SARA helps sailors A spinoff from the SSDS (ship structural design system) project at BSRA has provided a means to record and analyse activity to improve the ergonomics of such environments as ship's bridges, computer rooms and terminals, and machinery control rooms. The system is known as SARA (system for activity recording analysis). If used on the bridge of ship during berthing, SARA could record the commands given by the pilot and the responses made by the helmsman, engine room and so on; and then suggest how a repositioning of equipment or change of procedure might improve the efficiency of the operation. The system consists of a control unit linked to a tape recorder. Up to

36 separate activities may be recorded, events being registered on a switch panel by an observer. Machine actions may be recorded automatically on a special interface. The information is then converted into digital form for input to a computer. A software package checks for errors and provides activity profiles of all switches, histograms of the time each switch was on, a 'time line' printout showing activity in the work space for the total analysis period. Further programs in Fortran for other types of analysis can be provided.

(BSRA Technical Services, Wallsend Research Station, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, UK. NE28 6UY. Telephone: Wallsend (0632) 625242)

Graphics centre opens Ferranti Cetec Graphics Limited, the new company formed earlier this year by merging the common interests in automated drafting equipment, digitizing and interactive display systems, of the Ferranti Information Equipment Group, Edinburgh, and the Cetec Corporation, California, has opened a new and much enlarged graphics computer centre at Crewe Toll, Edinburgh.

The company has two major objectives: to develop computer graphics systems and application software, and to provide a computer graphics bureau. The centre has three computers and the development team is currently working on software for cartographic, engineering and printedcircuit artwork generation. (Ferranti

Cetec Graphics Limited, Ferry Road, Edinburgh EH5 2XS, UK.

ware.

Technical Sales Manager for the operation will be Martin James, previously with Honeywell, ABACUS and ICL Dataskil. (Department of Archi-

tecture and Building Science, University of Strathclyde, Royal College, 204 George Street, Glasgow GI IXW, UK. Telephone: 041-552 4400)

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