FEKO suite version 7.0 available on CrunchYard
Feko, the comprehensive electromagnetic simulation software, has released their 7th version, and it’s available on CrunchYard. The new version adds a finite difference time domain solver (FDTD) as well as a powerful hybridization of Multilevel Fast Multipole Method and Physical Optics (MLFMM and PO). The release has been eagerly awaited and features three new import file formats (Gerber, ODB++ and 3Di). FEKO 7 is also available via FTP and scripting access on CrunchYard for advanced users.
Register an account at www.crunchyard.com or email us at info@crunchyard.com
FTP and scripting
CrunchYard is pleased to announce direct scripting and FTP access for advanced users.
28 May 2014
CrunchYard is pleased to announce direct scripting and FTP access for advanced users.
This new service allows advanced users to interact dynamically with CrunchYard in conjunction with our easy to use web portal. Parameter variations across simulations can be scripted in your own code and submitted to CrunchYard in real time.
In additional, all FTP and scripting activity is mirrored on users personal CrunchYard profile.
FTP and scripting access is free and granted on a request basis. The new service applies to all codes on CrunchYard.
Other licensed codes are available on request.
Register an account at www.crunchyard.com or contact Dr Renier Dreyer at +27 (0)11 717 6379
Academic offering
CrunchYard is pleased to announce their academic offering for HPC in the cloud
11 April 2014
CrunchYard is pleased to announce their academic offering for HPC in the cloud
The academic offering allows anyone with a valid academic e-mail to instantly access the online HPC facility.
Group accounts can be created for your research group, where simulation credits are shared. Credits are valid for 2 months after purchase.
Academic accounts include access to over 300 true CPU cores, and the following simulation software:
- FEKO
- CP2K
- NWCHEM
- GAMESS
- GROMACS
- LAMMPS
Other licensed codes are available on request (such as CPMD, STAR-CCM+ etc.)
Register an account at www.crunchyard.com or contact Dr Renier Dreyer at +27 (0)11 717 6379
CPMD now available
CPMD, designed for molecular dynamics, is now available on request
16 November 2013
CPMD, designed for molecular dynamics, is now available on request
The online simulation platform, CrunchYard, has made CPMD available to users.
The CPMD code is a plane wave/pseudopotential implementation of Density Functional Theory, particularly designed for ab-initio molecular dynamics. Its first version was developed by Jurg Hutter at IBM Zurich Research Laboratory starting from the original Car-Parrinello codes.
The current version, 3.17, is copyrighted jointly by IBM Corp and by Max Planck Institute, Stuttgart, and is distributed free of charge to non-profit organizations. Profit organizations interested at the code should contact CPMD.
To start using CPMD on CrunchYard, create and account at www.cpmd.org and agree to the terms and conditions. Register an account at www.crunchyard.com or contact Dr Renier Dreyer at +27 (0)11 717 6379 and request CPMD access on the HPC facility.
NWCHEM now available on CrunchYard
NWCHEM provides high performance computational chemistry tools in terms of parallel processing for SuperComputers and the variety of problems that can be solved.
NWCHEM software can handle:
- Biomolecules, nanostructures, and solid-state
- From quantum to classical, and all combinations
- Ground and excited-states
- Gaussian basis functions or plane-waves
- Scaling from one to thousands of processors
- Properties and relativistic effects
Start using NWCHEM resource efficiently right away! Simply register at www.crunchyard.com or contact Dr Renier Dreyer at +27 (0)11 717 6379.
By popular demand - flat rate structure
In response to the demands of many of our users, CrunchYard now makes a flat rate fee structure available.
CrunchYard offers user-friendly, secure and reliable engineering simulations online on a pay per use basis to a wide range of users – and central to our business is the ability to realise cost and scale efficiencies for them.
The flat rate fee structure enables those users who require the running of concurrent or consecutive simulations to do so as cost-efficiently as possible. Once a flat rate package has been purchased, the clock only starts ticking once the first simulation has been submitted.
Choose from the following flat rates:
Standard rate in US Dollars
1 day | $9 | $13 | $17 | $22 | $43 |
1 week | $61 | $91 | $121 | $152 | $303 |
1 month | $260 | $390 | $520 | $650 | $1 300 |
3 months | $780 | $1 170 | $1 560 | $1 950 | $3 900 |
6 months | $1 560 | $2 340 | $3 120 | $3 900 | $7 800 |
1 day | $65 | $108 | $173 | $347 |
1 week | $455 | $758 | $1 213 | $2 427 |
1 month | $1 950 | $3 250 | $5 200 | $10 400 |
3 months | $5 850 | $9 750 | $15 600 | $31 200 |
6 months | $11 700 | $19 500 | $31 200 | $62 400 |
FEKO rate in Dollars
1 day | $26 | $39 | $52 | $65 | $130 |
1 week | $182 | $273 | $364 | $455 | $910 |
1 month | $780 | $1 170 | $1 560 | $1 950 | $3 900 |
3 months | $2 340 | $3 510 | $4 680 | $5 850 | $11 700 |
6 months | $4 680 | $7 020 | $9 360 | $11 700 | $23 400 |
1 day | $195 | $325 | $520 | $1 040 |
1 week | $1 365 | $2 275 | $3 640 | $7 280 |
1 month | $5 850 | $9 750 | $15 600 | $31 200 |
3 months | $17 550 | $29 250 | $46 800 | $93 600 |
6 months | $35 100 | $58 500 | $93 600 | $187 200 |
ACS Conference
CrunchYard attended the ACS Conference in Indianapolis
09 October 2013
CrunchYard attended the ACS Conference in Indianapolis
From 8 to 12 September, CrunchYard was represented at the ACS Chemistry Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.
We showcased the benefits and value offered by online supercomputing to a diverse range of computational chemists and their colleagues.
CrunchYard's proposition delivers high performance computing’s power to users of commercial and open source packages (including MedeA, LAMMPS, GAMESS and CP2K) on a secure, reliable, globally accessbible and highly cost effective way. Registration is free and easy and effectively cuts out the middle man.
This give computational chemists – and the businesses they work in – the processing capability of a supercomputer that they do not have to buy, maintain, fix, train staff to use or upgrade – ever. A simulation model can be uploaded from any device: providing unprecedented mobility, access and versatility for computational simulations across the board.
Check out how easy it is to use when you register (for free) at www.crunchyard.com or contact Dr Renier Dreyer at +27 (0) 11 717-6379.
Below are panoramic images in the area where CrunchYard was located. This was taking before the conference opening.
SEG Conference
CrunchYard will be attending SEG Houston
02 September 2013
CrunchYard will be attending SEG Houston
CrunchYard will be saying Howdy in Texas at the SEG Geophysics Conference between 22 and 27 September 2013 in Houston, Texas.
Find us at Booth 3465. Come over and introduce yourself, pay us a visit and taker advantage of our exclusive special offers, only available at the Conference.
For more information on the Conference, see http://www.seg.org/web/annual-meeting-2013/overview
We're looking forward to meeting you there!
CP2K now ready
CrunchYard has now made CP2k available on our system
26 August 2013
CrunchYard has now made CP2k available on our system
The CP2k program performs atomistic and molecular simulations of solid state, liquid, molecular, and biological systems. Computational chemists around the world can now use CP2k the CrunchYard way – cost effectively, securely, globally and without the middleman.
CP2k provides a general framework for different methods, including DFT (density functional theory) by using a mixed GPW (Gaussian and plane waves) Approach and classical pair and many-body potentials.
Start using CP2k resource efficiently right away! Simply register at www.crunchyard.com or contact Dr Renier Dreyer at +27 (0)11 717 6379.
Find CrunchYard at the ACS Chemistry Conference
CrunchYard is motoring to Indy and will be visiting the ACS Chemistry Conference – which will take place between 8 and 12 September 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Find us at Booth 1231. Make sure you introduce yourself and pay us a visit to take advantage of Special Offers available exclusively at the Conference!
We’re looking forward to meeting you there!
For more info, visit http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/meetings/fall-2013.html
The speed of GROMACs - Now with CrunchYard benefits
CrunchYard is happy to announce that the versatile GROMACS package is now available for use on our system!
GROMACS simulates molecular dynamics with Newtonian equations of motion for systems –with hundreds to millions of particles. Designed primarily for biochemical molecules like proteins, lipids and nucleic acids with complicated bonded interactions, but many chemists use it for research on non-biological systems, like polymers. This is because GROMACS is extremely fast at calculating non-bonded interactions as well.
Now you can get the speed of GROMACS for simulations, without the middle man, on a secure, global, 24/7, cost efficient, CrunchYard platform. Simply register at www.crunchyard.com or contact Dr Renier Dreyer at +27 (0) 11 717-6379.
GAMESS now available on CrunchYard
GAMESS (US) has been installed on Crunchyard. The General Atomic and Molecular Electronic Structure System is a massively popular computational chemistry software program among computational chemists.
CrunchYard offers cost effective, user-friendly, secure and reliable engineering simulations online on a pay per use basis. This provides computational chemists around the world the ability to run their own simulations without capital expenses or middle men.
To start using GAMESS (US) today, register at www.crunchyard.com or contact Dr Renier Dreyer at +27 (0)11 717 6379.
LAMMPS now available on CrunchYard
Crunchyard has added the classical molecular dynamics code, Large-scale Atomic Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS) to our system.
Computational chemists around the world can now cut out the middleman, running their own simulations securely and cost-effectively via the internet, on a pay per use basis.
LAMMPS is a parallel particle simulator at the atomic, meso, or continuum scale and is often used to model atoms. LAMMPS has the potential to handle soft materials (including biomolecules and polymers) and solid-state materials (like metals and semiconductors). It can be used for simulations involving coarse-grained or mesoscopic systems.
For cost-efficient, time-efficient, secure and middle-man free simulations using LAMMPS, register at www.crunchyard.com or contact Dr Renier Dreyer at +27 (0)11 717 6379.
HPCAC-ISC Cluster Challenge
South Africa has won an international student supercomputing competition held at the International Supercomputing conference in Germany.
21 June 2013
South Africa has won an international student supercomputing competition held at the International Supercomputing conference in Germany.
The Student Cluster Challenge, at the International Supercomputing Conference, was an opportunity for six teams to build their own small cluster based on their design. This was a real-time challenge and done on the exhibit floor. South Africa was represented by the CHPC team and consisted of students from various local Universities. We would like to congratulate Muhammad Atif, Kerren Ortlepp, Jan-Willem Steeb, Ryan Strange, Evelyn Khoboka and Katlego Moukangwe on winning the competition.
To read more about the competition:
CHPC group foto from The International Supercomputing Conference website below.
Anglo Entrepreneur Internship Programme (EIP) helping CrunchYard getting ahead
Dr Renier Dreyer talked about the Anglo Entrepreneur Internship Programme (EIP) and how it made a difference to CrunchYard in a recent mining prospectus article. The business processes set in place during the EIP programme assisted with creating an efficient enterprise that can generate cash on a consistent basis. Assistance and guidance with sales and marketing processes added great value to the business. The programme laid the foundation, allowing greater success for CrunchYard to turn into a thriving long term enterprise.
To read up more on the program and interview click here: http://www.miningprospectus.co.za/articles/getting-ahead
CrunchYard and FEKO working together to solve your problems
CrunchYard provides high performance computing infrastructure over the internet with a number of simulations engines pre-installed. One such engine is FEKO. Scenarios where users can make use of FEKO on CrunchYard includes: Users are faced with large problems where they do not have the necessary computing power and it would be uneconomical to buy the necessary hardware, or users would like to run multiple simulations while freeing up their own computer for further modelling work.
This facility is available to all FEKO users. No upfront licencing fees are required from FEKO to make use of the service on CrunchYard. A licencing fee structure is built in when using credits. Visit CrunchYard fees page for further Information.
FEKO is a comprehensive electromagnetic simulation software tool, based on state of the art computational electromagnetics (CEM) techniques. It enables users to solve a wide range of electromagnetic problems. The multiple solution techniques available within FEKO make it applicable to a wide range of problems for a large array of industries. Typical applications include: Antennas, Antenna placement, EMC, Bio-electromagnetics, RF components, 3D EM circuits, Radomes and Scattering problems.
For more information regarding FEKO visit http://www.feko.info
An example of radiation pattern analysis of communication antennas on a ship is shown below:
CrunchYard nostalgia
In today’s news, CrunchYard is having a nostalgic trip back to the early prototype days.
24 May 2013
In today’s news, CrunchYard is having a nostalgic trip back to the early prototype days.
After CrunchYard was first conceptualised, it was decided to build a very crude prototype system. Ten second hand Pentium 4 PC's were used along with an old 100Mb network system to build a prototype Beowulf cluster for this reason. The lessons learned laid the foundation for building the CrunchYard systems we use today.
Amongst the systems investigated included:
These systems worked well in a prototype environment but were not suitable for CrunchYard's production system. We decided to implement CrunchYard's systems from scratch.
Below is CrunchYard's prototype cluster.
Thomas Abbott
Appointment of a North America business development manager
17 May 2013
Appointment of a North America business development manager
CrunchYard has appointed Thomas Abbott to the newly created role of North America business development manager. This move is aligned to the company's plans to step up the pace of its expansion and support into key sectors of the Geophysics and Electromagnetics industries in North America.
Thomas Abbott studied electrical engineering at WITS, Johannesburg, South Africa, graduating in 1998. He worked for Poynting Antennas for 14 years, as an engineer and later as CTO of the defence section of the company, designing and industrializing antenna products and doing product negotiation and sales. Thomas now lives in Vancouver, Canada where he is registered as a professional engineer. He is also studying towards a masters' degree in computational electromagnetics.
Availability of Star CCM+
STAR-CCM+ provides a comprehensive engineering simulation platform inside a single integrated package
15 May 2013
STAR-CCM+ provides a comprehensive engineering simulation platform inside a single integrated package
Star CCM+ is currently hosted for ESKOM and can be made available to other companies on a request basis. Contact info@crunchyard.com for further information.
STAR-CCM+ provides one of the world's most comprehensive engineering simulation inside a single integrated package. Much more than just a CFD solver, STAR-CCM+ is an entire engineering process for solving problems involving flow (of fluids or solids), heat transfer and stress.
Another example of airflow simulation can be viewed in this turbine image:
Dr. Renier Dreyer graduated successfully from the Anglo American Entrepreneur Internship Programme.
Dr. Renier Dreyer graduated successfully from the Anglo American Entrepreneur Internship Programme. It is an accelerated learning experience for high potential entrepreneurs who have the capacity to start and grow businesses that can achieve rapid growth in employment size and revenues. Industry exposure, mentorship and networking opportunities are provided to the entrepreneurs.
The image from left to right are : Kox Mlilo (EIP Graduate), Renier Dreyer (EIP Graduate), Sejako Morejwane (EIP Graduate), Bern Shulz (Anglo American Learning Manager), Tijen Diraz (Anglo American People Development Manager)
The five entrepreneurial interns are all trading in their newly established businesses. The graduates from the programme include: Thembelani Ngulube, who owns Amon Pumps; Mkhokheli Mlilo of Sakhizwe Engineering; Sejako Morejwane from SPM Engineering; Dr Renier Dreyer, who owns CrunchYard; and Lynne Scullard from Scully Scooters.
Aurik provided business services to the entrepreneur as part of the EIP programme.
- To read a news article about the programme click here
- For more information on the Anglo American Entrepeneur Internship Programme click here
- For more information on Aurik click here
- To read about the program in Mining Weekly click here
ESKOM Specialisation Centre at WITS
ESKOM Specialisation Centre in Combustion Engineering at the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering at WITS
05 April 2013
ESKOM Specialisation Centre in Combustion Engineering at the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering at WITS
The ESKOM Specialisation Centre at WITS used STAR CCM+, installed on the CrunchYard cluster, to assist with research regarding the combustion of South African coal. The knowledge gained is then applied to real world power plant processes.
To view a mini presentation on the topic click here.
CrunchYard is busy with software maintenance
CrunchYard is in the process of updating selected applications to the latest stable versions available for the software.
The applications will be unavailable for selection during the upgrade process. If you need to use the application urgently, please email info@crunchyard.com and we will try our best to accommodate you.
The applications affected are :
CrunchYard on 702
CrunchYard was on radio as part of the Business accelerator program
07 March 2013
CrunchYard was on radio as part of the Business accelerator program
As part of the Business Accelerator Program, sponsored by Nedbank and airing on 702, CrunchYard was provided a follow up session on Tuesday the 5th of March 2013. This follow up session discussed the benefits gained from the initial radio session.
Click here to listen to the podcast on 702''s website. The talk is under the "Tuesday" heading.
If you are unable to listen to the clip on the 702 website, the MP3''s are available below.
PayPal
PayPal payments integration is now available
20 February 2013
PayPal payments integration is now available
We are happy to announce that we have completed our PayPal integration when buying credits. PayPal is a safe and easy way to pay CrunchYard without exposing your credit card details to CrunchYard. Payment can also be done without having a profile on PayPal. PayPal also provides a handy currency conversion rate (from US Dollars to your currency) during payment so you know how much will be deducted from your account*.
*Only applicable if your currency is set to US Dollars
Version 6.2 of the FEKO sofware is available
We are happy to announce that FEKO was updated to the version 6.2 of the software. This, in combination with CrunchYard''s new cluster, can now be used for simulating larger problems. Problems of approximately 560000 unknowns can be solved on 320 cores.
To assist you we created a help file explaining how the process works. Please click here to view the help file.
Renier Dreyer was interviewed for an article in Finweek
"Numbers make the world go round. And increasingly for companies – across all industries – the ability to make sense of numbers, faster and more cost effectively than competitors, is what will separate winners from losers. It is this growing reliance on numbers, and more broadly on data, that entrepreneur Renier Dreyer is banking on. Armed with a doctorate in computational electromagnetics, Dreyer has built his very own giant number cruncher – in the form of a supercomputer – which he is hiring out over the Internet to whomever needs to make sense of large chunks of data."
To read more get a print copy of the latest Finweek issue dated the 29th of November 2012.
Or alternatively you can just read the pdf article here
CrunchYard on radio
CrunchYard was on radio as part of the Business accelerator program
20 November 2012
CrunchYard was on radio as part of the Business accelerator program
Through the Business Accelerator Program, sponsored by Nedbank and airing on 702, CrunchYard was provided the opportunity to be profiled on air on the 13th of November 2012. The Business accelerator program is geared towards helping up and coming entrepeneurial companies to get quality airtime on radio for promoting their companies, showcasing the best that South Africa has to offer.
Click here to listen to the podcast on 702''s website.
CrunchYard was part of Trade initiatives to Brazil and Chile
During the first weeks of October, CrunchYard was selected to join in various trade initiatives from South Africa to Brazil and Chile. This was to showcase South African companies that have developed highly specialized skills and products to collaborate with various Brazilean and Chilean companies.
From the 2nd to the 5th of October 2012, CrunchYard participated in the 4th Investment and Trade Initiative (ITI) to São Paulo and Belo Horizonte in Brazil, which was arranged by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Various companies were visited, including Yamana Gold, Votorantim Metais and Anglo Gold Ashanti. The Federation of Industries for São Paulo (FIESP) and Minas Gerais (FIEMG) aranged meetings with smaller, including consulting, companies.
Following on from the Brazil trip, the S A Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC) arranged for a trade mission to Santiago in Chile from the 8th to the 12th of October 2012. Some companies visited there included Barrick, HATCH, FLUOR, Anglo American and CODELCO. Members of the Chilean Institute of Mining Engineers were also met.
Further reading (in Spanish) about the Chile trip can be found here : Empresarios sudafricanos visitan Chile para invertir en sector minero.
New hardware and website was launched
CrunchYard is proud to announce the launch of new computer cluster and website. The facility was launched on the 27th of September 2012 at the University of the Witwatersrand. 320 CPU''s with 2.5Tb of memory was added to their cluster offering, allowing for much larger problems to be simulated. Simulations are also handled more quickly, decreasing the turn around time.
The new website also has an improved user interface, making the process more intuitive. Uploading data to be simulated now has a simple three step process. Tutorials and video help are also provided.
These improvements enhance the ease of use and cost effectiveness of CrunchYard.