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Is your industrial project stuck in a rut due to end-stage design defects, rocketing energy costs and fiddly compliance audits? Process design is a high-risk endeavour: a tiny calculation error at any stage can lead to catastrophic plant failures and enormous cost overruns.
Engineers do not have the luxury of guessing when configuring high-value assets - nor do they have that leeway when it comes to the safety of pipework. That's why leading design firms turn to specialised engineering software to support their design decisions with rigorous, code-based analysis.
Cortex Software Australia provides access to a portfolio of leading engineering design, simulation, and analysis software from established technology partners. Read on to see how the right tool for each stage of your project can support faster, more confident decision-making.
Designing for harsh conditions and complying with regulations means more than off-the-shelf computing capabilities. Taking a project from process concept to equipment certification requires purpose-built mathematical modelling tools. In today's global industrial sector, engineers face demanding operating and physical conditions that general-purpose software isn't designed to handle.
It takes specialised tools to model complex thermophysical behaviour and structural performance, particularly in remote plants where water resources and energy pricing put pressure on design efficiency.
Meanwhile, governments are introducing stricter penalties for inefficient industrial facilities, particularly where water recycling or carbon emissions haven't been properly accounted for. General computing software lacks the depth in physical modelling required. For precise mass and energy balances, transient thermal load simulation, and structural verification before physical implementation, engineers need industry-specific software.
No single piece of software can solve every problem in fluid, structural, or chemical piping design. That's why Cortex offers a portfolio of specialised software solutions from different technology partners, each purpose-built for a specific type of engineering analysis. Here's what each solution does and when engineers typically use it.
CHEMCAD is used for process simulation, helping engineers with process design, troubleshooting, optimisation, and the evaluation of process behaviour before implementing changes to a plant.
Fathom is used for steady-state flow modelling, including pressure drop and flow distribution in liquid and appropriate incompressible-flow systems. Typical applications include piping networks, pumps, valves, fittings, slurry modelling, and broader system studies.
The Arrow is used for steady-state compressible-flow analysis of gas and steam systems. It can model changes in pressure, temperature, density, and velocity, as well as choked-flow conditions.
Impulse is used to analyse pressure transients in liquid piping systems, such as those caused by pump trips, valve operations, and other transient events.
xStream is used for high-speed acoustic transients in steam and gas piping systems.
This software is used to analyse piping systems under operating and sustained loads, including temperature, pressure, and dynamic effects, and to evaluate piping systems against applicable design codes and standards.
A specialised solution for nuclear and other high-integrity piping applications, offering advanced static and dynamic analysis capabilities along with support for specialised piping codes.
Mechanical equipment design also requires its own specialised engineering tools:
The Octave design portfolio also includes tools for plant layout and documentation:
Well-executed designs still need to meet safety and environmental codes to serve their purpose. Cortex's software solutions are built to support engineers in that process by replacing assumptions with detailed physical simulation and code-based evaluation.
For example, process simulation tools can help identify equipment bottlenecks and evaluate safety relief requirements under a range of operating conditions. Piping and vessel analysis tools support checks against codes such as ASME, EN. They can help identify structural interferences or excessive thermal stresses in a design before construction. These tools are aids to the engineer's judgement — they support the review and compliance process rather than replace it.
Finding the right software is only the start — you also need a partner who can support it long-term. At Cortex Software Australia, we pair well-established software from our technology partners with local technical support and hands-on training, backed by an understanding of the legislative, environmental, and economic conditions Australian engineering businesses operate in.
Our team offers software training, implementation support, and integration guidance to help your engineers get the most out of each tool.
Matching your workflow to the right analytical software helps your team work more efficiently. To choose the right tool, start by identifying the type of analysis your project requires:
It's easy to get lost in the technical details of a new design, but turning intricate concepts into a successful plant operation takes the right tools for each stage of the job. Cortex provides access to a portfolio of specialised design, simulation, and analysis software to help minimise project risk and support more efficient engineering outcomes.
Ready to find the right tool for your next project? Our team is here to help you match your workflow to the right engineering analysis solution. Book your personalised software demo today.
Industrial engineering software solutioning refers to the process of selecting, integrating, and configuring digital tools to address specific physical or mechanical design problems. It connects software functionality to real plant operations and regulatory standards.
Cortex Software training provides practical, tool-specific expertise for engineering teams working with flow, structural, or piping stress modelling. Training can help teams get up to speed faster, reduce common modelling mistakes, and build confidence in producing code-ready analysis.
Cortex offers CHEMCAD for process simulation, Fathom for steady-state hydraulic analysis, Arrow for compressible-flow analysis, Impulse for surge and water-hammer analysis, and xStream for gas and steam transients. On the Octave side, we offer Aspect Pipe Stress and Aspect Nuclear Pipe Stress for piping analysis; Aspect Pressure Vessel and Aspect Tank for equipment design; Aspect Structure for structural analysis; and Forte 3DWorx and Facets P&IDWorx for plant design and documentation.
Fathom and Arrow are both steady-state flow modelling tools, but they're built for different types of fluid behaviour. Fathom is used for incompressible liquid flow systems, such as piping networks and pump systems. In contrast, Arrow is used for compressible gas and steam flow, where changes in pressure, temperature, and density need to be modelled. Using the tool suited to the fluid type helps support more accurate pressure drop and pipe sizing calculations.
Several Cortex tools include features that support the review and audit of engineering models ahead of construction — for example, Aspect Pipe Stress and Aspect Pressure Vessel both include checks against relevant design codes. These tools help engineers identify potential piping interferences or code non-conformances early, supporting a smoother internal review and approval process. As with any engineering software, the results depend on correct model setup and should be reviewed by a qualified engineer.
