Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Designates Mathematica as Its Strategic
Technical Computing Software
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, a collection of over 55 highly
specialized applied research institutes, has designated Mathematica as its
strategic technical computing software. From biomedical engineering to
industrial mathematics, Fraunhofer has been such an important force in
German science and industry that a commemorative postage stamp was created in
honor of its 50th anniversary. In conferring the award, the German postal service
stated that Fraunhofer is "the most important partner of the German economy in the
fields of research and development."
A majority of the Fraunhofer Institutes have used Mathematica
during the last 10 years, but recently Fraunhofer chose to formally increase its
Mathematica usage. The decision was made by Fraunhofer's software services
department, which monitors software technology and gathers feedback from the
institutes to determine
which products to use. According to Dr. Michael Erben-Russ, head of the
department, "Its many strong calculation features, high-level programming
environment, open architecture, and web compliance made Mathematica
an obvious choice."
Mathematica's versatility enables it to be used alone as a calculation tool
or as a base for specialized application packages, which essentially customize
Mathematica for use in specific fields. In fact, since 1998 the Fraunhofer
Institute for Industrial Mathematics has developed Analog Insydes, a
Mathematica application package for modeling, analyzing, and designing
analog electrical circuits.
Mathematica is also a cost-effective technical computing solution,
thanks to its long-term viability and its compatibility with most existing
infrastructures. This is important for Fraunhofer since the institutes regularly pool
their expertise
on complex projects. For example, five institutes are currently working
together to
test the safety of car parts made with magnesium. Without standardized
software, interdepartmental collaboration in such a large, diverse organization
would be nearly impossible.
Herbert Exner of uni software plus GmbH, the Mathematica reseller that
works with Fraunhofer, says that Mathematica "increases the productivity of
research labs." By making Mathematica its preferred technical computing
software, Fraunhofer facilitates the free flow of information that is necessary to
complete contracts quickly and efficiently.
Wolfram Research's flexible general license contracts also made it easy
for Fraunhofer to select the best arrangement for its needs. In addition to
comprehensive use of Mathematica, Fraunhofer's license also encompasses
webMathematica and a number of other field-specific application
packages that
are used by individual institutes. According to Nick Cantwell, manager of
Business Development at Wolfram Research Europe Ltd., "This decision creates a
win-win situation for Wolfram Research, uni software plus, and the Fraunhofer
Institutes. It is part of our strategic initiative to offer a complete solution for the
research setting."
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