Monday, December 12th, 2016 Posted by Jim Thacker

Dassault Systèmes acquires Next Limit Dynamics


Dassault Systèmes has signed a definitive share purchase agreement to acquire Next Limit Dynamics, the division of Next Limit Technologies responsible for its XFlow computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Dassault’s press release notes that Next Limit Dynamics’ 2015 revenue was “approximately 1.6 million Euros”.

XFlow joins Dassault’s stable of CAD, PLM and industrial simulation tools
On its release in 2011, XFlow became Next Limit’s third major product line, after fluid simulation software RealFlow and physically based renderer Maxwell.

Intended for the accurate simulation of fluid flow in non-entertainment markets, including aerospace and automotive engineering, its current users include Airbus, Ford, Honda, Mitsubishi, NASA and Toyota.

In its press release, Dassault, which develops a range of CAD and PLM tools including Catia and SolidWorks, describes the buyout as enhancing “its industry solution experiences for multiphysics simulation on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and [strengthening] its foothold in the strategic CFD market”.

Development of RealFlow and Maxwell unaffected
According to Next Limit’s own press release, following the deal, the firm will “focus its resources and investment [on] current and new markets such as virtual reality, big data [and] product design”.

The firm’s other products are unaffected, with Next Limit confirming to us today that it “will continue developing and improving RealFlow, Maxwell Render and CaronteFX”.

Read Next Limit’s press release about Dassault Systèmes’ acquisition of Next Limit Dynamics