New Discovery Channel Series Highlights Exa Corporation Technology

Burlington, MA - Exa® Corporation, a global innovator of fluids simulation (CAE/CFD) solutions for product engineering, today announced that its PowerFLOW® software was used and highlighted in the first episode of the new Discovery Channel series, Ultimate Car Build-Off. In this first episode, the teams competed to redesign a minivan into a new vehicle with supercar-like performance. Exa’s Director of Aerodynamics, Dr. Brad Duncan, demonstrated Exa PowerFLOW and educated the teams on the benefits of fast, aerodynamic simulation and evaluation.

"We wanted to take advantage of cutting edge technology to give the teams a new design tool," commented Tod Mesirow, Executive Producer, Ultimate Car Build-Off. "We were thrilled Exa brought their vehicle aerodynamic simulation software and put it to great use in the series premiere episode."

With only four days to use their fabricating skills to rework a minivan, in this first episode, the teams had the ability to virtually test their designs before physical modifications took place using Exa PowerFLOW. “This Ultimate Car Build-Off competition was a perfect application fit for our software,” remarked Dr. Duncan. “Our automotive industry customers already perform rapid, early-stage design optimization testing every day; it was fun to demonstrate how fast virtual design changes and results visualization based on PowerFLOW simulations can be performed. The teams appreciated the fact that their ideas could be digitally created and tested in hours—allowing them to easily eliminate aerodynamic under-performers.”

About the Ultimate Car Build-Off
The Discovery Channel’s newest series, Ultimate Car Build-Off, follows mechanics from all over America as they battle it out to build the most innovative vehicle and win US $100,000. It highlights the incredible design and fabricating abilities of the participants and demonstrates how their creative skills are pushed to the limit. Hosted by professional car builder Lou Santiago and North American Rally Champion Andrew ‘ACP’ Picard, the final project builds are showcased and judged by legendary car designer Chip Foose. In the first episode, watch as mechanics from two garages – Hollywood Hot Rods and Pure Vision – go head-to-head with just four days to transform a mini-van into a super-car. The finished article is put on display at Willow Springs Raceway and the winner moves on to the next battle in Los Angeles.