Flow Science
Flow Science develops and sells the FLOW-3D family of computational fluid dynamics software for free-surface flow simulation, serving engineers in aerospace, automotive, metal casting, additive manufacturing, welding, and water infrastructure through direct sales and a global distributor network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersSanta Fe, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Flow Science does
Flow Science, Inc. is a privately-held computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software company founded in 1980 by Dr. C.W. (Tony) Hirt, the pioneer of the Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) method at Los Alamos National Labs. Headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico with an additional training office in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the company develops and sells the FLOW-3D family of simulation software products used by engineers and scientists in aerospace, automotive, energy, metal casting, additive manufacturing, welding, and water/environmental sectors. The product family is built on a shared solver foundation featuring the proprietary TruVOF method for free-surface flow simulation, and includes vertical-specialized offerings: FLOW-3D CAST for casting defect prediction, FLOW-3D HYDRO for hydraulic infrastructure, FLOW-3D AM for additive manufacturing process simulation, and FLOW-3D WELD for laser welding dynamics, plus FLOW-3D POST for visualization, FLOW-3D (x) for automation and optimization, and FLOW-3D/MP for high-performance computing.
The company's revenue model combines one-time perpetual software licenses, recurring annual maintenance contracts, and professional services for training and technical support, with quote-based enterprise pricing on multi-year contracts. Distribution is hybrid: direct enterprise field sales backed by dedicated Sales Engineers, supplemented by wholly-owned subsidiaries (Flow Science Deutschland for DACH/Nordics, Flow Science Latin America SAS for Central/South America) and an independent distributor network spanning Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Australasia. Named enterprise customers include NASA, General Motors, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Gannett Fleming, Manitoba Hydro, Stantec, and Howell Foundry, with several maintaining 15-20+ year relationships. The company employs approximately 50-100 people, has operated continuously for over 45 years without institutional venture funding, and continues to release major product versions on a roughly 2-3 year cadence.
Flow Science firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Flow Science
- Legal name
- Flow Science, Inc.
- Website
- https://flow3d.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Flow Science develops and sells the FLOW-3D family of computational fluid dynamics software for free-surface flow simulation, serving engineers in aerospace, automotive, metal casting, additive manufacturing, welding, and water infrastructure through direct sales and a global distributor network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Flow Science is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Fe
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Flow Science business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel
Revenue model
- Software Licenses: Perpetual software licenses for FLOW-3D family of products. Use of software is governed by end-user license agreements.
- Maintenance Contracts: Annual maintenance contracts providing software updates, technical support, and access to new releases. Customers under maintenance receive new software releases as they become available.
- Training Services: Technical training services including online and in-person formats, workshops, and application-specific training sessions.
- Technical Support: Technical support services including customer support, support site access, and technical consulting.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise software pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Flow Science product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Flow Science develops and sells the FLOW-3D family of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, a general-purpose solver built on the proprietary TruVOF Volume-of-Fluid method pioneered by founder Dr. C.W. (Tony) Hirt. The product family includes vertical-specialized packages for metal casting (FLOW-3D CAST), water resources and hydraulic infrastructure (FLOW-3D HYDRO), additive manufacturing (FLOW-3D AM), and laser welding (FLOW-3D WELD), plus supporting tools for post-processing, automation/optimization, and high-performance computing.
Product overview
Flow Science offers the FLOW-3D family of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) products built on a common solver foundation. The core FLOW-3D product is a general-purpose CFD solver specializing in free-surface flow simulation using the Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) method. The product family includes specialized vertical applications: FLOW-3D CAST for metal casting defect prediction, FLOW-3D HYDRO for water resources and hydraulic infrastructure, FLOW-3D AM for additive manufacturing process simulation, and FLOW-3D WELD for laser welding and keyhole dynamics. Supporting tools include FLOW-3D POST for post-processing visualization and FLOW-3D (x) for workflow automation and optimization. The HPC version, FLOW-3D/MP, enables distributed memory parallel processing on multi-core clusters. All products share the same solver foundation while focusing on specific industry domains.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FLOW-3D: General-purpose CFD solver trusted by engineers across aerospace, automotive, energy, microfluidics, and consumer products applications
- FLOW-3D AM
- FLOW-3D CAST
- FLOW-3D HYDRO
- FLOW-3D WELD
- FLOW-3D POST
- FLOW-3D (x)
- FlowSight
Products and services
- FLOW-3D General-purpose CFD solver for multiphysics applications across aerospace, automotive, energy, microfluidics, and consumer products. Features free surface flow simulation, phase change, cavitation, fluid-structure interaction, and complex fluid rheology, built on the Volume-of-Fluid method pioneered by founder Dr. C.W. Hirt.
- FLOW-3D AM Additive manufacturing process simulation tool for LPBF (Laser Powder Bed Fusion) and DED (Directed Energy Deposition) processes. Helps engineers understand thermal profiles, mass transport, and thermal stress development in additively-built structures during multi-alloy 3D printing.
- FLOW-3D CAST Metal casting defect prediction software for high-end nonferrous casting. Includes process-oriented workspaces for Permanent Mold, High Pressure Die Casting, Low Pressure Sand Casting, and Lost Foam. Features thermal modulus, hot spot identification, filling defect tools, and porosity analysis.
- FLOW-3D HYDRO Specialized CFD software for water resources and hydraulic infrastructure. Covers wastewater treatment facilities, conveyance systems, combined sewer overflows, dams, spillways, fish passage, and environmental flows.
- FLOW-3D WELD Process simulation tool for laser welding and keyhole dynamics. Predicts and helps eliminate defects including porosity, lack of fusion, and undercut, and controls heat affected zones in thermally sensitive joints.
- FLOW-3D/MP High-performance computing version of FLOW-3D using distributed memory and multi-block domain decomposition with MPI-OpenMP hybrid parallelization, designed for multi-core clusters and large-scale simulations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced tooling design time from 6-7 weeks to first-time success using FLOW-3D CAST
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Flow Science
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Flow Science technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature8 records
Flow Science partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered regional, core and minor.
- Road Ahead Technologies Consultant Vietnam Company Limited (RATC Vietnam)regionalNew associate for the sales and technical support of the FLOW-3D product family in Vietnam.
- Global Computing S.A. de C.V (Mexico)regionalFirst reseller in Latin America for FLOW-3D products, arranged through New Mexico Trade and Higher Education Center.
- Dazztech Solutions Sdn BhdregionalExtended association agreement to include Indonesia. Dazztech has been Flow Science's associate in Malaysia and Singapore since 2009, expanded to Indonesia through associate company Dazztech Global Ltd.
- J-ROM Ltd (Israel)regionalNew international association agreement to sell and support FLOW-3D software products in Israel.
- Flow Science Deutschland GmbHcoreExtended representation agreement to include Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. Full subsidiary for Germany sales and technical support of FLOW-3D products.
- Design Through Acceleration (DTA)regionalNew international association agreement to sell and support FLOW-3D software products in Thailand.
- Minerva DynamicsminorConsultancy agreement to provide CFD services in maritime, hydraulic engineering and manufacturing sectors.
- XC EngineeringregionalOfficial distributor of FLOW-3D products in Italy and France. Co-host of FLOW-3D European Users Conference 2019.
- American Water Works Association (AWWA)minorCorporate member of AWWA professional organization.
- ASCE COPRI (Coasts, Oceans, Ports, Rivers Institute)minorCorporate member of COPRI professional organization.
- IAHR (International Association for Hydro-Environment Research)minorCorporate member of IAHR professional organization.
- EWRI (Environmental and Water Resources Institute)minorCorporate member of EWRI professional organization.
- International Water Association (IWA)minorCorporate member of IWA professional organization.
- CDA (Canadian Dam Association)minorCorporate member of CDA professional organization.
- ASDSO (Association of State Dam Safety Officials)minorSustaining member of ASDSO professional organization.
- USSD (U.S. Society on Dams)minorCorporate member of USSD professional organization.
- WEF (Water Environment Federation)minorCorporate member of WEF professional organization.
- AFS (American Foundry Society)minorCorporate member of AFS professional organization.
- NADCA (North American Die Casting Association)minorCorporate member of NADCA professional organization.
- Technical University of Denmark (DTU)minorAcademic partner with keynote speaker from DTU at FLOW-3D European Users Conference.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Flow Science competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ESI Group: Specialist in manufacturing process simulation including ProCAST for metal casting and welding simulation, making it one of the closest direct competitors to FLOW-3D CAST and FLOW-3D WELD.
- ANSYS: The largest independent engineering simulation company (Fluent, CFX, Mechanical) and the primary general-purpose CFD competitor to FLOW-3D. Overlaps in casting, additive manufacturing, and hydraulics via ANSYS Additive and ANSYS Fluent.
- Dassault Systèmes (SIMULIA): Dassault's SIMULIA portfolio (Abaqus, PowerFLOW, XFlow) competes in CFD/CAE for aerospace, automotive, and manufacturing customers and shares enterprise account overlap with Flow Science.
- COMSOL: Multiphysics simulation platform with a strong academic and R&D installed base. Competes with FLOW-3D for engineering seats, particularly in microfluidics and custom multiphysics use cases.
- DHI Group (MIKE powered by CFD): Water and environment modeling specialist whose MIKE suite includes CFD capabilities for rivers, coastlines, wastewater, and hydraulic structures — directly overlapping with FLOW-3D HYDRO.
- Altair Engineering: CAE/CFD portfolio (ultraFluidX, AcuSolve) plus simulation-driven design. Competes across general-purpose CFD and increasingly in manufacturing process simulation adjacent to FLOW-3D CAST and AM.
- Siemens Digital Industries Software (Simcenter Star-CCM+): Siemens' multiphysics CFD platform Star-CCM+ competes directly with FLOW-3D across aerospace, automotive, and process industries, and is often bundled with Simcenter and Teamcenter PLM.
- MAGMA Giessereitechnologie (MAGMAsoft): Dedicated metal casting simulation software used in foundries worldwide. Head-to-head competitor with FLOW-3D CAST for HPDC, sand casting, and permanent mold process design.
- Autodesk (CFD within Fusion 360 / Moldflow): Autodesk's CFD and Moldflow products address manufacturing-process simulation accessible via mainstream CAD seats; competes for entry- and mid-tier casting and CFD workloads.
- Hexagon MSC Software: Enterprise CAE suite (Nastran, Adams, Marc, Cradle) used heavily in aerospace and automotive — overlapping enterprise CFD seats with Flow Science in the same OEM accounts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Flow Science social profiles
Digital presenceFlow Science financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Flow Science leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Flow Science subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Flow Science funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Flow Science M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Flow Science
What does Flow Science do?
Flow Science develops and sells the FLOW-3D family of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, a general-purpose solver built on the proprietary TruVOF Volume-of-Fluid method pioneered by founder Dr. C.W. (Tony) Hirt. The product family includes vertical-specialized packages for metal casting (FLOW-3D CAST), water resources and hydraulic infrastructure (FLOW-3D HYDRO), additive manufacturing (FLOW-3D AM), and laser welding (FLOW-3D WELD), plus supporting tools for post-processing, automation/optimization, and high-performance computing.
Is Flow Science a public or private company?
Flow Science is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Flow Science founded?
Flow Science was founded in 1980. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Flow Science based?
Flow Science is headquartered in Santa Fe, United States, in the North America region.
How does Flow Science make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses are the primary driver. The others are maintenance Contracts, training Services and technical Support.
Who are Flow Science's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ESI Group, ANSYS, Dassault Systèmes (SIMULIA), COMSOL, DHI Group (MIKE powered by CFD), Altair Engineering, Siemens Digital Industries Software (Simcenter Star-CCM+), MAGMA Giessereitechnologie (MAGMAsoft), Autodesk (CFD within Fusion 360 / Moldflow) and Hexagon MSC Software.
Does Flow Science have an API?
No public API is recorded for Flow Science.