Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.

Q)
regarding DIgSILENT PowerFactory

1. When and where DIgSILENT PowerFactory was developed and what

is the last version of the software?
Development of this software was started from 1976 by DIgSILENT GmbH in
Germany and up to now this software has been used in more than 90 countries
for Power System Studies.
MATN International Co, as the sole agent and the exclusive representative of
DIgSILENT GmbH in Iran provided this software in Iran from 2003 and up to
now all the training courses, support and after sales services have been
provided within Iran.
The last version of the software is version 13.2 build 330 which has been
released in November 2006. Normally each month a new build of the software
is being released containing new capabilities.

2. What are the editions of the software?

Enterprise Edition:
Transmission Edition:
Distribution Edition:
Industrial Edition

for Regional Electric Companies and consultants

for Power Plants
for Electric Power Distribution Companies
for Industrial complexes, Refineries and Factories

3. How is the network adaptability and the user licenses ?

DIgSILENT PowerFactory is being provided by two simultaneous users by
default and you can order as many simultaneous as you wish in order time or
any time after purchase by upgrading the license for around 10% of total price
for each user.
Also Single User licenses can be ordered to be used standalone on laptop
computers or LANs for around 15% of total price.
Multi-user database capability is also available on both MS-SQ/Server and
Oracle DBMS.
4. What are the terms and conditions of support and guaranty?
Each DIgSILENT PowerFactory license comes with one year guaranty for
customer support and update free of charge. These services are being
provided directly by DIgSILENT GmbH Germany by Internet, E-Mails,
telephone and fax and also MATN International as the sole agent and formal
representative for Middle East.
Support period for benefiting from technical consultancy, upgrade and
updating the software will be extended for 12 to 15 percent of total prices
based on annual contracts.

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5. Training courses (Terms and conditions)

Training courses for beginners consist of 4 consequent days, are normally
being planned in MATN International every month and advanced training
courses consist of 10 days will be usually planned in DIgSILENT location.
Basic training courses are planned for at lease one time every month and the
final schedule is always available in www.matnintl.ir . Each applicant who owns
a valid license of the software can register in such courses whenever required.
The tuition fee for the coming year 2007 is 200,00 Euro for each applicant and
if the number of applicants from one customer will be more than 6 persons,
that would be economically effective if a dedicated course would be organized
in customer's location.
Advanced training courses have been organized in Germany two times per
year up to now. The training package covers all expenses of applicants
including the tuition fee, all travel costs and accommodations in Germany.
Specialized training courses are planned as indicated in MATN Intl's training
calendar.

6. Is the Educational edition of the software being also provided?

Yes, the license of PF4E (PowerFactory for Education) includes 25 Users and
limited to modeling networks up to 50 busbars is being provided for all
universities, educational and research organizations almost free and the
applicants have to pay only the shipping costs and legalization fees.
Up to now most of the universities in Iran have prepared the educational
license of PowerFactory and use this software in their electrical power
laboratories, so that all the students of Electrical Power Engineering are
familiar with this software and somehow they transfer the knowledge of using
this application to the organizations.
7. What are the additional applications related to this software?
DIgSILENT PowerFactory works efficiently in accordance with the following
applications. They can be ordered separately in order time or any time after as
an upgrade.
DGS Import/Export
(GIS)Necessary interface for GIS application
OPF
Optimal Power Flow
PSS/E Import/Export
Necessary interface for PSS/E
State Estimator
Estimating the optimum state of the network
PowerFactory Monitoring
Web Based monitoring of the network
Power Ware
Online databank of relays and protection devices

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8. What kind of services are being provided by MATN Intl as the

representative in Middle East?
MATN International Co, located in Niroo Research Institute (N.R.I), Dadman
Blvd 14665 Tehran, not only acts as the sole agent of DIgSILENT GmbH in the
region for marketing and commercialization and submits the proposals, but
also provide technical support services, organizes training courses authorized
by the mother company and acts as the consultant coordinators regarding the
power systems studies which are going to be done with this technology.
The original software license agreement will be provided in purchase time and
for each training course an authorized certificate will be also provided on
behalf of DIgSILENT GmbH.
9. What is the cost of this software in comparison with other
competitors?
MATN International has succeeded to convince DIgSILENT to consider a very
special price for providing this software to the Iranian market and provides the
complete discount to its customers so that this software is now being provided
in Iran with around 30% of its global price third).
Considering this strategy, DIGSILENT PowerFactory with two simultaneous
users including a dedicated basic training course in customer's location and
also the advanced training course charges in Germany for two experts is
possible to be prepared by less than 50% of the required budget for main
competitors.
10. What are the minimum hardware and software requirements?
Client Computers
Minimum:

Windows NT/2000/XP or Windows 98

Personal Computer with a Pentium Processor, 500 MHz
128-256 MB RAM (plus virtual memory of 30-40 Mb)
Hard disc with at least 200 MB of available disc space
SVGA graphic (800x600 pixel)
10 Mbps LAN-connection, TCP/IP protocol

Recommended:

Windows 2000 or XP
Personal Computer with a Pentium Processor, > 1 GHz
512 MB 1 GB RAM
Hard disc with at least 500 MB of available disc space
XVGA graphic (1024x768 pixel)
100 Mbps LAN-connection, TCP/IP protocol

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Server Computer (Multi-user Database only)

Minimum:

Windows 2000 Server / 2003 Advanced Server

Personal Computer with a Pentium Processor, > 1500 MHz
128 MB RAM for Faircom server application
Hard disc with at least 2 GB of available disc space
10m Mbps LAN-connection, TCP/IP protocol

11. How should I order the software and which payment methods are
accepted?
To order the software in Iran, we are open to calculate the price in any
currencies of Euro, USD or RLS. We normally send a formal proposal including
the proforma-invoice and then according to the customer's procedures a sales
contract will be set between MATN Intl as the sole agent of DIgSILENT GmbH
and the customer.
The customer can also order the software directly to the DIgSILENT GmbH and
purchase directly from Germany. In any case MATN Intl will be responsible to
provide all necessary training courses and support services to the customer.
For the payment also MATN Intl accepts any currencies of Euro, USD or RLS.
Normally around 40-60% of the price is asked when ordering the software and
this amount should be transferred to our appropriate bank account in Iran or
Germany. After the order, the software and the original license registered with
the name of customer will be provided maximum in one month depending on
the origin country of customer and bureaucratic procedures.
12. Is there any discount for additional licenses or additional users
within one company's license.
Yes, Applying for an additional license of DIgSILENT Power Factory, any
customer can benefit from 90% discount so that the new additional licenses
will be provided by 10% of the main price.

13. What are the references in Iran?

Up to now more than 60 licenses of DIgSILENT PowerFactory are provided to
mother companies in power ministry of Iran (TAVANIR & IGMC), Regional Electric
Companies, Electric Power Distribution Companies and many universities and
research organizations.
References in detail is provided in attached. (Click here: Reference List)

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14. Is it justifiable for companies outside the power industry to

purchase the license of DIgSILENT PowerFactory?
Up to now many refineries, factories, gas & oil companies and generally
speaking all the companies related to the energy industry have benefited from
PowerFactory by studying their power system and reducing he cost of electric
energy consumption. Having the know-how of such an activity for an industrial
network and controlling the activities of consultants all the companies can
benefit from this software much cheaper.
15. What are the applications of industrial edition?
Industrial Network Modeling and Studies for:

Loss Reduction and Network Planning

Power Quality Improvement
Cost Reduction
Reliability Enhancement
Investigation of Protection Devices' Operation
Relays Coordination
Contingencies Analysis
Network Development Planning

16. Does DIgSILENT or MATN Intl provide any comparison with their
competitors?
Comparing the specialized software applications, as some competitors from
Canada and USA have recently done, has never been confirmed by DIgSILENT
and MATN Intl since we believe that announcing competitors' disadvantages
with a one sided view, is not a good way of advertising.
In our opinion the importance of the support services, reliability of agents and
the compatibility with client's needs are much more important than some little
technical features of showing the results to the end user.
Transferring the know-how of DIgSILENT PowerFactory to the power industry
during the last five years, have made PowerFactory the standard software for
power systems study in Iran since TAVANIR, Iran Grid Management, all Regional
Electric Companies, Distribution Companies and most of the universities and
consulting companies in Iran have purchased its license and gained the
necessary knowledge of using this application.
Beyond all, most of the competitors provide their know-how from USA and
Canada and considering the recent diplomatic problems they can not ensure
customers of improvement of their services.
MATN Intl' as the sole agent and the exclusive representative of DIgSILENT
GmbH in Iran has already translated the user manual of this software and is
going to add Persian language to one of the supporting languages of this
application.
Considering these advantages in accordance with the special prices for Iranian's
market, no other application can cover PowerFactory with equal number of users
and capabilities.

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17. Is it possible to rent the license of PowerFactory or use it on an

Application Service Provider?
Renting the software is possible only through contracts with consulting
engineers who have purchased the original license and have gained the
necessary know-how to provide requested consulting services for industrial
companies, but the cost of outsourcing these consulting services is more than
purchasing the software and the know-how and train some experts to provide
the same services within the company. Because of the high ratio of energy
costs
18. What should I do for organizing a Seminar in my company?
MATN Intl is ready to organize technical seminars in corporation with decision
makers' departments in all industries and in case of need for consulting
services we can provide such services before you decide to purchase the
software.
This software can be applied on all industries' electrical networks and
considering existing discounts for multiple license which are being provided to
one entity, that would be more efficient that the licenses for such organizations
would be purchased all by one authority.

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References in Iran:
Governmental Organizations:

4.

Iran University of Science & Tech (IUST)

5.

Khaje Nasireddin Toosi University

6.

Isfahan University of Technology

7.

Isfahan University

8.

Shiraz University

Regional Electric Companies

9.

Tabriz University

4.

Tehran Regional Electric Co.

10.

Shahid Beheshti University

5.

Khorasan Regional Electric Co.

11.

Shahid Bahonar Kerman University

6.

Isfahan Regional Electric Co.

12.

Zanjan University

7.

Fars Regional Electric Co.

13.

Mazandaran University

8.

Mazandaran Regional Electric Co.

14.

Kashan University

9.

Azerbayjan Regional Electric Co.

15.

Water & Power University of Technology

10.

Kerman Regional Electric Co.

16.

Shahid Chamran Ahwaz University

11.

Bakhtar Regional Electric Co.

17.

Tarbiyat Modarres University

12.

Semnan Regional Electric Co.

18.

Intl Center for Science & High Technology

13.

Yazd Regional Electric Co.

19.

Islamic Azad University ; Karaj

14.

Gharb Regional Electric Co.

20.

Islamic Azad University ; Khomeini Shahr

15.

Khoozestan Regional Electric Co.

21.

Islamic Azad University ; Bojnourd

16.

Zanjan Regional Electric Co.

22.

Islamic Azad University ; Hamedan

23.

Islamic Azad University ; Birjand

24.

Islamic Azad University ; Kazeroon

1.

TAVANIR Co.

2.

Iran Grid Management Co.

3.

Iran Renewable Enerigies (SUNA)

Electric Power Distribution Companies

17.

South-West Tehran E.P.D.C

18.

Khorasan Central E.P.D.C

Consultants & Industrial Companies

19.

Zanjan E.P.D.C

1.

Ghods Niroo

20.

Qazvin E.P.D.C

2.

MOSHANIR

21.

Kerman E.P.D.C

3.

MATN Co

22.

Yazd E.P.D.C

4.

Toos Eshtat

23.

Kordestan E.P.D.C

5.

MONA Co

24.

Khorasan South E.P.D.C

6.

Mazandran Consulting Engineering

25.

Kermanshah E.P.D.C

7.

Foolad Technique

8.

NEDA Industrial Group

Universities
1.

Sharif University of Technology

2.

Tehran University

3.

Amirkabir University

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