What is C&R Technologies (CRTech)?

C&R Technologies (CRTech) is a software company that builds heat transfer and fluid flow modeling tools for thermal and fluid engineers. Its software covers heat transfer analysis, thermal radiation, environmental heating, and fluid flow design. If you need to model how a system behaves thermally—especially with two-phase flow or radiation—CRTech is one of the specialized options to consider. Note that CRTech is now part of Ansys, per a notice on its site.

What CRTech actually provides

CRTech describes itself as "thermal and fluid engineers dedicated to creating thermal-centric software we want to use." That framing matters: the products are built around thermal engineering workflows rather than being general-purpose simulation packages with a thermal add-on.

The stated capability areas are:

• Heat transfer analysis — thermal behavior of components and systems
• Thermal radiation — radiative heat exchange between surfaces
• Environmental heating — heating from external sources such as solar or planetary environments
• Fluid flow design — flow modeling as part of the thermal problem
• Two-phase flow — called out as a distinguishing feature of the software
• Finite element techniques — advanced FE methods for thermal problems

The Advanced Design Module changes what the software is for

CRTech draws a line between producing "analytical answers" and acting as a design tool. With the Advanced Design Module, the suite moves from analysis into component and system design, supporting:

• Parametric studies
• Design optimization
• Model correlation

That distinction is the practical one for a buyer or user: if you only need a single thermal answer, the base analysis capability may be enough. If you need to sweep parameters, optimize a design, or correlate a model against test data, the Advanced Design Module is the part that enables it.

Where it fits in real engineering work

CRTech's site highlights the James Webb Space Telescope and the Phoenix CubeSat Mission as examples of projects associated with its tools. Both are cases where thermal control is mission-critical and where radiation and environmental heating dominate—exactly the problem types the software targets.

For example, a spacecraft thermal engineer needs to predict how surfaces exchange heat with the Sun, Earth, and deep space, then verify that components stay within limits. That combines environmental heating, thermal radiation, and often two-phase flow (for loop heat pipes or similar systems)—the combination CRTech positions itself around.

Ownership: CRTech is now part of Ansys

The site carries a notice titled "Ansys Acquires C&R Technologies." For anyone evaluating the software, this is the most important recent fact: support, licensing, and product direction now sit within Ansys. The site also points readers to a page about "Changes to Thermal Desktop Technical Support," which suggests support arrangements have shifted. If you are an existing user or evaluating a purchase, check the current support and licensing terms directly rather than relying on older CRTech documentation.

How to decide if it's relevant to you

CRTech is worth a closer look if your work involves:

• Thermal analysis where radiation and environmental heating are significant
• Two-phase flow as part of the thermal design
• Parametric studies, optimization, or model-to-test correlation

It is less likely to be the right fit if you need a general multiphysics platform and thermal is a minor concern, or if you want a free or low-cost entry point—the site does not present pricing information, so cost and licensing terms need to be confirmed with the vendor.