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TROY, Mich. USA (Oct. 24, 2006) - Altair Engineering, Inc., a leading globalprovider of technology and services that strengthen client innovation anddecision-making, today announced the public release of Altair HyperWorks 8.0 - TheEngineering Framework for Product DesignTM. The integrated suite of advancedcomputer-aided engineering (CAE) software tools delivers advanced technology andfunctionality to increase efficiency and reduce cycle time in the development ofinnovative, robust products.
"As manufacturers look for new ways to improve product development efficiency andgain a competitive advantage, CAE is playing an increasingly more important role,"said Jeff Brennan, vice president of the Altair HyperWorks business unit. "Thissoftware release - the largest in our companyÂ's history - continues our tradition ofdelivering open-architecture, best-in-class technology that empowers decision-makingand leverages our customersÂ' investments in simulation."
The new products and functionality in HyperWorks 8.0 create the broadest simulationtechnology suite for PLM. This release targets three main areas to aid manufacturersin bringing innovative products to market faster: it provides an integratedmulti-disciplinary framework, enables a CAE-driven design process and improvessimulation turnaround time.
Integrated, Multi-Disciplinary FrameworkCAE is becoming multi-disciplinary, as once-separated analysis disciplines andactivities begin to merge. HyperWorks 8.0 broadens application scope, whileremaining committed to an open-systems environment. This environment providesclients both flexibility and robust solutions to solve complex problems.Advancements in this release include:
* NEW! Multi-body dynamics solver solution. With the release of 8.0, Altairintroduces robust and comprehensive motion analysis software for mechanicalsystem simulation that includes advanced contact modeling, user sub-routines andfull-support flexible bodies. * Combined FEA/MBD analysis solution. Fully integrated motion solutioncapabilities are now available within OptiStruct/Analysis for coupled flexible-and rigid-body analysis through a single input deck generated from HyperMesh. * Performance data management solution. Easily implemented within existing PDMand ERP deployments, Altair Data Manager is a flexible data management solutionto manage, share and control engineering simulation and test data at both theuser and enterprise levels. * NEW! 3D plotting environment for performance data analysis. HyperGraph 3D is anew 3D-plotting environment for creating 3D plots, such as waterfall, surfaceand 3D line data, with a rich toolset for querying information, 3Dsection-cutting and more. * Unified environment for manufacturing simulation. Manufacturing Solutions is aunified virtual manufacturing environment to simulate stamping, extrusion,molding, forging and friction stir welding processes within a single graphicaluser interface.
CAE-Driven Design ProcessAltair is a leader in developing new CAE methods and tools that allow simulation tolead the design process. HyperWorks 8.0 introduces new technology for conceptualdesign, model morphing and structural optimization that further positions simulationas a driver of design. It does this by addressing product performance andmanufacturability earlier in the design cycle.
* Model morphing. A completely new approach to mesh and geometry morphing thatsimplifies mesh-based design changes for shell and solid models, as well asautomates the creation of design variables for size and shape optimization. * Stress-constrained topology and topography optimization. Altair isfirst-to-market with stress-constrained topology and topography optimization inOptiStruct to generate the most efficient conceptual designs for stress-criticalstructures, such as that of aircraft. * "Free-shape" and "free-size" optimization. OptiStruct furthers its leadershipposition in structural optimization with the addition of "free-shape"optimization for automated boundary shape variation with minimal user input, and"free-size" optimization to develop robust variable thickness design solutions,composite laminates and "shear-web"-type structures. * Frequency-response optimization. Topology, topography, shape and sizeoptimization capabilities are now available with OptiStructÂ's existingfrequency-response solution types for improving the dynamic behavior ofstructures.
Analysis Cycle Time ReductionThe most time-consuming activities for CAE engineering departments continue to bemodeling, visualization and execution of design iterations. HyperWorks 8.0 improvesboth end-user and organizational-level efficiency with advancements that include:
* Enhanced user interface for modeling efficiency. A newly designed HyperMeshgraphical user interface, highly tuned for modeling efficiency and improvedworkflow, simplifies the modeling process, while providing a new and interactiveexperience for all user levels and modeling types. * Solid modeling. HyperMesh delivers increased solid modeling functionality withthe addition of solid geometric entities. This increased functionality iscombined with a higher level of user control and interaction to enable fast,high-quality tetra- and hexa-meshing of complex solid models. * 64-bit Windows support
Global delivery of HyperWorks 8.0 will take place through Q1 2007, and will becompleted in two stages. First-stage distribution is currently available forelectronic download and includes the commercial release of HyperMesh, OptiStruct,MotionSolve, HyperGraph, HyperGraph 3D, HyperStudy, Altair Data Manager andManufacturing Solutions.
Second-stage distribution, planned for Q1 2007, will be available electronically, aswell as by way of CD and DVD media formats. This service release will include all ofthe previously released applications, the commercial release of HyperView andMotionView, 64-bit Linux support, and the recently acquired RADIOSS technology suitelicensed under HyperWorks Units.
Current customers can download HyperWorks 8.0 and the Release Notes, which provide acomplete list of new products, features and functionality, by visiting AltairÂ'sClient Center portal at www.altairhyperworks.com/hw8. For more information on theHyperWorks 8.0 release, training schedules and to request a WebEx demonstration,please visit www.altairhyperworks.com/hw8 .
