TROY, Mich., April 4 – Altair, developer of the popular HyperWorks computer-aided engineering software suite, today announced the addition of Mechanical Simulation vehicle dynamics simulation tools to the array of applications available through the HyperWorks Partner Alliance (HWPA).   CarSim, TruckSim, and BikeSim products from Mechanical Simulation Corporation simulate the performance of cars, trucks, motorcycles, and specialty vehicles for vehicle dynamics, handling, vehicle control development, and test engineering applications.

Altair HyperWorks customers can access VehicleSim through the HWPA, a suite of third-party applications from HyperWorks partners that can be employed with the same units used to invoke HyperWorks software. The flexibility of these HyperWorks Units empowers users to deploy the largest and most complete suite of CAE applications available at no incremental cost and with no long-term commitment.

"Mechanical Simulation is pleased to announce our new partnership with Altair and the opportunity this will create to enhance relationships with existing customers and create new users throughout the industry," said Terry Rhoades, president of Mechanical Simulation.  "Access to our software tools through Altair's HWPA will create new opportunities for CarSim, TruckSim, and BikeSim to be combined with other CAE tools, offering users the opportunity to create innovative tool chains of exceptional capability and value."    

CarSim, TruckSim, and BikeSim use the VehicleSim architecture to provide accurate and realistic predictions of vehicle dynamics in a form that can be easily used by engineers, technical and marketing staffs. CarSim simulates the acceleration, braking, handling and ride of cars and car-trailer combinations over any road surface or terrain and can be applied to passenger cars, racecars, light trucks, and utility vehicles. This software is used to design, develop, test, and plan vehicle programs, and empowers engineers to make better decisions involving vehicle dynamics and prove initial concepts, select components, and perform advanced analysis of existing vehicles.

TruckSim operates just like CarSim, but with specific alterations to allow for simulation of medium to heavy trucks and buses, which use a different steering system than cars.  TruckSim also accounts for dual tires, multiple axle configurations and a wide range of tractor-trailer combinations.

BikeSim is specifically designed to simulate the behavior of motorcycles and scooters for engineers who do not have the months or years necessary to learn to use older simulation methods. BikeSim analyzes the response to the rider's inputs -- steering torque, braking, shifting, throttle, body lean, and lateral shifting of the body mass.

"The addition of Mechanical Simulations' industry leading vehicle dynamics software satisfies a great demand among our vehicle manufacturing customers," said Antoine Poussier, vice president of Global Partner Programs at Altair. "The ability to access CarSim, TruckSim, and BikeSim along with the entire HyperWorks and HWPA suites within one licensing platform is a truly unique value proposition."

The HWPA strives to provide the most comprehensive offering of software applications across multiple relevant domains related to computer-aided engineering. The addition of CarSim, TruckSim, and BikeSim further enhances the flexibility of the HyperWorks Units and the overall value of Altair HyperWorks.

About Mechanical Simulation Corporation
Mechanical Simulation Corporation is a technology leader in the development and distribution of advanced software used to simulate vehicle performance and handling under a wide variety of conditions involving interactions between the 3D dynamic vehicle response, advanced controllers, driver controls, and 3D roads. Established in 1996, Mechanical Simulation provides car, truck and motorcycle simulation packages, training and ongoing support to more than 50 OEMs, over 60 Tier 1 suppliers and more than 200 universities and government research groups worldwide. The Ann Arbor, Michigan, headquarters coordinates with global sales agents who provide local distribution and technical support. To learn more, please visit www.carsim.com.

About the HyperWorks Partner Alliance
Altair's HyperWorks platform for enterprise analytics employs a revolutionary subscription-based licensing model where customers use floating licenses to access a broad suite of Altair-developed and third-party software applications on-demand. The HyperWorks Partner Alliance effectively extends the HyperWorks Platform from 28 internally developed solutions to more than 50 applications with the addition of new partner applications. Customers can invoke these third-party applications at no incremental cost using their existing HyperWorks licenses. Customers benefit from unmatched flexibility and access, resulting in maximum software utilization, productivity and ROI. For more information about the HyperWorks Partner Alliance, visit www.hyperworksalliance.com. Join Altair and hundreds of other industry experts at the 2012 HyperWorks Technology Conference in Detroit May 15-17, 2012. Visit www.altairhtc.com/na for details.

About Altair Engineering, Inc.
Altair Engineering, Inc. empowers client innovation and decision-making through technology that optimizes the analysis, management and visualization of business and engineering information. Privately held, with more than 1,500 employees, Altair has offices throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia/Pacific. With a 26-year-plus track record for high-end software and consulting services for engineering, computing and enterprise analytics, Altair consistently delivers a competitive advantage to customers in a broad range of industries. To learn more, please visit www.altair.com and www.simulatetoinnovate.com.

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Source: Altair Engineering, Inc.; Mechanical Simulation Corporation