ENGINEERING

MSC.Software has announced a further extension of the supply partnership with Triple Eight Race Engineering who, together with VX Racing, are now five times consecutive winners of the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). MSC.Software first partnered with Triple Eight Race Engineering at the start of the 2004 season in order to realize the team's objective to maintain their competitive advantage by significantly upgrading their simulation capability. With a broad portfolio of simulation solutions at their disposal, designers at Triple Eight began the complex task of designing, verifying, and optimizing the structural and control elements critical to the car's racing performance. Following championship winning seasons in 2004 and 2005, the current expansion of this partnership continues to strengthen the competitive development of the team, further extending the use of MSC.Nastran, MSC.Patran and MSC.ADAMS from MSC's portfolio of best-in-class technologies. Under BTCC rules only certain modifications to the race car configurations are possible. Using a combination of flexible and rigid multi-body dynamics techniques, engineers at Triple Eight Race Engineering use MSC's industry leading solutions to optimize for strength and weight, targeting a stiffer, lighter structure but without compromise on reliability. System level dynamic simulations are used to enhance suspension design, both predicting and automatically coupling load data into the detailed FEA calculations. Such integration of FEA and multi-body dynamics technology has already allowed engineers at Triple Eight to design the torsional and bending behaviour of an innovative rear suspension system, the performance of which contributed significantly to the championship success of the 2005 car. "It is very difficult in motorsport to find technical partners who are prepared and able to work at your speed and level," said John Morton, chief designer, Triple Eight Race Engineering. "With MSC.Software we have found a winning combination of technology and expertise, a partnership which enables our team to continue to compete at the very highest level." Amir Mobayen, senior vice president, EMEA, MSC.Software stated, "With a history of successful partnerships in touring car, endurance racing, and Formula 1, MSC.Software has developed an inherent understanding of the special demands of motorsport applications. In addition to providing on-track competitive advantage for our racing partners, these collaborations are the proving ground for simulation technology and process improvements which are of direct benefit to MSC customers across a range of industries." Work has already begun for the coming season, with additional focus on the mechanical dynamics of the suspension and other structural and handling systems of the 2006 car. The 2006 BTCC season commences at Brands Hatch on April 9, and Triple Eight Race Engineering and MSC.Software are looking forward to another year of highly competitive performance.