MSC.Software Helps the Gates Rubber Company Meet Automotive OEM Requirements and Optimize New Belt Drive System
SANTA ANA, Calif.--Nov. 8, 2002--Automotive Supplier Uses MSC.Marc to Meet New OEM Design and Performance Requirements, Reduce Development Time and Develop Better
Prototypes
MSC.Software Corp. , the leading global provider of simulation software, services and systems, today announced that Denver, Colorado-based Gates Rubber Company used MSC.Software's nonlinear analysis products and technical support team to optimize the design for a new belt drive system used in passenger vehicles.
"In today's competitive automotive industry, the major OEMs are working hard to meet and exceed customer demand for automotive accessories and upgrades and this necessitates new design requirements being passed down through the supply chain," said Frank Perna, chairman and chief executive officer of MSC.Software. "The best way for automotive suppliers to develop new automotive systems and parts, meet new requirements from OEMs, decrease their costs and increase their profit margins is to decrease costly physical testing and increase the use of technology. This presents an opportunity for MSC.Software to increase revenue and we are working hard to sell our software, services and systems to the hundreds of Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive suppliers around the world."
The increasing consumer demand for electric-powered automotive accessories, such as heated seats and video consoles, has raised the electricity consumption needs in cars to nearly the full capacity of existing alternators, prompting automakers to think about switching to higher voltage systems that enable the use of integrated starter generators (ISGs). Employing a transmission mounted integrated starter generator (ISG), however, would result in a major redesign of drive trains, which would be expensive both to implement and service. As this change was occurring, the Worldwide Power Transmission Division of The Gates Rubber Company realized that its core technology could help ease this transition. Gates decided to develop an electro-mechanical drive (EMD) system, in conjunction with a belt-driven starter-generator manufacturer, which could perform all of the functions of an ISG at a lower cost of manufacture and conversion.
The belt-driven system had to meet the minimum OEM requirements of 500,000 starts and 150,000 miles of life. The current belts designed by Gates would not pass these tests because of the increased stress and durability requirements of the EMD system. By using MSC.Software's nonlinear analysis solution of MSC.Marc and MSC.Marc Mentat and engaging the help of MSC.Software's technical support team, Gates was able to design a new composite belt that provides four times the torque capacity of current production belts, meet the OEM requirements and ensure the proper functioning of the EMD system.
"Simulation is starting to play a significant and often key role in belt development at Gates," said Les Brown, Senior Research Engineer, Materials/Composite Research Center, Worldwide Power Transmission Division, The Gates Rubber Company. "Where we've used it, we have realized reduced development times, better prototypes, and better understanding of critical factors."
MSC.Marc allows users to perform a wide variety of structural, fluid, and coupled analyses using the finite element method. These procedures provide solutions for simple to complex linear and nonlinear engineering problems. Analysts can graphically access all features via the MSC.Marc Mentat or MSC.Patran interfaces.
For more information on MSC.Marc, MSC.Mentat and other MSC.Software products, please visit http://www.mscsoftware.com/products/.
About MSC.Software Corporation
MSC.Software is the leading global provider of simulation software, with related services and systems, that helps companies make money, save time and reduce costs associated with designing and testing manufactured products. MSC.Software works with thousands of companies in hundreds of industries to develop better products faster by utilizing information technology, software, services and systems. MSC.Software employs more than 1,500 people in 22 countries. For additional information about MSC.Software's products and services, please visit www.mscsoftware.com.
About The Gates Rubber Company
The Gates Rubber Company serves customers worldwide in the industrial and automotive markets with a full line of products and systems components, including power transmission and fluid management systems. The Gates global network includes 44 manufacturing plants and 27 distribution facilities; Gates employs 15,000 people in 20 countries. For additional information about Gates products and services, please visit www.gates.com.