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Mechanical Dynamics to Market Vehicle Simulation Software Tool

13 November 1997

Mechanical Dynamics to Market Vehicle Simulation Software Tool Currently Used Exclusively by Ford to Worldwide Automotive Industry

    ANN ARBOR, Mich., Nov. 13 -- A vehicle simulation software
tool now used exclusively at Ford Motor Company will soon be made
available to the global automotive industry by Mechanical Dynamics, Inc.
, a worldwide supplier of software and services for the virtual
prototyping market, through an agreement with Ford announced today.
    ADAMS/Pre, which Ford has used as a standard vehicle modeling and
simulation tool for the past seven years, provides an interface to Mechanical
Dynamics' ADAMS(R) mechanical system simulation program.  It helps an
engineering team create a virtual prototype of a vehicle and test dynamic
characteristics such as braking and steering prior to building a physical
prototype, or to compare test results with an existing physical prototype.
    "This strategic tool should be of great interest to the automotive
industry, particularly to automotive suppliers who work with Ford," said
Michael E. Korybalski, chairman and chief executive officer of Mechanical
Dynamics.  "ADAMS/Pre will help them study the performance of their product
designs against Ford's design targets before they submit the designs to Ford.
It has significant benefit in streamlining the product development process,
and can help suppliers become more competitive."
    Mechanical Dynamics gained ownership of the ADAMS/Pre product through its
recent acquisition of StatDesign, Inc., a Dearborn, Mich.-based provider of
design of experiments software, custom graphical user interfaces, and
consulting services for product design and development.  StatDesign had worked
exclusively with Ford, building ADAMS/Pre into the automaker's computer-aided
engineering (CAE) processes.
    "Access to ADAMS/Pre will help suppliers standardize on a common CAE
toolset, which can only strengthen the partnerships being built between Ford
and its suppliers," said Douglas M. Peterson, vice president of product
development at Mechanical Dynamics, and founder and former president of
StatDesign.  "We see ADAMS/Pre as a global solution for automotive
manufacturers and suppliers as the pressure increases to cut costs and
development cycles, while still producing best-in-class vehicles."
    Under the multi-million-dollar, five-year agreement, Ford will purchase a
site license for ADAMS/Pre, which will be used by Ford, Mazda, and Jaguar
engineers in the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
    "The availability of virtual prototyping will be much greater at Ford with
the site license arrangement," said Korybalski.  "The widespread use of
ADAMS/Pre will give us access to a broader group of Ford suppliers, and
positively impact overall sales of our full simulation software package."
    Mechanical Dynamics pioneered the field of mechanical system simulation,
and has remained focused on this technology since its founding in 1977.
Thousands of engineering teams from nearly every manufacturing industry today
use the company's ADAMS software to build and test virtual prototypes,
realistically simulating on their computers the full-motion behavior of
complex mechanical system designs.  Using ADAMS can help manufacturers reduce
the number of costly physical prototypes, improve design quality, and
significantly shorten product development cycles.
    In the automotive industry, ADAMS has become the de facto standard for
motion simulation, used by every major automaker in North America, Europe, and
Asia, as well as many leading automotive suppliers and tire manufacturers.
    Additional information about Mechanical Dynamics can be obtained by
writing to the company at 2301 Commonwealth Boulevard, Ann Arbor, Michigan
48105.  Phone: 313-994-3800.  Fax: 313-994-6418.  E-mail: info@adams.com.
World Wide Web: http://www.adams.com.
    ADAMS and the Mechanical Dynamics logo are registered trademarks of
Mechanical Dynamics, Inc.  All other company, brand, or product names are or
may be trademarks of their respective holders.

SOURCE  Mechanical Dynamics, Inc.