CANONSBURG, Pa.-- ANSYS Inc., a global innovator of simulation software and technologies designed to optimize product development processes, today announced the availability of a powerful suite of engineering simulation tools that will make a company's product development process more productive while significantly reducing costs. ANSYS 7.0 is targeted at the rapidly growing digital prototyping and simulation market, which is expected to reach $1.5 billion by year's end according to market research and analysis firm Daratech, Inc. Key to the ANSYS 7.0 release is the introduction of new technology based on CADOE(R) Software, a development company purchased by ANSYS in November 2001. This technology provides a much more efficient approach to Finite Element Analysis (FEA) by giving users -- with one single analysis -- all the results corresponding to the variations of their design parameters. As a result, designers and analysts can perform simulation analyses faster than ever before. Additionally, the ANSYS 7.0 release also features an updated user interface and supports the company's goal to deliver customers a broad- range, scalable solution that supports and enhances their product development process, including legacy data and in-house applications. "With this latest version, ANSYS continues to keep pace with the simulation demands of product development companies," said Mike Wheeler, vice president and general manager of the Mechanical Business Unit at ANSYS. "This latest version of ANSYS features an intuitive user interface popularized by our user-friendly DesignSpace(R) software and gives all CAD users the ability to be productive within hours instead of days. Additionally, with our ANSYS 7.0 flagship product, we have migrated from the DOS environment to Windows. These enhancements give designers and analysts more tools to get their jobs done faster, ultimately translating into significant time and money savings during the product development process." The market potential for ANSYS simulation software has steadily increased as companies in many diverse industries, including aerospace, automotive, electronics and biomedical, demand leading-edge technology to keep them at the forefront of their industries. ANSYS simulation solutions are used by 84 of the top 100 Fortune 500 industrial companies to produce a spectrum of products, including aircraft and automobile engines, space crafts, computer chips, buildings, office furniture and medical devices. ANSYS simulation solutions also are used extensively by non-traditional engineering companies to virtually build and test such items as tennis rackets and golf clubs, heart valves and breast implants, and roller coasters and Ferris wheels. "Companies who want to compete realize that simulation is an integral part of the product development process," said Avinash V. Sarlashkar, Director of Technology for Impact Technologies, LLC in Rochester, NY. "The robust functionality and seamless integration of ANSYS products allow us to fully support our customers and deliver highest-quality simulation solutions." ANSYS 7.0 is configured to integrate with existing systems and legacy data to significantly improve the overall efficiency of the engineering process. ANSYS 7.0 also gives CAD operators of all skill levels the power to accurately confirm component and assembly design assumptions and predict product performance during the critical early stages of the development process. Increasingly, manufacturers are realizing the value of making changes early in the design process, when the vast majority of product costs are determined. "Despite a challenging technology marketplace this year, it is clear from a number of indicators that simulation products continue to be essential tools for manufacturers across a wide variety of industries," said Tim Hickey, editor, Daratech. "The functionality and features within ANSYS 7.0 should enjoy high interest from the marketplace."