Phoenix Integration has announced an exclusive license agreement with Lockheed Martin to software that allows direct connectivity between Phoenix's ModelCenter product and Sandia National Laboratories' DAKOTA toolkit. Sandia National Laboratory is managed by Sandia Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, for the U.S. Department of Energy. Lockheed Martin and Phoenix worked collaboratively to develop the plug-in as part of the Rapid Conceptual Design (RCD) initiative at the famed Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, Calif. "ModelCenter's Dakota Plug-in leverages a powerful optimization suite within an extremely capable integration tool, providing the ability to solve complex design problems," states Dr. Marc Stelmack from Lockheed Martin. Mike Eldred, principal investigator for DAKOTA, says that DAKOTA allows designers to develop virtual prototypes of products that can be modified within the computer to minimize weight, cost, or defects; limit critical temperature, stress, vibration, or other responses; or maximize performance, reliability, agility, and robustness. The result: better designs and reduced dependence on prototypes and testing, which shortens design cycles and lowers development costs. "This collaborative effort has resulted in a powerful and flexible addition to our design exploration product lineup, adding value for all of our users," stated Brett Malone, President and co-founder of Phoenix Integration. Phoenix will service existing users of its software, ModelCenter, and also bring additional integration capability to existing DAKOTA users. The plug-in will be part of Phoenix's Premium Optimization Package.