MSC.Software Corp., the leading global provider of virtual product development (VPD) products including simulation software and services, today announced that the German-based technology supplier INA-Schaeffler KG, a part of the Schaeffler Group, has purchased VPD products and services to improve their automotive engine development process. "One of the largest demands for software companies today is to create robust, easy to use tools that can be customizable to a specific customers product development processes," said Frank Perna, chairman and chief executive officer of MSC.Software. "The MSC.Software VPD product portfolio is the best in the industry for a number of reasons, one of them being that our tools are scaleable and able to be customized so our customers can get the most from their technology investments without having to overhaul their processes. We very much respect how our customers do business and will continue to ensure our products give engineers around the world the flexibility they need to develop better products faster." "We decided on the MSC.Software products and services because we have known MSC.Software as a reliable and experienced partner not only providing software solutions but also for the customization of MSC.Software's products according to our needs," said Dr. Christoph Brands, manager technical calculation, INA. "With the growing complexity of automotive components, it becomes more and more important to customize software according to our needs. Furthermore, we appreciate to be a part of the ADAMS/Engine powered by FEV consortium as it provides us with the opportunity to directly influence the development of the software. MSC.ADAMS is used to verify the functional performance of our components within the system. MSC.Nastran is used for structural analysis to obtain strains and stresses for durability assessments. With Virtual Product Development Software such as MSC.ADAMS and MSC.Nastran, we can be more accurate regarding the prediction of the functional performance of our products in the development process and save development time." MSC.ADAMS and MSC.Nastran are used at INA Group within the development of engine components such as valve trains and timing chains. Apart from being an MSC.Software customer for over 15 years, INA Group is one of the initial members of the consortium founded by MSC.Software to develop the simulation environment ADAMS/Engine powered by FEV.