Altair Acquisition Boosts Its Structural Analysis and Optimization Value

OmniQuest brings its multidisciplinary design optimization technology to the table.

Altair, the simulation, AI and engineering software company, announced this week that it will acquire OmniQuest, an American company specializing in structural analysis and optimization technology.

Genesis is the primary software offering of OmniQuest. It uses optimization and finite element methods to improve a design’s structural integrity while accounting for numerous variables and constraints. The software is used by many in the automotive industry, with a significant number coming from racing and Formula 1. Its popularity in the racing industry is linked to Genesis’ compatibility with composites, agile engineering processes, specialized production tools, highly engineered vehicles and short turnaround times.

(Image: OmniQuest.)

(Image: OmniQuest.)

“OmniQuest was founded by the late Professor Gary Vanderplaats, a giant in the field of structural optimization who developed many unique and powerful optimization algorithms used in the commercial market today,” said James R. Scapa, founder and chief executive officer, Altair. “OmniQuest’s products are used by several major customers, and we are excited to make them available to all our customers going forward.”

Genesis’ analysis tools include:

  • Static.
  • Normal modes.
  • Direct and modal frequency analysis.
  • Random response.
  • Heat transfer.
  • System buckling.
  • Acoustics.
  • Fatigue.

The software is also compatible with equivalent static load method (ESLM) to assess highly nonlinear behaviors and third-party finite element analysis (FEA) solvers.

Meanwhile, Genesis’ optimization capabilities focus on:

  • Sizing.
  • Shape.
  • Topology.
  • Topometry.
  • Topography.
  • Freeform.

“The acquisition of this excellent technology and team will further enhance Altair’s optimization leadership in the market driving lightweight and structurally efficient designs across the globe,” Scapa added.

Vanderplaats was a founding father of practical structural and multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO). He worked on structural optimizations, vision theory and the practical applications of MDO. His modified method of feasible directions algorithms became popular in the field thanks to his code CONMIN (constrained minimization). CONMIN has been embedded into various program offerings and is still used today. In the 1980’s, he founded Vanderplaats Research & Development, now OmniQuest, and served as its CEO and chairman until his passing. He also had a successful career as a professor at UC Santa Barbra.

Written by

Shawn Wasserman

For over 10 years, Shawn Wasserman has informed, inspired and engaged the engineering community through online content. As a senior writer at WTWH media, he produces branded content to help engineers streamline their operations via new tools, technologies and software. While a senior editor at Engineering.com, Shawn wrote stories about CAE, simulation, PLM, CAD, IoT, AI and more. During his time as the blog manager at Ansys, Shawn produced content featuring stories, tips, tricks and interesting use cases for CAE technologies. Shawn holds a master’s degree in Bioengineering from the University of Guelph and an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo.