Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘In Defense of a Liberal Education’
American Made Advocacy: A Growing Presence in Washington in Turbulent Times
Altair Enhances Leadership in Optimization Technology by Acquiring OmniQuest
October 3, 2023 | AltairEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Altair, a global leader in computational science and artificial intelligence (AI), acquired OmniQuest, a Novi, Mich.-based optimization software company. OmniQuest’s flagship product, Genesis, is an advanced structural analysis and optimization software that uses the finite element method to solve problems with many variables and constraints.
“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. OmniQuest’s products are used by several major customers, and we are excited to make them available to all our customers going forward,” said James R. Scapa, founder and chief executive officer, Altair. “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.”
In addition to the automotive sector, the acquisition brings deep experience in Formula 1, the highest class of international racing, where Genesis has a strong position and is widely used for composite design applications. It is particularly utilized for applications that require agile engineering processes and specialized tools to produce highly engineered vehicles with short turnaround times.
Genesis’s analysis capabilities include static, normal modes, direct and modal frequency analysis, random response, heat transfer, system buckling calculations, acoustics, and fatigue analysis. Its structural optimization types include sizing, shape, topology, topometry, topography and freeform optimization.
Genesis also supports equivalent static load method (ESLM) for highly nonlinear structural behaviors, interfacing with popular third-party finite-element analysis (FEA) solvers.
OmniQuest founder, Professor Vanderplaats, was a founding father of practical structural and multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO). His contributions to vision, theory, and practical applications of MDO and structural optimization are significant and his early contributions include the modified method of feasible directions algorithm, which became very popular in the structural optimization field by his own code CONMIN (constrained minimization). This code is embedded in many programs and remains among the best in the world today. In the late 1980’s he left behind a legendary academic career as a tenured professor at UC Santa Barbara to found Vanderplaats Research & Development (later renamed OmniQuest) and served as chief executive officer and chairman until his passing.
Share on:
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
08/01/2025 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007We start with the latest report from the Global Electronics Association: North American PCB sales are down 8.6% in June. That might sound grim, but keep reading—there’s more to the story. Bookings are holding steady, and Dr. Shawn DuBravac offers context that paints a more balanced picture. Next, we turn our gaze to India, where mobile phone exports have surged 127-fold over the past decade. That stat alone says volumes about India’s emergence as a force in electronics manufacturing, something we’ll be digging into more deeply in an upcoming SMT007 feature.
Beyond Design: AI-driven Inverse Stackup Optimization
12/26/2024 | Barry Olney -- Column: Beyond DesignArtificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how we conceptualize and design everything from satellites to PCBs. Traditionally, stackup planning is a manual process that can be multifaceted and relies heavily on the designer's expertise. Despite having best practices and various field solvers to optimize parameters, stackup planning remains challenging for complex designs with advanced packaging, several layers, multiple power pours, and controlled impedance requirements.
enSights Raises $10M to Scale its AI-Powered Clean Energy Optimization Business
12/05/2024 | PRNewswireenSights, an AI-powered, cloud-based clean energy optimization and management platform company, announced today that it completed a $10 million Series A funding round, co-led by venture capital firms JAL Ventures and XT VC, with the participation of the Menomadin Foundation.
IPC Announces Two New Courses to Enhance Electronics Manufacturing Excellence
12/03/2024 | IPCIPC is excited to announce the launch of two new courses designed to optimize electronics manufacturing processes: "Ensuring Excellence: IPC-J-STD-001 Process Optimization" and "Ensuring Excellence: IPC-A-610 Process Optimization."
Beyond Design: Integrated Circuit to PCB Integration
09/11/2024 | Barry Olney -- Column: Beyond DesignTechnologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous cars, smartphones, and wearable devices are significantly transforming the semiconductor industry. The miniaturization trend drives the IC footprint to an even smaller profile, requiring tighter margins. From the PCB designer’s perspective, smaller form factors are achievable, making devices more compact and lightweight. But double-sided SMT placement, reduced routing channels, and high-speed constraints create multiple challenges for designers. However, there are some advantages to miniaturization: shorter interconnects between the IC and the PCB reduce signal loss and electromagnetic interference. High-speed digital signals in the GHz range benefit from reduced parasitics.