Leading French Automotive Supplier Relies on Actran Acoustics Software

Plastic Omnium Simulates Acoustics of Car Body Modules

SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Free Field Technologies (FFT), an MSC Software company, today announced that Plastic Omnium has deployed the Actran/Acoustics and Vibro-Acoustics software, to simulate the acoustic attenuation of plastic panels and other components used in automobiles around the world.

“Car manufacturers tend to substitute more and more sheet metal parts with plastic components to reduce the weight of their vehicles and their pollutant emissions”

Plastic Omnium is a leading provider of innovative body modules and fuel systems to the automotive industry. The use of Actran is critical in simulating the acoustic behavior of lightweight automotive components early in the design process, and to ensure compliance with the acoustic transparency requirements specified by the OEM.

The Automotive Division of Plastic Omnium combines the expertise of Plastic Omnium Auto Exterior, a world leader in body components and modules, and Inergy Automotive Systems, the world leading supplier of fuel systems. The company is headquartered in Levallois, France and develops innovative solutions that respond to the growing demand for weight reduction, lower emissions, recyclability, and pedestrian protection. "Our body components and modules help car manufacturers make their vehicles lighter, cleaner and more resistant to impacts," explains Philippe Gilotte, R&D Project Manager at Plastic Omnium, one of the key users of the Actran software.

The company’s engineers face the challenge of demonstrating that the use of plastic components instead of sheet metal parts does not negatively impact the acoustic transparency in the car body. The OEMs tend to shift responsibility for test and validation of the specified requirements to their suppliers. "We need to simulate the acoustic attenuation of panels and gain a better understanding of their physical behavior without having to create a large number of prototypes. Actran/Acoustics and Vibro-Acoustics provide a very complete set of tools to do this kind of analysis quickly, allowing us to optimize and validate the design models earlier in the process," says Philippe Gilotte.

"Car manufacturers tend to substitute more and more sheet metal parts with plastic components to reduce the weight of their vehicles and their pollutant emissions," says Alain Genard, Director Sales and Marketing Worldwide at FFT. "This is an important opportunity for suppliers who develop these components. However, they cannot afford to build real prototypes to determine if they comply with the customer's requirements. To be competitive, they need powerful tools to simulate acoustic behavior, and a skilled services team to help them take advantage of the software. We are convinced that Actran will enable Plastic Omnium to design future products faster, and with higher reliability."

About Free Field Technologies (FFT), an MSC Software Company

Founded in 1998, and headquartered in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium, Free Field Technologies, an MSC Software company, develops and supports Actran, a powerful software suite for acoustic, vibro-acoustic and aero-acoustic modeling. Actran contains a wide set of acoustic features making it the solution of choice for customers as diverse as top car manufacturers and their suppliers, the largest civil and military aircraft and aircraft engine manufacturers, leading producers of loudspeakers and other audio devices, consultants, universities and research centers. FFT maintains offices in Toulouse, Tokyo, and Detroit.

For more information, visit www.fft.be.

About MSC Software

MSC Software is one of the ten original software companies and the worldwide leader in multidiscipline simulation. As a trusted partner, MSC Software helps companies improve quality, save time, and reduce costs associated with design and test of manufactured products. Academic institutions, researchers, and students employ MSC’s technology to expand individual knowledge as well as expand the horizon of simulation. MSC Software employs 1,100 professionals in 20 countries. For additional information about MSC Software’s products and services, please visit: www.mscsoftware.com.

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