Canonsburg-based ANSYS is in the news again.

The global innovator of simulation software technologies has had a landslide of headlines lately, from 24 percent in revenue growth from 2007 to 2008, to a partnership with moon-bound Astrobotics, to new hires, a software-controlled retractable roof over Centre Court at Wimbledon and its inclusion on the Forbes 200 Best Small Companies in America list for the seventh year in a row.

For nearly 40 years, ANSYS has been a pioneer of software applications that help to solve some of the most challenging engineering feats of our times. Just this week ANSYS became the official sponsor of Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic Technology's Tranquility Trek mission, the robotic Google Lunar X Prize race to the moon. (See the Pop City story.)

ANSYS is providing its multiphysics engineering simulation software to help the company test the effectiveness of its machinery and materials in extreme lunar conditions. Astrobotic, one of 21 teams from around the world participating in the competition, has identified a 2011 launch date and is already at work, field-testing prototype Moon robots.

Then there's Wimbledon. ANSYS software was used to verify aspects of the design of the new retractable roof that slides over one of the most famous tennis courts in the world. The U.K-based engineering firm Advanced Computation Analysis (ACA) used ANSYS' platform to make sure the roof world perform properly under real-world work loads and stresses.

ANSYS employs more than 1,600 employees worldwide and has 300 people in Canonsburg and another 75 at the Ansoft office in South Side. This month the company announced the appointment of Joshua Fredberg to the senior management team as the vice president of marketing.

The company continues to remain profitable. ANSYS reported a total non-GAAP revenue of $493 million in 2008, up from $387.2 million in 2007, a 24.1 percent increase over the previous year.

"These results are a reflection of our strong value proposition, combined with strong customer relationships built over many years, and our dedicated employees," says Jim Cashman, CEO. "Our success demonstrates that, even in hard times, customers understand the value that ANSYS brings in pushing the boundaries of product innovation."

Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: ANSYS