Contract part of new engineering tool
Waterloo, November 07, 2007: Maplesoft™, the leading provider of high-performance software tools for engineering, science, and mathematics today announced a multi-year contract with Toyota Motor Corporation, the world’s largest automobile company. The partnership will produce advanced physical modeling tools to help Toyota move to a new product development process called the Model-Based Development (MBD). Key features of the new process include Control System Design and Physical (“Plant”) Modeling based on a symbolic approach.
Toyota has been one of the earliest among industrial companies to embrace Model-Based Design, the concept of creating a computer-based model of a system to analyze, test, improve, and optimize the design before actually building the physical system.In the initial stages, this was used in the design, simulation, and implementation of control systems using tools from companies such as The MathWorks®. Toyota is now expanding its scope with the development of the new Model-Based Development process.
The goal of MBD is to improve time-to-market, quality, and reliability, while reducing cost. Physical modeling requires a symbolic approach to computations in order to accurately and efficiently represent real-world physical systems. Toyota has recognized Maple™ as an important part of this framework, providing the ideal mathematical environment for Physics-based modeling. Maple is an advanced software tool from Maplesoft that relies on a powerful computation engine to derive and solve complex sets of equations, simplify large sets of equations, develop advanced mathematical models, and create user-friendly technical applications.
“Mathematical environments such as Maple have many advantages,” said Jim Cooper, President and CEO of Maplesoft. “By describing the complex, acausal relationships of a physical model in a clear and efficient way, Maple enables simplification and optimization, taming the complexity of large models and reducing development and testing time. Furthermore, the Maple document environment makes solutions more readable and understandable, rendering knowledge capture and re-use simple and effective. We are delighted to partner with Toyota in this innovative venture.”
Tools developed by Maplesoft will provide the fundamental mathematical framework for physical modeling within the Model-Based Development Process. All areas of engineering development such as engines, transmissions, suspensions, braking systems, climate control systems, and in-vehicle electronics stand to gain from the use of the new set of modeling tools.
Toyota is recognized worldwide for its innovative use of technology. “Model-Based Development will set new industry standards for the use of software tools and models in automotive systems development,” said Mr. Akira Ohata, a Project General Manager of Toyota Motor Corporation. “Symbolic computation, pioneered by companies like Maplesoft, makes new design methods a reality today. Automotive companies like us will realize further improvements in cycle times, cost optimization, and smoother implementation of extremely complex systems.”
As part of the partnership, Maplesoft and Toyota are doing pioneering work in other yet-to-be-announced projects as well. The two companies are also leading a Physical Modeling Consortium, which brings together leaders in the automotive industry to share ideas and advance the development of Rapid Plant Modeling Methodology based on symbolic computation.
About Maplesoft
Maplesoft is the leading provider of high-performance software tools for engineering, science, and mathematics. Its product suite reflects the philosophy that given great tools, people can do great things. Maplesoft has transformed the way engineers, scientists, and mathematicians use math, enabling them to work better, faster, and smarter.
Organizations around the world have applied Maplesoft solutions in nearly every technical field including engineering design, operations research, scientific research, and financial analysis. Maplesoft's commercial customer base includes Allied Signal, BMW, Boeing, DaimlerChrysler, DreamWorks, Ford, General Electric, Hewlett Packard, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Raytheon, Robert Bosch, Sun Microsystems, Toyota, and Tyco.
Visit www.maplesoft.com to learn more.
