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MSC.Software to Buy Mechanical Dynamics

By Karen Kaplan
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Simulation software maker MSC.Software Corp. of Santa Ana is expected to announce today that it will buy Mechanical Dynamics Inc. for $116.6 million in cash.

Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Mechanical Dynamics specializes in software and services that allow engineers in the automotive, aerospace, rail, general machinery and other industries to make and test virtual prototypes of their designs. The acquisition would expand MSC.Software’s offerings into the product life-cycle management market.

MSC.Software is fighting an attempt by the Federal Trade Commission to undo two of its previous acquisitions on the grounds that they allowed the company to corner the market for Nastran engineering software, which is used to simulate conditions for aerospace and auto designs.

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This acquisition would not affect that case because Mechanical Dynamics is in the market for “virtual prototyping, which is a totally different ballgame,” company spokesman Todd Evans said.

MSC.Software would pay $18.85 for each share outstanding of Mechanical Dynamics, a 57% premium over Friday’s closing price of $12.01 in Nasdaq trading.

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Karen Kaplan

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Karen Kaplan

Karen Kaplan covers science and medical research for the Los Angeles Times. She has been a member of the science team since 2005, including 13 years as an editor. Her first decade at The Times was spent covering technology in the Business section as both a reporter and editor. She grew up in San Diego and is a graduate of MIT and Columbia University.

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