Altair Gets Ready for HTC 2012

So an astronaut, a designer, and an analyst walk into a hotel.

It’s not a joke. It’s a scenario that would come to pass in the Marriott at the Renaissance in Detroit, Michigan. That’s the site of Altair Engineering‘s HyperWorks Technology Conference (HTC) 2012, scheduled for May 15-17. The astronaut is T.K. Mattingly, the retired astronaut who once flew on Apollo 16, STS-4, and STS-51-C missions. The designer is Luca Pignacca, chief designer at Dallara Automobili. The analyst is Marc Halpern, VP of research, Gartner. They’re all keynote speakers who have signed on to appear at HTC 2012. The will join Altair’s Chairman and CEO Jim Scapa on stage.

Hosted by the HyperWorks Division of Altair, HTC is a series of event that focuses on using high-performance computing to solve engineering and simulation problems. Since its launch five years ago, the conference has grown to include events in Japan, India, China, Europe, and more locations. Most of them are free to attend (attendees will have to cover their travel and accommodation expenses). Official event locations represent sites where Altair has offices, but the company has also held what its chief marketing officer Jeff Brennan called “unsanctioned events” in Brazil and Australia.

When HTC was held in Malaysia 2010, it drew a modest crowd of 75. In 2011, Brennan recalled, the crowd grew to 200. “Each of these event is growing,” said Brennan. “We’re starting to attract big-name speakers too.”

Altair landed an astronaut as a speaker this year because of the work the company has been doing with NASA to develop a crew-landing module, Brennan explained.

“The computer-aided engineering industry [the focus of Altair and HTC] is very dynamic,” said Brennan. “There’s a lot of players, a lot of change as well. Technology is changing rapidly. People are taking up the technology ... Last year, we showed our conceptual design product [Solidthinking] on stage, and how it integrates with simulation tools.”

HTC offers Altair software partners the opportunity to exhibit their ware. (DE is one of the media sponsors of HTC.) This year’s sponsors include Moldex3D, which develops and markets plastic injection molding simulation software; and e-Xtreme, which specializes in composite materials. Organizers also calling for papers from potential presenters.

For those seeking technical knowledge, the conference is expected to deliver sessions on CFD, scripting, optimization, crash-worthiness analysis, advanced mid-surface processing, NVH (noise, vibration, harshness), vehicle durability testing, and composites materials. Hands-on training will be punctuated with networking events.

To register, go here.