MSC Software

What MSC Software does

MSC Software is a Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) software company founded in 1963 and headquartered in Newport Beach, California. The company builds structural mechanics and virtual manufacturing simulation tools — most notably MSC Nastran (structural analysis), MSC Adams (multibody dynamics), Marc (nonlinear FEA), and Mentat (solver GUI) — supplemented by acquired capabilities in topology optimization (AMendate), drivetrain simulation (Romax), AI-driven simulation (CADLM), and fatigue analysis (CAEfatigue).

MSC Software serves mission-critical engineering workflows at aerospace and automotive OEMs including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, BMW, Toyota, and Volkswagen. Its products are used for stress, vibration, acoustics, crash, NVH, and structural analysis in safety-critical applications, where solver accuracy and validation heritage are decisive purchasing criteria.

The company generates revenue primarily through subscription software licenses for engineering simulation, sold via a direct enterprise sales motion to major OEMs. MSC was acquired by Hexagon AB in 2017, transitioned to a subscription model, and contributed approximately €265 million to Hexagon's Manufacturing division in 2024 at above-group-average profitability. In September 2025, Hexagon agreed to sell its Design & Engineering business (including MSC Software) to Cadence Design Systems for approximately €2.7 billion (70% cash, 30% stock), with the transaction closing in February 2026.

Name

MSC Software

Legal name

MSC Software

Website

https://mscsoftware.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

MSC Software develops CAE simulation software — including MSC Nastran for structural analysis and MSC Adams for multibody dynamics — used by aerospace and automotive OEMs such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, BMW, Toyota, and Volkswagen to validate designs before physical prototyping.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineering Simulation Software (CAE)

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Engineering & Simulation (CFD/FEA, Digital Twins, Model-Based Engineering) (IMAJAGAL)

Keywords

• Structural analysis software
• Multibody dynamics simulation
• Computer aided engineering
• Finite element analysis
• Virtual prototyping software

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. CAE Software Licenses and Subscriptions: The company transitioned to a subscription model under Hexagon ownership. Provides CAE software solutions for structural mechanics and virtual manufacturing with recurring subscription revenue.
2. Engineering Simulation Software: Revenue from software licenses, subscriptions, and related services for engineering simulation applications

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

MSC Software develops and licenses Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) simulation software that enables engineers to validate and optimize product and process designs using virtual prototypes. The portfolio centers on flagship solvers MSC Nastran (structural analysis for stress, vibration, and durability) and MSC Adams (multibody dynamics for mechanical system motion), augmented by nonlinear FEA (Marc), topology optimization (AMendate), drivetrain simulation (Romax), AI-driven simulation (CADLM), and fatigue analysis (CAEfatigue). The offering is delivered primarily as subscriptions to enterprise aerospace, automotive, and industrial manufacturers.

Product overview

MSC Software operates as a comprehensive CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) software portfolio providing structural mechanics and virtual manufacturing solutions. The portfolio includes flagship products MSC Nastran (structural analysis solver) and MSC Adams (multibody dynamics simulation), complemented by acquired technologies including AMendate (topology optimization), Romax (drivetrain simulation), CADLM (AI-driven simulation), and CAEfatigue (fatigue analysis). The company transitioned to a subscription model and was acquired by Hexagon in 2017, then subsequently sold to Cadence Design Systems in 2025. The products serve aerospace and automotive OEMs including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, BMW, Toyota, and Volkswagen.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MSC Nastran: Industry-standard finite element analysis (FEA) solver for structural analysis used in aerospace and automotive sectors
• Adams
• Marc
• Mentat

Products and services

• MSC Nastran

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cadence Design SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 September 2025Hexagon entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Design & Engineering business (including MSC Software) to Cadence Design Systems for approximately €2.7 billion. The transaction positions MSC Software within Cadence's System Design & Analysis portfolio, combining MSC Nastran and Adams with Cadence's multiphysics and CFD technologies to create a unified simulation platform. A long-term collaboration between Hexagon and Cadence was established.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ANSYS: ANSYS is the leading direct competitor to MSC in structural, thermal, and multiphysics CAE simulation, with overlapping flagship solvers (ANSYS Mechanical, Fluent) and the same Boeing/Lockheed/automotive OEM customer base.
• Siemens Digital Industries Software: Siemens Simcenter competes head-to-head with MSC Nastran and Adams in structural and multibody dynamics, with the additional advantage of tight NX CAD/CAE integration and a large enterprise install base in automotive and aerospace.
• Dassault Systèmes (SIMULIA): Dassault's SIMULIA Abaqus suite directly competes with MSC Nastran in nonlinear structural analysis, and benefits from integration with CATIA, targeting the same aerospace and automotive design engineers as MSC.
• Altair Engineering: Altair offers overlapping structural and multiphysics simulation (HyperWorks, OptiStruct) directly competing with MSC Nastran and Adams, and serves similar aerospace, automotive, and manufacturing customers.
• ESI Group: ESI Group focuses on virtual prototyping and manufacturing simulation, directly competing with MSC's virtual manufacturing and Simufact portfolio in sheet metal forming, crash, and welding simulations for automotive and aerospace OEMs.

Broad incumbents

• Hexagon AB: Hexagon was MSC's parent from 2017 until its September 2025 divestiture; Hexagon's broader Manufacturing Intelligence portfolio (metrology, CAD/CAM, CAE) overlaps with MSC's virtual manufacturing simulation offerings.
• Cadence Design Systems: Cadence acquired MSC Software's D&E business in February 2026 and now owns the MSC portfolio; Cadence's existing multiphysics, CFD, and EDA tools are being combined with MSC's structural solvers to create a unified simulation platform.
• Autodesk: Autodesk's Fusion 360 and Inventor Nastran-equivalent (formerly Autodesk Nastran) offer overlapping CAE functionality to the same manufacturing and product design customer base, competing as part of a much broader design suite.

Others

• Synopsys: Synopsys is adjacent through EDA and Ansys's recent acquisition interest; it represents a peer in the broader electronic/physical design tools space and a potential cross-domain simulation consolidator.

Emerging players

• BETA CAE Systems: BETA CAE (Ansa, META) is a direct competitor in CAE pre/post-processing for structural and crash analysis, with growing penetration among automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers overlapping with MSC's Adams customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MSCSoftware
• Facebookfacebook.com/91251157889
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/msc-software

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A7 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MSC Software