Noran Engineering Inc. (Westminster, Calif., U.S.A.) announces the release of NE/Nastran v8.3. The new version features 45 customer-driven enhancements, including Model Interpolation, which enables mapping of 2-D or 3-D model data from one simulation mesh to another within the solver. Additional features include Direct Frequency Response, for more accurate and efficient analysis of high frequency systems. Adaptive time stepping in Transient Response and Complex Eigenvalue Analysis helps the user solve problems in acoustics, rotating bodies, and many other physical effects where damping or unsymmetric stiffness/mass is required. New elements include a spot weld element (CWELD) that allows a weld connection to exist at any position in a shell mesh, thus significantly improving productivity when developing body-in-white automotive models.