EDEN PRAIRIE, Minnesota, April 19 /PRNewswire/ --

- The MTS Insight solution combines best-in-class TestWorks software, expert consulting services and innovative frame hardware in an easy-to-use, affordable testing solution

MTS Systems Corporation (Nasdaq: MTSC) today introduced its new MTS Insight(TM) electromechanical testing solution. The MTS Insight solution combines the company's best-in-class TestWorks(R) software, expert consulting services and innovative frame hardware in an integrated, easy-to-use and affordable solution that enables customers to complete virtually any electromechanical testing they require.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020430/MTSCLOGO )

"The new MTS Insight electromechanical testing solution provides companies and research institutions a single source for all of their research, process development, product manufacturing and quality testing needs," said Sidney W. Emery, Jr., MTS chairman and chief executive officer. "MTS has always delivered high-quality, innovative electromechanical testing solutions, and the MTS Insight solution is an exciting next step in the evolution of this product line."

The MTS Insight solution provides the tools to perform simple monotonic tests on a wide array of materials, such as plastics, metals, adhesives, ceramics, composites and elastomers, as well as subcomponents and finished products. The test results generated by Insight help guarantee quality in production processes and provide analytical capabilities in research and product or process development. Applications exist in many industries, including medical devices, consumer products, automotive, aerospace and general materials testing.

The tightly integrated MTS Insight solution includes:

Best-in-Class, Flexible Software

MTS TestWorks is robust, easy-to-use material testing software that provides test definition, test execution and report generation capabilities for standard and complex research, product and process development, and quality control testing.

TestWorks gives users the flexibility to not only create, customize and share test methods that meet any industry standard or unique testing requirement, but also perform a variety of standard and advanced tests -- including peel, tear, sheer, tensile, compression, creep, stress, cyclic and strain -- at both low- and high-force capacities.

Expert Consulting Services

MTS' dedicated team of professional testing consultants applies its vast industry knowledge and deep expertise to evaluate customers' specific testing needs and deliver test methods that meet their requirements.

MTS provides pre-packaged test methods for a variety of materials, subcomponents and products, saving customers time and effort and allowing them to focus on research, development and quality assurance for their products. These methods are designed to meet regional and international standards, such as ISO, DIN, SAE, ASTM and SACMA. MTS consultants can also create customized methods to support customers' unique, complex testing procedures. In this way, customers can leverage MTS' industry experience to obtain advanced methods for any type of material test.

Industry Leading Hardware

The new MTS Insight test frame offers customers an affordable and flexible platform to perform virtually any monotonic testing. The frame features a new universal controller card; a new handset for convenient setup and operation; and load cells with Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS) self-identification capabilities that follow the recently adopted IEEE 1451.4 standard.

MTS Insight replaces the MTS Alliance(TM), QTest(R) and Synergie(TM) electromechanical test frames, combining the benefits of these systems to create a more advanced and unified testing solution for price-conscious customers. MTS Insight provides excellent forward-and-backward compatibility, allowing customers to maximize their existing resources and equipment while integrating new capabilities.

Additional Key Features and Benefits:

The MTS Insight solution offers customers the following additional key features and benefits:

-- Ball screw optical encoder -- improves measurement accuracy. -- Increased crosshead travel distance -- offers greater testing flexibility. -- High-elongation extensometer with improved mounting mechanism -- increases ease-of-use. -- External transformer -- improves safety and simplifies international installations. -- Reduced footprint and frame weight -- provides more usable testing space in lab settings. -- Quieter machine -- improves testing conditions for users.

About MTS Systems Corporation

MTS Systems Corporation is a leading global supplier of test systems and industrial position sensors. The Company's testing hardware and software solutions help customers accelerate and improve their design, development, and manufacturing processes and are used for determining the mechanical behavior of materials, products, and structures. MTS' high performance position sensors provide controls for a variety of industrial and vehicular applications. MTS had 1,615 employees and revenue of US$367 million for the fiscal year ended October 2, 2004. Additional information on MTS can be found on the worldwide web at http://www.mts.com.

Web site: http://www.mts.com

Elizabeth Walsh, Marketing Services Manager of MTS Systems Corporation, +1-952-937-4333, elizabeth.walsh@mts.com ; Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020430/MTSCLOGO ; AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org ; PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com