PLM Industry Summary
Editor: Christine Bennett Vol. 7 No 41, Friday 14 October 2005
CONTENTS Acquisitions ______2 FileNet Completes Acquisition of Yaletown Technology Group ______2 RAND Worldwide® Completes Acquisition Of Autodesk-Related Assets From Continental Imaging Products______3 CIMdata in the News______3 A New Report from CIMdata: The Benefits of Integrating PLM and ERP ______3 Company News ______4 Avatech Solutions Announces Customer Loyalty Program; Leading Solutions Integrator Seeks to Set New Standards in Customer Care Performance ______4 AVEVA Delivers New Strategic Initiative in China ______5 Bentley Announces Publication of 'Rendering With MicroStation'; Book Details Every Aspect of Rendering Needed to Produce Photorealistic Images and Output______6 Bentley Announces BE Conference Europe 2006 ______7 Cadence Announces Best Overall Paper Presented at CDNLive! ______8 Carlucci Promoted to Head Deligo Technologies ______9 Delcam USA Names FCS International Top FeatureCAM Distributor ______10 Engineous Software to Host Over 300 at International Symposium and Workshops in Detroit, Michigan; FIPER 2.0 and iSIGHT-FD Launched and Demonstrated at the Event ______11 Leading PLM Vendor Will Discuss Next Generation PLM Solutions for Complex Engineering Manufacturers_____ 12 Magma Launches Second Series of ''TechTalks''; Lunch-Time Technical Presentations Cover Migrating to Magma's Blast Create, Statistical Timing Analysis and Yield Enhancement ______13 Next IAI-IFC and STEP/PLCS/RDL Workshop for Implementations ______13 Omnify Software To Present at ASPMFG RoHS/WEEE Seminars In Palo Alto and Irvine______14 OptiTex™ Announces Its Membership in the Microsoft Certified Partner Program______15 Patrick D. Cahill Starts The U.S. ShipConstructor Team ______16 Prominent Sutter Hill Ventures Managing Director Jim White Joins Right Hemisphere Board of Directors ______16 PROSTEP IMP Supports Mechatronic Integration ______18 Si2 Announces the Seventh OpenAccess Conference with Speakers and Demonstrations from Leading Semiconductor and EDA Companies ______18 Spescom Software Appoints Glenn Cox as VP Sales and Marketing ______19 UGS and General Motors to Host Exclusive Executive Perspectives: Best Practices in PLM-enabled Business Process Improvement Symposium on October 11______20 UGS Elects New Directors to Board; New Members Add Business and Industry Expertise to Further the Company’s Growth Initiatives______22 UGS, Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and CAD Potential Team Up To Deliver Automotive Certification Program in the Americas for Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Technologies______23 Visiprise and HMS Software Announce Merger Agreement______24 World's Best Innovators Are "Six Times More Successful" in Getting Better Products to Market Faster, UGS Chairman, CEO and President Tony Affuso Tells Fellow Automotive Industry Leaders ______26 Financial News______27 AVEVA Group plc—Pre-Close Trading Update ______27 Cadence Announces Third Quarter 2005 Financial Results Webcast ______27 FileNet Announces Third Quarter 2005 Financial Results on October 25, 2005______28 netGuru Receives Nasdaq Notification ______28 PTC to Host Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2005 Results Conference Call and Webcast on November 2, 2005 ____ 29 [TCS] Strong Q-o-Q Performance, Big Wins Drive Growth Momentum (US GAAP) ______30 Implementation Investments ______34
Copyright © 2005 by CIMdata, Inc. All rights reserved. CIMdata, Inc. 3909 Research Park Drive Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108 Tel: +1 (734) 668–9922 Fax: +1 (734) 668–1957 E-mail: [email protected] CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Ameron International Selects Synergis Adept Engineering Data Management and Achieves 50 Percent Increase in Productivity ______34 Constellation Energy Contract Valued at $750,000 for Deployment of eB Across Nuclear Fleet______35 Dassault Systèmes and Queen’s University Establish PLM Competency Centre ______35 Engineous Software Wins Phase V Award for Continuing Work on the US Army's Integrated Performance Cost Model Program ______36 eSERV Selects PTC® Windchill® To Strengthen Engineering Services Offering ______38 FISHER/UNITECH Helps Wise Plastics Technologies Realize Up To 40% Reduction in Design Cycle Times _____ 39 Kawasaki Microelectronics Adopts Apache’s SoC Power Closure Design Flow ______40 Liz Claiborne Inc. Selects PTC® Retail, Footwear And Apparel Solution As Company-Wide PLM Standard ______41 Marvell Adopts Synopsys' Galaxy Platform for High-Performance Communications Products ______42 netGuru Inc. REI Division Adding Corporate Accounts; Fourteen STAAD.Pro Corporate Clients Signed During Last Six Months ______43 Newark InOne Goes Live With New Endeca-Powered Punchout/Roundtrip Website ______44 South Carolina DOT Wins 2005 BE Award ______45 Product News______46 Altium Releases Service Pack 3 for P-CAD® 2004 ______46 AssurX Announces Immediate Availability of CATSWeb Process for Document Control ______48 Autodesk Ships 3ds Max 8 Software ______50 Autodesk Improves Product Design Collaboration for Manufacturers ______51 AVEVA Announces VNET 3.3 ______52 AVEVA Delivers Huge Package of Customer-Driven Enhancements to Project Resource Management System ____ 54 CADopia Announces the Release of CADopia 6______54 CADSTAR 8.0 Includes Advanced Features for Signal Integrity, Routing, Lead Free Compliance and Variant Management______56 CollabNet Joins Mercury BTO Ecosystem As Elite Alliance Partner, Supports Comprehensive Approach To Application Lifecycle Management ______57 FileNet Announces General Availability of FileNet Capture 5.0______58 Hitachi and Denali Collaborate to Deliver CE-ATA Simulation Models for Microdrive® 3K8______59 HRS Partners With Gael Quality To Distribute Q-Pulse Compliance Management Software ______60 IBM Expands PLM Express Portfolio to Help Mid-sized Manufacturers Increase Customer Responsiveness and Maximize ROI ______61 IBM Names PROSTEP Advanced Level Partner______65 IFS Announces New Maximum Overall Equipment Effectiveness Solution______66 MSC.Software Releases MSC.ADAMS 2005 r2______66 Nemetschek North America Announces the VectorWorks 12 Product Line ______67 NIKA to Exhibit EFD.Pro at PTC/User Events in Germany and France ______68 OSIsoft Announces MCN Health Monitor Software ______69 Pathtrace and Mori-Seiki Announce Collaboration Plans ______70 Pathtrace Announces Support for Autodesk® Vault ______70 Productivity Improvements are Key in the Latest Release of EdgeCAM software from Pathtrace Engineering Systems ______71 PROSTEP and AutoWeb Team to Improve the Exchange of Intellectual Property______72 SAP Releases 28 New Versions of Best Practices Offerings for Midsize Enterprises______73 UGS Launches PLM Mid-Market Product Portfolio and Channel Program in EMEA ______74 UGS Launches I-deas 12 NX Series; Extends NX Roadmap with New Multi-CAD Capabilities and Workflow Productivity Gains ______76 Unveiling of a New Integrated High Performance Computing System at Ferrari Highlights Fluent CFD Software___ 77 Acquisitions
FileNet Completes Acquisition of Yaletown Technology Group 4 October 2005
Page 2 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
FileNet Corporation announced it has completed the acquisition of Yaletown Technology Group, a privately held software company specializing in content compliance software. Under the terms of the definitive agreement announced on September 19, 2005, FileNet acquired Yaletown in an all cash transaction valued at approximately $11 million net of cash for all of the stock in the company.
This acquisition is expected to provide FileNet with additional technology and expertise to address the compliance market, and will help strengthen FileNet’s Records Manager and Email Manager offerings.
Click here to return to Contents
RAND Worldwide® Completes Acquisition Of Autodesk-Related Assets From Continental Imaging Products 13 October 2005 RAND A Technology Corporation, operating as RAND Worldwide® (“RAND” or the “Company”), announces that its wholly owned subsidiary, IMAGINiT Canada, has completed the previously announced acquisition of certain assets and the Autodesk-related business of 702856 Alberta Ltd. o/a Continental Imaging Products (“CIP”) of Calgary, Alberta, a provider of the Autodesk, Inc. (“Autodesk”) suite of products and services. The purchase price of approximately $300,000 payable by RAND for the CIP assets will be made in cash. Click here to return to Contents CIMdata in the News
A New Report from CIMdata: The Benefits of Integrating PLM and ERP 12 October 2005
CIMdata consulting and research firm announces the availability of a new report entitled “PLM and ERP Integration: Business Efficiency and Value.” The report discusses the business motivations for integrating Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), factors that should be considered, and various approaches and methods that can be used to perform the integration.
According to Ken Amann, CIMdata’s Director of Research, “All companies regardless of size, face similar problems and have the same needs for integrating PLM and ERP.” This integration significantly improves the productivity and effectiveness of users and organizations working with product and plant related information. He added, “These two enterprise domains encompass many of the critical functions required to develop, test, manufacture, deliver, use, and support a product throughout its life.”
Mr. Amann explained that, “While PLM manages the innovation process, enabling companies to quickly create right-to-market products and to leverage part re-use, ERP ensures that a quality product is produced according to customer demand in a timely, cost-controlled manner.”
PLM focuses on the digital, context-oriented intellectual property, functions, and business processes. ERP is focused on the physical, transaction-oriented business processes and deliverable assets, and
Page 3 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary addresses production planning and scheduling, inventory management, cost and other physical aspects of product production. “PLM manages the definition lifecycle and the relationships between product-related information and processes and ERP has been optimized to manage transactions and large volumes of historical transaction data.” said Mr. Amann.
“The PLM and ERP Integration: Business Efficiency and Value” report is available at no cost through the CIMdata website.
About CIMdata
CIMdata, an independent worldwide firm, provides strategic consulting to maximize an enterprise’s ability to design and deliver innovative products and services through the application of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions. CIMdata works with both industrial organizations and suppliers of technologies and services seeking competitive advantage in the global economy by providing world- class knowledge, expertise, and best-practice methods on PLM solutions. CIMdata also conducts research, provides subscription services, produces several commercial publications, and offers industry education through international conferences in North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. To learn more about CIMdata’s services, visit our website at www.CIMdata.com or contact us at: 3909 Research Park Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA. Tel: +1 (734) 668-9922. Fax: +1 (734) 668-1957.
Click here to return to Contents
Company News
Avatech Solutions Announces Customer Loyalty Program; Leading Solutions Integrator Seeks to Set New Standards in Customer Care Performance 14 October 2005 Avatech Solutions, Inc. announced the official launch of its Customer Loyalty Program. "Our goal with the Customer Loyalty Program is to establish a consistent, strategic approach to taking care of our customers to ensure we are always surpassing their expectations, as well as building long- term client relationships," said Scotty Walsh, CEO at Avatech. "We are moving toward enhanced standards and higher benchmarks for our customer service performance." The Customer Loyalty Program, which was soft-launched in June 2005, is designed to increase and sustain customer loyalty with Customer Advocacy resources for proactive communication and a facilitation of numerous customer care programs. "We value our customers immensely, and we want to ensure we are listening closely to them and providing value as they define it," adds Walsh. Client-Focused Advocate Donna Gaspar, recently promoted to Customer Advocate Manager, works directly with Avatech clients and is a dedicated resource focused solely on the customer experience. Independent from Avatech's sales, operations, or technical teams, the Advocate acts on behalf of Avatech's clients. Donna is a liaison
Page 4 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary between customers and Avatech senior management, providing hands-on, rapid responsiveness to customers. "Our customers will appreciate the Customer Advocate Manager, because that individual is there to act on their behalf at all times, with no sales agenda," says Scott Harris, President and COO. "We anticipate that this 'no sales pressure' approach to customer care will be another hallmark of Avatech's innovative, market-leading business model." Cornerstones of Customer Loyalty In addition to the dedicated service and rapid response provided by the Customer Advocate, the Customer Loyalty Program includes other initiatives developed to enhance the customer experience and increase customer loyalty, which include but are not limited to: • Focus groups to gather in-depth data on topics pertinent to Avatech's customer base. • Monthly Subscription web casts to orient clients to the benefits of Autodesk Subscription and Avatech's value-add to the program. • Surveys to solicit feedback regarding experiences, services, training, and support. • Avatech Executive Roundtables targeting select clients for events with Avatech's CEO and President. About Donna Gaspar, Customer Advocate Manager Prior to being promoted to Customer Advocate Manager in June 2005, Donna held the role of Executive Assistant to the CEO at Avatech for two years. Previously, Donna spent 12 years at Oracle in various capacities. As Executive Assistant, she executed special projects and acted as a customer liaison between clients and Oracle management. As an event project manager, Donna planned and coordinated customer, partner and employee training events and roundtables. Prior to that Donna was Communications Manager. Click here to return to Contents
AVEVA Delivers New Strategic Initiative in China 11 October 2005
In a strategic initiative to directly focus on the key industry sectors of marine, power, and process, AVEVA has restructured its Chinese operations into two operational divisions. The move, a result of the high success and growth in AVEVA’s process and marine businesses, will dedicate AVEVA’s VANTAGE engineering solutions and personnel to the unique requirements associated with each of these industry sectors, delivering solutions, support and consultancy more effectively.
The two divisions will be run from AVEVA's Asia Pacific operation and headed by: Ms Liu Xiao Bin, Vice President, for the Guangzhou-based China Process and Power Division; and Ms Zhou Chun, Vice President, for the Shanghai-based China Marine Division.
The China Marine Division will be responsible for serving all aspects of marine engineering and construction (including both shipbuilding and offshore facilities), to organizations including: China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO), their subsidiaries and subcontractors.
Page 5 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
In parallel, the China Process & Power Division will service the needs of the Power Design Institutes, process engineering companies and Plant Owner Operators, including: Sinopec, China Power Engineering Consulting (Group) Corporation (CPECC), China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), China National Chemical Engineering Corporation (CNCEC), their subsidiaries and subcontractors.
The move will position AVEVA to meet the complex requirements of diverse organizations such as China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), who have both marine and process and power- focused subsidiaries.
Peter Finch. President of AVEVA’s Asia Pacific region stated: “We have achieved our success in China from our attention to customer service. This initiative will enable our Chinese team to continue delivering highly focused implementation, support and consultancy services to both existing customers and prospects in each of the major industry sectors. AVEVA’s business in China is growing faster than any other region and our industry-segmented divisions will ensure that growth is sustained. Ms Liu, Ms Zhou and their respective teams bring the high level experience and industry knowledge required to service the increasingly sophisticated needs of our local and international clients in the region”.
Click here to return to Contents
Bentley Announces Publication of 'Rendering With MicroStation'; Book Details Every Aspect of Rendering Needed to Produce Photorealistic Images and Output 11 October 2005
Bentley Systems, Incorporated announced the availability of "Rendering With MicroStation," written by Jerry Flynn, a leading MicroStation visualization expert, and published by the Bentley Institute Press. The book is a product of Flynn's years of experience helping hundreds of firms and thousands of AEC professionals bring designs to life through photorealistic rendering directly within the design application.
"At last, Jerry Flynn's vast rendering knowledge has been put to paper," said Brian Parker of Cooper Carry, Architects. "This book is a must-have for anyone, of any skill level, who is rendering and visualizing in MicroStation. Beginners will be led step-by-step through basic rendering techniques and onward to advanced visualization procedures. Professionals will love having the book on the shelf as a reference guide."
This latest addition to the Bentley Institute's line of architecture, engineering, and construction publications serves the rendering needs of architects, civil engineers, and designers. Based on the Bentley Institute course of the same name, it covers every aspect of rendering in detail, including cameras, materials, lighting, environment maps, and rendering settings.
Through illustrations and hands-on exercises, readers will learn how to:
• Use environment maps, sky cylinders, and procedural textures effectively, and to apply photorealistic atmospheric effects
Page 6 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
• Create photorealistic materials such as water, glass, trees, grass, brick, and stone
• Apply different lighting techniques for rendering any interior or exterior scene, day or night, including sunset and twilight setups
• Achieve photorealistic results by creating custom materials
• Apply advanced rendering techniques for creating lighting solutions using ray tracing and particle tracing
Also included are a host of tips on generating quality still images, network rendering, panoramas, 3D content in PDF files, and much more.
For pricing information or to order a copy of "Rendering With MicroStation," call 1-800-BENTLEY and ask for the Bentley Institute Press, or visit http://www.bentley.com/books.
Click here to return to Contents
Bentley Announces BE Conference Europe 2006 12 October 2005
Bentley Systems, Incorporated announced BE Conference Europe 2006 (http://www.be.org/beconferenceeurope), being held June 11-15 at the Hilton Prague, Czech Republic. This new learning opportunity for users and their managers in the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) community is modeled after the BE Conference held annually in the United States. The decision to hold two BE Conferences next year was based on high interest from users in Europe and the Middle East for an annual major training event in their geography.
BE Conference 2005 drew more than 2000 attendees from 644 organizations and 43 countries to the Baltimore Convention Center, exceeding last year's attendance figures by more than 20 percent. Moreover, it maintained the 99 percent attendee satisfaction rating achieved by the 2004 conference.
This "time for learning" offered attendees more than 350 information-rich sessions, including keynotes presented by Bentley executives and industry luminaries, more than 300 Learning Units of professional training sponsored by the Bentley Institute, 45 new technology update sessions, and 116 best practice sessions. Attendees sharpened their skills and expanded their knowledge through these sessions as they collectively earned more than 11,000 Bentley Institute Learning Units.
BE Conference Europe 2006 will provide attendees with four days of the same learning opportunities— opportunities that will enable them to better themselves, better their organizations, and better the ways they can improve the world's infrastructure. Rounding out the experience will be a variety of special events offering attendees time to network and socialize with peers and friends, and an exhibit area
Page 7 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary featuring some of the latest AEC software and hardware products for the building, plant, civil, and geospatial markets.
BE Conference Europe Attendees
BE Conference Europe 2006 will draw attendees from AE firms, architecture firms, design-build firms, engineering consultants, facility owner-operators, transportation ministries, rail companies, site engineering firms, communications and utilities firms, governments and cadastres, defense contractors, public works departments, plant engineering, procurement and construction contractors (EPCs), and plant owner-operators. These professionals will include users of MicroStation, ProjectWise, and AutoPLANT, as well as ESRI, Land Desktop, and PDS users.
To pre-register for BE Conference Europe 2006, go to http://www.be.org/beconferenceeurope.
Click here to return to Contents
Cadence Announces Best Overall Paper Presented at CDNLive! 10 October 2005
Cadence Design Systems, Inc. announced the papers and presentations from the CDNLive! Silicon Valley user conference that have been recognized for their excellence. The best overall conference presentation—chosen by the Cadence Designer Network steering committee—was "IBIS Generation and Validation Methodology Using Spectre MDL," which was submitted and presented by Rom Bronfman of Saifun Semiconductors Ltd.
The three-day technical conference ran Sept. 12-14 at the Santa Clara Convention Center and Westin Santa Clara hotel. It was sponsored by Cadence® and hosted by the Cadence Designer Network, a user community established earlier this year.
"I was very impressed with what I saw at the CDNLive! conference," said Yoshio Inoue, senior manager of the EDA System Development department at Renesas, who spoke at a press conference held on the first day of the event. "Cadence has created a strong technical forum for interacting with its customers to discuss today's design challenges."
More than 200 abstracts were submitted, and 83 were selected for presentation at the conference, which drew more than 550 attendees. The presentations spanned a wide spectrum of design disciplines.
Attendees at large selected best papers and presentations for individual tracks. Those presenters and papers recognized for excellence were:
• Salem Emara, ATI Technologies, "Formal Analysis Using IFV (Incisive® Formal Verifier) for PCI Express Validation"
Page 8 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
• Todd Westerhoff, Cisco Systems, Inc., "Things You Can Learn from an IBIS Model"
• Paul Bompastore, Texas Instruments, "Analog Design Collaboration and Configuration Management"
• Justin Coleman, Micron Technology, "De-Mystifying the CDF: A PCELL Developer's Guide to Better Interfaces and Easier-to-Use PCELLs"
• Chris Byham, Philips Semiconductors, "Bigger, Smaller, Higher, Lower, Faster"
• Chang Suh, IBM, "ASIC Optimization and Design Strategy for Multi-Vt Devices"
"The quality of the papers and presentations are testament to the success of our customer-led steering committee in establishing a top-notch technical conference for all Cadence customers," said Cadence President and CEO Mike Fister. "Our goal from the start was to create a forum where customers and Cadence technologists could come together to discuss the significant challenges facing today's design community. I applaud the hundreds of Cadence customers who helped make this happen, and I'm already looking forward to next year's conference."
CDNLive! user conferences will be held in Japan, China and Taiwan during November, with the European event planned for February.
Click here to return to Contents
Carlucci Promoted to Head Deligo Technologies 13 October 2005 Deligo Technologies, developers of the Iced*CAD engineer-to-order technology, announced a change in company leadership. Deligo co-founder Arthur Carlucci, has been promoted to head the software firm, replacing current President and CEO Thomas W. Kelly. Carlucci, vice president and general manager in the company's Fairmont, West Virginia office, has worked closely with Deligo clients in the implementation of Iced*CAD software, an application which integrates manufacturers' business and engineering workflow into a single automated process. "I'm very pleased with this opportunity to continue to expand Deligo's vision for manufacturing and also to continue to support the success of our clients," says Carlucci. Iced*CAD allows customers to build, price, and order assemblies of a vendor's parts online, then automatically draws the configurations into 3D CAD models for both the client and the production team. This automation eliminates the long work cycles required for salesperson and engineer review. Kelly departs from the top spot at Deligo to pursue other opportunities, the company reported, although he will remain intimately involved with future Deligo ventures as a member of the Board of Directors and continues to be a strong proponent of the company. Kelly has been responsible for developing the initial ideas of engineer-to-order into a technology that has changed the face of manufacturing. Iced*CAD was lauded earlier this year by START magazine as the best technological innovation by a
Page 9 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary small business. "To see the growth of Iced*CAD through the marketplace and have so much positive response from the industry has been a gratifying experience for me," said Kelly. "I am confident that Art will lead Deligo into the right direction." "Iced*CAD has made great strides as a new way of thinking for manufacturers," says Carlucci, "but its' potential is even greater." Deligo Technologies delivers a new generation of smarter Engineering-to-Order (ETO) technologies that enable manufacturers to rapidly respond to sales queries instantaneously with pricing, accurate custom engineering drawings, bill of materials information, assembly instructions and more. The flagship Iced*CAD product communicates the right product design data, to the right people, throughout the enterprise to enable rapid manufacturing and fulfillment of customer orders. Iced*CAD—Intelligently Created Engineering Drawings from CAD is an ETO technology that integrates sales requests with CAD, PDM and other technologies. Founded in 2003, Deligo Technologies d/b/a of QSSolutions—Engineered Systems Group, LLC, specializes in technology consulting and integration, bringing significant experience in industrial and business-to-business markets. For additional information about Deligo Technologies' products and services, please visit http://www.deligotech.com. Click here to return to Contents
Delcam USA Names FCS International Top FeatureCAM Distributor October 2005
Japan’s FCS International took top honors at Delcam USA’s recent FeatureCAM Sales Conference, winning 2004 Distributor of the Year. Despite a tough economic climate in its home market, FCS has consistently achieved outstanding sales results in marketing FeatureCAM’s CADCAM software.
FCS International operates two offices in Japan, in addition to managing a sub-dealer and several local distributors. Founded in 1991 by Katsuhiko Inoue, FCS secured a distribution agreement with FeatureCAM for Japan in 1996.
The company now has a customer base of over 600 FeatureCAM users, including top-name companies such as Nissan Motors, Canon, Toshiba and Yasda Precision Tools. Following the recent addition of FeatureCAM to the Delcam software family, FCS has continued as the exclusive distributor for the FeatureCAM range in Japan.
Other top award winners at FeatureCAM’s sales event included Christian Briscoe in FeatureCAM’s Southwest Office for Direct Salesperson of the Year, TriMech Manufacturing Inc. in Virginia for US Dealer of the Year, and Gale Force Technology in California, repeating last year’s win for Manufacturer’s Rep of the Year.
Click here to return to Contents
Page 10 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Engineous Software to Host Over 300 at International Symposium and Workshops in Detroit, Michigan; FIPER 2.0 and iSIGHT-FD Launched and Demonstrated at the Event 10 October 2005
Engineous Software announced the kick-off of their 2005 International Symposium and Workshops in Detroit, Michigan. The event is targeted to draw over 300 attendees and 25 exhibitors from around the world, including Global 500 representatives from the automotive, aerospace, electronics and heavy industry markets, as well as thought leaders from universities and industry analysts.
This year's event features over 25 presentations with keynote addresses from Dr. Richard Sun, Senior Manager of the Aero/Thermal Center of Competence and Core CFD Group, DaimlerChrysler; Professor Panos Papalambros, University of Michigan; Hans Zimmer, CEO, SFE GmbH; and Florence Hudson, IBM Vice President. Topics to be addressed range from the latest innovation in product design frameworks, breakthroughs in design collaboration, and the latest developments in robust design technologies.
"We chose 'Hitting the Target' as the theme for this year's event because it represents how our product solutions are becoming critical success factors to enable our customers to continue to hit their product design goals in a highly competitive and rapidly changing market place," said Janet C. Wylie, President and CEO of Engineous. "We have spent the last year conducting extensive surveys with our customers so we continue to meet their needs. We will use this year's event to showcase our product and partner roadmap to illustrate how we plan to hit our targets as well."
This event in Detroit comes on the heels of one of Engineous' largest events to date. The annual CAO Frontier conference held on September 12th and 13th, 2005 in Yokohama, Japan, drew nearly 350 attendees and 35 exhibitors. Keynote speakers included Peter Evans of Airbus UK and Syuichi Ishii of Toshiba.
Engineous will also use the 2005 Symposium to demonstrate and announce the launch of FIPER 2.0, and a new product release—iSIGHT-FD. FIPER 2.0 represents the latest major release of Engineous' infrastructure product with a focus on security, reliability and larger scale deployment. iSIGHT-FD is the latest offering in the iSIGHT product line, a desktop product with a highly visual, intuitive set of interfaces targeted at engineers who are not experts either in process integration or design optimization. In addition, applications built with iSIGHT-FD are scalable and seamless with the FIPER infrastructure, allowing desktop users to be connected together in an integrated product design environment.
Engineous Software, Inc. provides engineering design integration and optimization software solutions and services. The company's flagship product, iSIGHT, enables organizations to explore more design alternatives in less time, reduce production costs, decrease time-to-market, and create innovative design alternatives. Its FIPER product is a web-based, distributed engineering process infrastructure that allows organizations to access, execute, and reuse design tools and processes. Resources can be connected within an organization or through a global network of external partners and geographically dispersed design teams. Founded in 1996, Engineous operates numerous sales offices in the U.S., as well as wholly owned subsidiaries in Asia and Europe.
Page 11 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Click here to return to Contents
Leading PLM Vendor Will Discuss Next Generation PLM Solutions for Complex Engineering Manufacturers 10 October 2005
WHO: Mathias Zagel, director, product management of Agile Software Corporation, will present: "From Idea to Design: The Important Role of Customer Needs Management in the Development Lifecycle."
TOPIC: The presentation will discuss the importance of making informed decisions early in the development phase. These critical decisions often determine the later success or failure of a product, and the ability to drive innovation and master complexity. Mathias will discuss how the Agile Customer Needs Management solution helps complex manufactures solve critical development issues early in the product development lifecycle. Agile is delivering these capabilities through the Agile e6 platform, which is one of the broadest and deepest PLM solutions for companies that produce complex and highly engineered products.
WHAT: xPLM Days will take place in Dresden, Germany. This industry event will bring together PLM visionaries who will present their strategies and recommendations for cross enterprise engineering and improved early-phase product development. In addition to Mathias Zagel of Agile Software, other speakers will include Prof. Dr. Martin Eigner, Heinz-Simon Keil of Siemens AG, Georg R|hrnschopf, Prof. Dr. Ralph Stelzer of TU Dresden and members of xPLM Solution GmbH management/technical team.
WHEN/WHERE: This two-day event is being held on 11-12 October 2005, at the Schloss Hotel in Dresden Pillnitz.
About xPLM Solution GmbH xPLM Solution provides integration solutions and deployment services to the Product Lifecycle Management industry. Application and enterprise systems integrations provide the linking of critical work processes, tasks and data to effectively deploy and realize envisioned PLM business benefits and Return of Investments. With more than 20 years of integration development experience, xPLM's team has been at the forefront in Europe of developing and deploying optimal CAD, PLM & ERP integrations for leading manufacturers. xPLM Solution offers a common integration platform with system-specific connectors fully configurable based on customer requirements. For more information, call
+49 (351) 826580 or visit http://www.xplm.com.
Click here to return to Contents
Page 12 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Magma Launches Second Series of ''TechTalks''; Lunch-Time Technical Presentations Cover Migrating to Magma's Blast Create, Statistical Timing Analysis and Yield Enhancement 13 October 2005 Who: Magma® Design Automation Inc., a provider of semiconductor design software, launches its second series of lunchtime "TechTalks" for design professionals. When/What: The dates and topics for this TechTalk series are: Oct. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Pacific "Migrating from Design Compiler® to Blast Create™" Nov. 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Pacific "Statistical Static Timing Analysis: Making Design Closure Easier" Jan. 25, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Pacific "Design for Yield" Where: Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara. Registration: Magma TechTalks 2005 are open to IC design professionals concerned with address timing, power, signal integrity and yield while significantly reducing the RTL-to-GDSII design cycle of multimillion-gate and high-speed nanometer designs. Lunch will be served. See: http://www.magma- da.com/MagmaTechTalks to register and for more information. Click here to return to Contents
Next IAI-IFC and STEP/PLCS/RDL Workshop for Implementations October 2005 If you and your team need to improve data interoperability between partners and customers, here is the opportunity. Use ISO TC 184/SC4 standards and open, publicly available object definitions in your next CAD/PLM/ERP project. These workshops are relevant for engineers doing data exchange, sharing and web based product model server implementations based on IAI/STEP/PLCS/RDL and other standards making use of the Express (ISO 10303-11) data modeling language. a) USA December 1-4 at Georgia Tech, Atlanta IAI/IFC and CIS/2 compatible simulation software is now commercially available and presents the opportunity for the property and construction industry to test building information models (BIM) for cost effectiveness, environmental impact, construction planning, life cycle costing and access to a central asset management register for facilities managers. December 1—4, 2005 EDMserver workshop A Vision for a Smarter Lifecycle Process for the Built Environment GeorgiaTech, Atlanta, USA http://www.epmtech.jotne.com/events/BIM-Workshop-EDM.pdf. To Register: Send mail to [email protected] or use the fax form. b) UK, Lichfield, November 7-10 [limited seats available]
Page 13 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Class 3: EXPRESS / SDAI / EXPRESS-X Implementation Course This class gives a well balanced introduction to implementation methods and the objective is to make the student able to interface existing or new applications with STEP and learn to make use of the SDAI and EXPRESS-X functionalities. Expected benefits: Ability to develop own EXPRESS data models; implement data models; integrate data exchange packages through mapping with EXPRESS-X; and validate data. Target Audience: Data modelers, application developers, CAX and PDM managers Recommended background: A good understanding of programming and the EXPRESS language. Duration: 4 days To Register: Send mail to [email protected] All other training courses are outlined here: http://www.epmtech.jotne.com/training/index.html EPM performs workshops and courses all over the world and will run a training session in your office at any time. Please let us know about your requirements and we will make all arrangements. Training Material: http://www.epmtech.jotne.com/training/index.html To obtain more information, please mail [email protected] Click here to return to Contents
Omnify Software To Present at ASPMFG RoHS/WEEE Seminars In Palo Alto and Irvine 13 October 2005
Omnify Software will be a featured speaker in RoHS and WEEE seminars in Palo Alto and Irvine California. The seminars, produced by the Alliance of Service Providers & Manufacturers (ASPMFG) and hosted by Innov-X Systems, will educate organizations on the impact of the European Union's RoHS and WEEE Directives and explain what these organizations must do in order to comply.
WHAT: ASPMFG RoHS/WEEE National City Tour: The Clock is Ticking – Poor planning and/or non- compliance with these directives can erode margins, cause revenue shortfalls, lead to excess inventory, affect product reliability, and result in bad publicity. The seminar will educate companies on the directives and how companies can leverage technology to ensure compliance with them. There will be an interactive Q&A following the panel discussion.
WHEN:
Palo Alto on Tuesday, October 18, 2005 from 8:00 a.m. PDT to 11:30 a.m. PDT
Irvine on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 from 8:00 a.m. PDT to 11:30 a.m. PDT.
WHERE:
Page 14 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Palo Alto: Corporate offices of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, 950 Page Mill Road
Irvine: Atrium Hotel (John Wayne Airport), 18700 Mac Arthur BLVD
WHO: Richard Paul, vice president of business development at Omnify Software will be joined by other panelists, including environmental attorneys from the law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, supply chain experts from IBM and other specialists involved in product development and testing.
To register, or to find more information on each city's event, please visit http://www.omnifysoft.com.
Click here to return to Contents
OptiTex™ Announces Its Membership in the Microsoft Certified Partner Program 10 October 2005
OptiTex™ announced it is a new member in the Microsoft Certified Partner Program. OptiTex™, a leading software manufacturer in the Apparel, Sewn and Garment Industry, has been named as a Microsoft Certified Partner due to its proven competence on the latest Microsoft technologies. Membership in the Microsoft Certified Partner Program will provide OptiTex with resources to help it develop and deploy Microsoft solutions that will help speed customers’ time to market and reduce costs.
“OptiTex™ is extremely pleased with our new status as a Microsoft Certified Partner,” said Saar Machtinger, Product Manager, OptiTex™. “Being a member of the program gives us early access to product information, so that when our customers are ready to take advantage of the latest Microsoft technology solution we already have the experience we need. In addition, enhancements such as the new peer-networking opportunities will allow us to expand the types of solutions and services we can offer our customers.”
The Microsoft Certified Partner Program allows OptiTex™ to utilize the Microsoft Certified Partner logo, which is an easy way for customers to recognize OptiTex as certified by Microsoft Corp. Microsoft offers a variety of resources to program members, including training, technical support, early access to Microsoft products and peer-networking opportunities that allow a variety of partners to come together and provide end-to-end customer solutions.
“When customers are looking to implement a Microsoft technology solution for their business, their best bet is to turn to an expert—a Microsoft Certified Partner,” said Rosa Garcia, general manager of the Partner Programs Group at Microsoft. “Microsoft provides its Certified Partners with in-depth access to existing and emerging Microsoft technologies and related training and resources to help ensure that they have the technical intimacy needed to deliver quality solutions. Today, Microsoft recognizes OptiTex for demonstrating this level of expertise and welcomes it as a new Microsoft Certified Partner.”
Founded in 1987, OptiTex™ specializes in the development of CAD/CAM solutions for sewn products and other related industries.
Page 15 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Click here to return to Contents
Patrick D. Cahill Starts The U.S. ShipConstructor Team 11 October 2005
Albacore Research Ltd. (ARL) announced that Mr. Patrick D. Cahill joined the ShipConstructor™ team, representing ShipConstructor in the USA as a consultant, supporting sales, training and customer service. Near-term plans are to open a US-subsidiary with Pat at the helm.
Pat brings over 20 years of Navy and industry experience to the ShipConstructor team. He is a 1983 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, with a B.S. in Naval Architecture. Since completing his naval service requirement, Pat has worked for design agents, shipyards, academia, and in software development. Following one year at CDI Marine and five years with Bath Iron Works, Pat went to the University of Michigan to pursue a Masters Degree in Naval Architecture, specializing in Ship Production. After working with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, Marine Systems Division, Pat moved to Mobile, Alabama where he worked for seven years at Bender Shipbuilding. As Bender’s Research and Development Manager, Pat was instrumental in developing design-for-production processes and supporting the beta testing of the ShipConstructor software. He also led a major facility upgrade effort, introducing laser cutting to U.S. shipbuilding. In support of the facility upgrades, Pat worked extensively on system interfaces and integration, creating a seamless workflow process from design to production. The two National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) projects involving enhancements to the ShipConstructor program were the result of Pat's concepts put into a successful proposal. Pat comes to the ShipConstructor team most recently from Atlantec Enterprise Solutions, where he managed the development of ship production support software.
Albacore Research Ltd. (ARL) is the creator of ShipConstructor, the AutoCAD based 3D Product Modeling software for the design and fabrication of ships and offshore structures.
ShipConstructor is proving its capabilities on a wide range of new construction, conversion and repair projects, including the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship, the US Coast Guard’s Deepwater Project and the Devils Tower Spar. More than 200 yards and designers worldwide, among which you will find well known names such as Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Gibbs & Cox, and Dubai Drydocks, trust ShipConstructor with their projects.
ShipConstructor provides functions for curved plates, structure, pipe, HVAC, equipment, and NC- processing and also generates sophisticated production documentation, including assembly drawings, pipe spools, and production reports.
Click here to return to Contents
Prominent Sutter Hill Ventures Managing Director Jim White Joins Right Hemisphere Board of Directors 11 October 2005
Page 16 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Right Hemisphere® announced that Sutter Hill Ventures Managing Partner Jim White has joined its board of directors. White has an enterprise application investment focus and a successful operational track record in graphics technology, making him an ideal contributor to the Right Hemisphere board.
"Jim understands the value of graphics hardware and software, and how that value can be extended throughout the enterprise with a PGM solution like ours in the IT infrastructure," said Michael Lynch, CEO of Right Hemisphere. "He's already an invaluable strategic partner to me and the other members of the executive team. We welcome his assistance as we build this company into a market leader that stands the test of time."
"Right Hemisphere has exceptional people, a considerable market opportunity, and unique technology that enables non-design engineers to use graphic data," White said. "All large manufacturing and industrial companies design their products in 3D, leveraging one of many existing CAD applications. This data can serve as the perfect foundation to fulfill all of an enterprise's downstream product graphics needs. Right Hemisphere software helps companies harvest their CAD data, in an integrated, automated, and managed process. So departments across the enterprise can get a head start on creating support materials, such as product documentation, even before the physical prototypes themselves may exist. This is truly revolutionary. Any time you can automate manual processes, reduce costs and create a leaner manufacturing environment, you have a winner on your hands."
White joined Sutter Hill Ventures in 2000 from Macromedia Inc. In his four years with Macromedia he held the position of vice president of marketing and then general manager of the Interactive Learning Division, which was sold to IBM. Prior to Macromedia, Jim was a vice president of marketing for Silicon Graphics, Inc (SGI). In his eight years at SGI he helped to start and build the company's $1.5 billion 3D graphics workstation business. White began his career with HP in its PC division and was part of the core team that created the Vectra Product line, spending time in engineering, sales, and product marketing. He holds a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University and a master's in business administration from Harvard University.
Right Hemisphere's board of directors also includes Bob Cohn, chairman of the board and a former Sequoia Capital partner and Octel CEO; Scott Gilmour, a successful technology industry executive and investor who previously served as general manager of Intel New Zealand; and Michael Lynch, CEO of Right Hemisphere.
Sutter Hill Ventures is a venture capital firm that finances technology-based start-up and early-stage companies pioneering products or services in growth markets, especially those in information technology and health care. Founded in 1964, it is one of Silicon Valley's original venture capital firms. Companies backed by Sutter Hill include: Netapp, Legato, Quantum, Storage Tek, Tellabs, Alteon, Linear Technology, NVIDIA, BroadVision, Vitria, Molecular Devices, Cor Therapeutics, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Omnicell, and eLoyalty. (http://www.shv.com/index.html)
Click here to return to Contents
Page 17 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
PROSTEP IMP Supports Mechatronic Integration September 2005
Problems with software and electronics in the automotive industry are generating an increasing number of headlines. Recalls and delayed deliveries due to defective or incompatible electrical/electronic (E/E) components are the order of the day for almost all automotive OEMs. One of the main reasons for these problems is a lack of integration between electronic design, software programming and overall vehicle development. To help automotive OEMs and their suppliers address these problems, PROSTEP AG has set up a new subsidiary, PROSTEP IMP, which was launched on 1 September. The founding of this new company also involved taking over the technology of the company CAPEWARE Technologies GmbH and several of their projects.
"The mechanics, electronics and software in a vehicle must be in perfect harmony with one another. This holds true as early as in the development phase. Founding PROSTEP IMP allows us to make a contribution toward helping automotive OEMs and their suppliers master this challenge better in the future", says Dr. Bernd Pätzold, Chairman of the Board of PROSTEP AG and one of the managing directors of the new subsidiary.
The integration of mechanical, electronics and software development is one of the great challenges facing the automotive industry since electronics are gradually emerging as the key competitive differentiator. The number of E/E components and systems in vehicles is increasing as rapidly as their share of the added value. 90 percent of all innovations in product development are electronics or software related, and up to 40 percent of the manufacturing costs of a vehicle are determined by the software and electronics.
A large number of high-end vehicles incorporate up to 70 different electronic control units (ECUs), which communicate via a variety of bus systems. Mastering this system complexity makes extremely high demands with regard to managing product data and processes, which usually span a number of different system suppliers. And it requires electronics and software-related know-how that many OEMs no longer have within their own company.
As an external service partner, PROSTEP IMP provides companies in the automotive industry with the requisite know-how. Core competences of the new PROSTEP subsidiary include the integration of the growing proportion of E/E development into existing mechanical product development, the management of E/E product data, and the optimization of communication between OEMs and their suppliers in E/E development. The company also provides its customers with support when establishing integrated function and architecture development processes.
Click here to return to Contents
Si2 Announces the Seventh OpenAccess Conference with Speakers and Demonstrations from Leading Semiconductor and EDA Companies 12 October 2005 The Silicon Integration Initiative (Si2) announced that its seventh OpenAccess Conference will be held on November 10 2005, at SEMI headquarters in San Jose, California.
Page 18 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
The Conference will feature speakers and demonstrations from several of the industry's leading semiconductor and electronic-design automation (EDA) companies, including AMI Semiconductor, Applied Materials, Cadence Design Systems, Cadence Berkeley Labs, CiraNova, Gradient, IBM, LSI Logic, Mentor Graphics, National Semiconductor, Philips Semiconductor, Silicon Navigator, NC State University, and UC Berkeley. The featured keynote speaker is Chekib Akrout, vice president of Design Systems, responsible for Design Flows and Methodologies, Differentiating Tool Development, Libraries, Memories/IP, and IT Services at Freescale Semiconductor, who will be addressing the business implications of OpenAccess. The 7th OpenAccess Conference will provide the latest information on this open platform for creating interoperable EDA tools and flows. The OpenAccess API continues to grow in prominence and adoption in the EDA industry and among end-users, Synopsys being the most prominent among the recent adopters. Updates and enhancements to the platform, defined by the OpenAccess Change Team and developed by Cadence, have continued to be delivered at their scheduled quarterly pace through Si2's web portal. As will be evident from the program and the presenters, there will be new faces on the podium who will present on their engagement with OpenAccess. There will be presentations on new approaches and new avenues of OpenAccess deployment. There will be ample opportunities through the panels, Q&A's and break periods to engage with the presenters and other attendees so that all can gain in knowledge and know-how on ways to enhance their adoption. Some of the papers will show how the work being done within the OpenAccess Coalition creates synergy with the other coalitions within Si2. Finally, there will be a number of companies who will be providing real-life evidence of the value of OpenAccess through demonstrations of their tools on the OpenAccess reference implementation. For more information, the full agenda, and to register for the conference, visit http://www.si2.org/?page=583. The OpenAccess Coalition is a community-driven initiative formed to enable the creation of tightly integrated flows involving best-in-class commercial and proprietary tools and intellectual property (IP), necessary to support design of today's complex chips. This is done through an open-standard data-access interface (API) and reference database implementation supporting that API. Leading electronics companies with significant investment in CAD tools and infrastructure, as well as many commercial electronic-design automation (EDA) tool providers, have embraced the OpenAccess initiative as a means to support rapid product development. The OpenAccess Coalition operates under the governance and bylaws of Si2. Si2 is an organization of industry-leading semiconductor, systems, EDA and manufacturing companies focused on improving the way integrated circuits are designed and manufactured in order to speed time- to market, reduce costs, and meet the challenges of sub-micron design. Si2 represents over 85 companies involved in all parts of the silicon supply chain throughout the world. For more information about OpenAccess and Si2, visit http://www.si2.org. Click here to return to Contents
Spescom Software Appoints Glenn Cox as VP Sales and Marketing 10 October 2005
Spescom Software Inc announced that Mr. Glenn Cox has been appointed as Vice President of Sales and Marketing of the company effective October 10th, 2005.
Page 19 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Mr. Cox has been with the company for over nine years holding various positions including those of Vice President Customer Care, Vice President Professional Services and Vice President Business Development.
“The appointment of Glenn Cox as Vice President of Sales and Marketing is based on his extensive business experience and knowledge of complex information management solutions, his in-depth understanding of the Spescom product suite and proven success of selling and developing alliances in the strategic markets critical to Spescom's future growth,” commented Keith Stentiford, CEO, Spescom Software.
Prior to joining Spescom Mr. Cox spent 15 years with Northeast Utilities where he participated in many facets of the organization including the nuclear, fossil, transmission, distribution and customer service areas. During his tenor at NU, Mr. Cox held various management positions, influenced strategic team decisions, and participated in a number of successful high impact enterprise projects.
Mr. Cox will assume marketing responsibilities from Dr. Johann Leitner, who has resigned as Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Officer of the Company but continues to provide marketing and strategic services as a consultant.
Click here to return to Contents
UGS and General Motors to Host Exclusive Executive Perspectives: Best Practices in PLM-enabled Business Process Improvement Symposium on October 11 10 October 2005
UGS Corp. announced the second annual Executive Perspectives: Best Practices in PLM-enabled Business Process Improvement Symposium. Executives from automotive and other industries will share best practices around five business process improvement initiatives that are enabled by PLM technology.
The symposium, to be held at the Detroit Marriot Renaissance Center on October 11, will feature UGS Chairman, CEO and President Tony Affuso; speakers from GM: GM Vice President, Global Engineering Jim Queen; Vehicle Chief Engineer Bruce Kosbab; Process Information Officer, Global Product Development and CIO, Asia Pacific Terry Kline; Lear Corporation CIO John Crary; and A.T. Kearney Vice President Joachim Ebert. Legendary football coach Bo Schembechler will keynote the banquet concluding the event and John McElroy, host of “Autoline Detroit” will kick-off the event.
“We’re thrilled to have such a strong cast of presenters from the industry and renowned football coach Bo Schembechler as part of this year’s highly anticipated Executive Perspectives event,” said Eric Sterling, vice president of automotive marketing for UGS. “We’ll be providing an atmosphere for interactive discussion on five very important business improvement topics and look forward to hearing how companies are approaching them to bring more innovative products to market faster by leveraging these business process improvement initiatives. We also look forward to learning from Bo’s experiences on teambuilding and fostering a winning attitude.”
Page 20 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
This year’s Executive Perspectives Symposium will feature speakers from GM, Lear, A.T. Kearney and UGS as well as round table sessions on five strategic business initiatives that many companies are focusing on to improve response time and accuracy, drive down cost and get innovative products to their customers faster. Subject matter experts from EDS, HP and A.T. Kearney Procurement Solutions with support from GM and UGS will host the roundtables. The five strategic initiatives include the following:
· Information Exchange & Synchronization
To effectively launch a vehicle program, automotive OEM’s and Suppliers must be able to share information and keep it synchronized across the entire supply chain. Doing this in a way that suppliers meet their customers’ compliance requirements and still maintain business process autonomy can give suppliers the ability to optimize their own product lifecycle process.
· Commonization & Re-use
Every time a part is reused, everything that was created that defines the part also gets reused – from design geometry to manufacturing process and production validation. Companies are also creating common products for the purpose of re-use, spreading the cost of development and tooling across a much broader number of programs.
· IT Strategic Sourcing
IT Strategic Sourcing brings product development and the supply base closer together so that procurement professionals can spend more time improving products and lowering costs through supply chain improvement.
· Change Management
Suppliers typically have very short timeframes in which to respond to their customers change-driven RFQ’s. Being able to respond quickly and accurately preserves program profitability. Being able to manage the change process ensures traceability during final negotiation of piece price cost.
· Knowledge-driven Engineering and Manufacturing
Harvesting knowledge, turning it into best practices and applying these best practices throughout the organization on every program will drive out cost, improve quality and keep your companies knowledge from walking out the door with your employees.
For more information please visit http://www.executiveperspectives2005.com.
If one were to make a list of the greatest coaches in college football history, Bo Schembechler’s name would certainly be near the top. During his 27 years as the head coach of the University of Michigan Wolverines, and earlier with Miami University, Bo won 235 games and never had a losing season. At his retirement, Bo ranked as the ‘winningest’ active coach in Division 1 football history. Associated with the
Page 21 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
University of Michigan from 1969 to 1990, Bo Schembechler served as the head football coach of the Wolverines for 21 years and served as Athletic Director from 1988 to 1990. While athletic director, Bo guided the administration of one of the largest college athletic programs in the nation with 21 men’s and women’s varsity teams and budget that exceeded $20 million. Bo is also a professor emeritus at the University of Michigan, as well as a noted motivational speaker. Bo has authored several books, including Bo, which tells about his coaching philosophy Man in Motion, and his latest, Michigan Memories: Inside Bo Schembechleer’s Football Scrapbook. Born April 1, 1929, Bo Schembechler was raised in Barberton, Ohio. He earned his education degree from Miami (OH) University and also lettered in football and baseball in Miami. Bo Schembechler earned his master’s degree at Ohio State in 1952 while working as a graduate assistant coach under Woody Hayes.
Click here to return to Contents
UGS Elects New Directors to Board; New Members Add Business and Industry Expertise to Further the Company’s Growth Initiatives 11 October 2005
UGS Corp. announced the company has elected three new directors to its board of directors.
The new directors are:
L. Dale Crandall, who most recently served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan. Inc. and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals. Crandall joined Kaiser in 1998 as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Kaiser, he served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of APL Limited and had 32 years of experience with PriceWaterhouse. At PriceWaterhouse, Crandall served as the Southern California Managing Partner and oversaw services provided to numerous clients including Bank of California, Hewlett Packard, Chevron, and Disney. Crandall is also a member of the boards of directors of Ansell Ltd., BEA Systems, Inc., Covad Communications, Inc., Coventry Health Care, Inc., and UnionBanCal Corporation, and is a trustee for Dodge & Cox Mutual Funds.
Paul David Miller, Admiral, United States Navy (Retired), who most recently was Chairman of the Board of Directors of Alliant Techsystems, Inc., a $2.8 billion advanced weapon and space systems company with strong positions in propulsion, composite structures, munitions, precision capabilities and civil and sporting ammunition. Admiral Miller joined ATK as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in January 1999 and retired from ATK on March 31, 2005. Prior to joining ATK, Admiral Miller was with Litton Industries, Inc., where he was Vice President and led Litton Marine Systems. He joined Litton/Sperry Marine in 1994 following a 30-year career in the U.S. Navy. Admiral Miller is the author of several works on leadership and strategy and serves on the boards of Anteon International Corporation, Donaldson Company Inc., and Teledyne Technologies Inc.
David Peterschmidt, President and CEO of Openwave Systems, Inc. Openwave is a leading independent provider of open software products and services for the communications industry. Prior to joining Openwave in November 2004, he was CEO and Chairman of Securify, Inc., a security software
Page 22 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary company. Prior to this position, he was Chairman, President and CEO of Inktomi Corporation, where he steered the company to a leadership position in Internet infrastructure and guided Inktomi's public offering, operations expansion and the sale of the company to Yahoo! in 2003. Prior to Inktomi, Peterschmidt managed operations at Sybase, Inc. for six years from 1991 until 1996, serving as its Chief Operating Officer for his last five years there. He has also held a range of executive positions at other technology software and hardware companies. Peterschmidt currently serves on the board of directors of Openwave and of several other companies.
Crandall, Miller and Peterschmidt join Tony Affuso, CEO, President and Chairman of the Board and six representatives from UGS’ private equity sponsors on the company’s board of directors. Those directors are: Gregory Back, managing director, Warburg Pincus; Andrew Balson, managing director, Bain Capital; Patrick Hackett, managing director, Warburg Pincus; Greg Mondre, director, Silver Lake Partners; Mark Nunnelly, managing director, Bain Capital; and David Roux, co-founder and managing director, Silver Lake Partners.
“UGS is indeed privileged to be able to tap into the experience of both our new directors and our financial sponsors in charting our future course,” Affuso said. “We look forward to working with our board as we focus on expanding our leadership position in the growing PLM market, all while focusing ultimately on adding value to our customers by helping them transform their processes of innovation.”
Click here to return to Contents
UGS, Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and CAD Potential Team Up To Deliver Automotive Certification Program in the Americas for Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Technologies 14 October 2005 UGS Corp. announced an agreement with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and CAD Potential to provide PLM-related training and testing components for the SAE Automotive Certification. The certification program will provide automotive OEM’s and suppliers a tangible method to first provide, and then validate user’s knowledge, skills and proficiencies at utilizing PLM technologies in context of specific automotive processes, thereby ensuring a maximum return on PLM investments. The SAE Automotive Certification Program, in addition to validating the abilities of design engineers through skill and knowledge based tests in automotive best practices, automotive theory and industry application, will also test for proficiency in the use of NX™ software, UGS’ digital product development system . The examinations and training are designed by global industry subject matter experts who combine existing and evolving processes, based on years of experience working directly with virtually every OEM in the industry. “UGS is pleased to be a part of this important program with SAE and CAD Potential. SAE is recognized as a leading professional organization that provides great value to UGS customers in the Automotive Industry,” said Eric Sterling, vice president of automotive marketing for UGS. “As UGS customers expand the implementation of our products, they want to measure the knowledge and skills of their users. Industry specific certification, such as the SAE Automotive Design Certification, fits well in today’s fast paced economy because it complements the user’s existing industry knowledge, commercial training and/or university education.”
Page 23 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Certification allows employers to develop more effective personal development programs for existing employees, quantify the effectiveness of training investments, and more effectively screen potential employees and contractors to make more educated hiring decisions. This common industry certification also allows OEMs to qualify suppliers based on a single standard. “We are extremely pleased that UGS is partnering with SAE and CAD Potential on this program,” said Kevin Perry, manager, professional development, SAE. “Given their existing expertise in training and certification along with their extensive reach across the industry, automotive designers will quickly realize the value of having UGS deliver the SAE Automotive CAD certification program.” “The automotive market will be well served through this new partnership,” said Kevin Noe, president, CAD Potential. “We are very excited to be partnered with UGS and SAE to delivery the first Automotive CAD Industry Certification.” The SAE Automotive Certification is the first deliverable for the new UGS Global Certification Program. UGS® is committed to provide consistent global certification testing in the use and implementation of UGS software. The primary goal of the program is to improve user productivity, not only in the automotive industry but for all of our customers. SAE is a non-profit engineering and scientific organization dedicated to the advancement of mobility technology to better serve humanity. Nearly 87,000 engineers and scientists who are SAE members develop technical information on all forms of self-propelled vehicles, including automobiles, aircraft, aerospace craft, trucks, buses, marine, rail and transit machinery. This information is disseminated through SAE meetings, books, electronic products and databases, technical papers, standards, reports, and professional development programs. For more information, visit http://www.sae.org. CAD Potential Inc. (Cadpo) is an INCAT International company. INCAT, founded in 1989, is a global provider of professional services and solutions focused on Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), principally to the automotive, aerospace and durable goods manufacturing industries. INCAT is headquartered in the UK (Bristol) and in North America (Detroit) with offices throughout the United States, France, Mexico, Germany, Canada, Japan, Singapore and the Netherlands. INCAT employs more than 825 people, and has more than 3,000 clients worldwide. Visit http://www.incat.com. Cadpo empowers people through engineering knowledge with e-learning, training, and services in CATIA, NX/Unigraphics, SolidWorks and Teamcenter Engineering. Cadpo’s i.get.it® is the only multi- application e-learning system in the MCAD/PLM industry. Visit http://www.cadpo.com. Click here to return to Contents
Visiprise and HMS Software Announce Merger Agreement 14 October 2005 Visiprise, Inc. and HMS Software, Inc. announced they have entered into an agreement to merge operations and move forward under the Visiprise name. The transaction, which is scheduled to close in November, will make the merged company the industry leader in delivering integrated manufacturing operations solutions. The combined footprint of the two companies provides a single source for manufacturers that require an integrated manufacturing environment. “The HMS Software team has successfully created an organization that is unmatched in quality and execution in the aerospace and defense industry,” said Sean McCloskey, Visiprise CEO. “Visiprise’s roots stem from the high-volume electronics industry. By combining the two companies, we will be able to exceed customer expectations with a broader and deeper solution footprint. Manufacturers will be
Page 24 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary using our solutions to build everything from thousands of circuit boards to complex jet engines. In addition, the revenue and customer scale enhances our partnerships with SAP and UGS.” With the merger, Visiprise will organize into industry business units (IBUs) to create more focus around the company’s selected verticals. McCloskey will continue to lead Visiprise as CEO, and HMS Software President and Co-founder Alex Houtzeel will be joining Visiprise’s board of directors. Mr. Houtzeel along with HMS Software Co-founder Rob McNiff will lead the aerospace and defense IBU. Visiprise Vice President of Product Management Mike Lackey will lead the high-tech and automotive IBUs. Both Visiprise and HMS Software executives will hold management positions in the new organization. “Visiprise Manufacturing offers a complete J2EE solution focused on high-volume and high-mix manufacturing environments,” said Houtzeel. “HMS Software's suite of products is focused on low- volume asset and labor-intense complex manufacturing processes. Most of today’s global manufacturers must support both manufacturing environments. The combination of skills and expertise of these two companies will enable us to provide a complete offering to the world’s largest manufacturers.” To facilitate the transaction, Visiprise has closed on $32 million of new financing led by Investor Growth Capital and Westbury Partners. This financing also included participation from Visiprise’s current investors RRE Ventures, Morgan Stanley Venture Partners, Canaan Partners, Wheatley Partners and Entrepreneurs’ Growth Fund. Visiprise will be headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. from where it will operate strong sales, services and support presence on nearly every continent with key U.S. operations in Boston and San Diego, and international offices in Singapore, the United Kingdom and throughout Europe. The combined company will have more than 270 employees servicing more than 200 customers globally, including BAE Systems, Boeing, Bombardier Aerospace, Celestica, ConMed, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, Nokia Networks, and Solectron. With more than 18 years of industry experience, Visiprise is a leading solution provider to help manufacturers drive manufacturing results throughout the global enterprise. Visiprise software, services and expertise work in tandem with its customers to manage and control manufacturing operations to improve product quality and compliance management. More than 140 leading manufacturers in industries from electronics and automotive to medical devices and aerospace and defense are managing and controlling manufacturing operations with Visiprise. Atlanta-based Visiprise has customers around the globe, including Solectron, Nokia Networks, ConMed, E-Z-GO Textron, Celestica, Philips Lighting, Actia and Thales Avionics. For more information, visit http://www.visiprise.com. HMS Software develops systems to define, execute and document manufacturing, assembly and maintenance information for complex and quality-critical products. The HMS Enterprise Manufacturing Information Suite includes systems for process planning, manufacturing execution and quality management to increase manufacturing visibility, enhance shop-floor productivity and control product quality. Founded in 1992, HMS maintains a blue-chip customer base in the aerospace, defense and related markets with established implementations at organizations such as Boeing, BAE Systems, Honeywell, Bombardier Aerospace, Goodrich, Lockheed Martin and Smiths Aerospace. HMS Software is a privately held company with 140 employees, headquartered in Concord, Mass., (USA) with additional offices in Carlsbad, Calif., (USA) and an affiliate site in Staffordshire, England. Click here to return to Contents
Page 25 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
World's Best Innovators Are "Six Times More Successful" in Getting Better Products to Market Faster, UGS Chairman, CEO and President Tony Affuso Tells Fellow Automotive Industry Leaders 12 October 2005
UGS Chairman, CEO and President Tony Affuso, speaking at the Executive Perspectives: Best Practices in PLM-enabled Business Process Improvement symposium on Tuesday said that product and process innovation is the key to helping manufacturers speed their time-to-market.
“The best innovators are six times more successful in getting their products from development to the market,” Affuso said in a keynote address. “What’s the key ingredient to that? It’s innovation.”
Affuso addressed how product lifecycle management, or PLM, meets “the innovation challenge” by leveraging global innovation networks to create and evaluate the multitude of ideas and efficiently drive the best ideas into existing products or to create new ones.
The key to innovation, Affuso said, is collaboration. “The key is to be able to collaborate across town, across countries, even to the next cube,” he said. “Global innovation networks help make this happen.”
Affuso also highlighted key ways in which manufacturers can leverage global innovation networks: Information Exchange and Synchronization, Commonization and Re-use, Change Management, Strategic Sourcing and Knowledge-driven Engineering and Manufacturing.
Jim Queen, Vice President, Global Engineering, described the global engineering process and the importance of PLM to his organization. “Our capability to move quickly in the globalization of Engineering was enabled by laying the early foundation with our IT infrastructure,” said Queen. “Collaboration among all of our Engineering Centers has increased tremendously, resulting in greater efficiencies and quicker time to market.”
In his remarks at the symposium, GM Executive Director, Vehicle Integration and Performance, Bob Kruse described the use of PLM in the development of the exciting new GM roadster the Pontiac Solstice. Kruse provided a look at the car and the technology that helped GM rapidly execute a complete vehicle program that remained faithful to the original concept. This completely new rear-wheel drive small car program was developed on an accelerated schedule, while leveraging the best components in GM without sacrificing original design—an affirmation of the value of GM's PLM technology strategy.
Held Tuesday at the Marriott Hotel in Detroit, the symposium was sponsored by GM, A.T. Kearney Procurement Solutions, EDS, HP and UGS.
This event featured speakers and attendees from across industries, markets and geographies to gain insights into the complexities and challenges of managing strategic partnerships and collaborative relationships necessary to execute successful vehicle programs.
“The Executive Perspectives Symposium provided an atmosphere for interactive discussion on how companies are driving innovation throughout the supply chain to bring more and better products to
Page 26 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary market faster by leveraging business process improvement initiatives,” said Eric Sterling, vice president of automotive marketing for UGS. “The goal of the conference was to highlight how UGS transforms the process of innovation for its customers and to show organizations how they can leverage the enterprise value of PLM.”
Click here to return to Contents
Financial News
AVEVA Group plc—Pre-Close Trading Update 11 October 2005
Following the completion of its half year to 30 September 2005, AVEVA announced the following pre- close trading update.
Overall, the Company has had a very satisfactory first half of the year.
Trading in AVEVA's main markets of oil & gas, power and marine and its major geographies of Asia Pacific, America's and Europe has continued to strengthen.
Further investment in people and infrastructure in emerging economies around the world has helped generate some early customer wins from these territories and continues to enhance AVEVA's position as a leader in its markets.
The development of the VNET product and services team, although still in its early stages, remains on track. In the core business, the delivery of our first combined process and marine product VANTAGE Marine has been very well received by our customers.
The Board expects the full year results to be less weighted to the second half than in previous years, and we remain very confident of delivering full year results in line with existing market expectations.
Richard Longdon, Chief Executive of AVEVA said: "We have strong momentum across the business and are successfully capitalizing on our leading positions in high growth markets."
The Company will be announcing its interim results for the 6 months ended 30 September 2005 on Wednesday, 9 November 2005.
Click here to return to Contents
Cadence Announces Third Quarter 2005 Financial Results Webcast 7 October 2005
Page 27 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
WHO: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. to announce third quarter 2005 financial results via webcast.
WHAT: You are invited to attend the third quarter 2005 financial results audio webcast. Participating on the webcast will be Mike Fister, president and chief executive officer, and Bill Porter, chief financial officer.
WHEN: The webcast will begin Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2005 at 2 p.m. (Pacific)/5 p.m. (Eastern). An archive of the webcast will be available from Oct. 26 at 5 p.m. (Pacific) until 5 p.m. (Pacific) on Nov. 2.
WHERE: The webcast will be available online at: http://www.cadence.com/company/investor_relations.
Click here to return to Contents
FileNet Announces Third Quarter 2005 Financial Results on October 25, 2005 7 October 2005 FileNet Corporation plans to announce its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2005, after the market closes on Tuesday, October 25, 2005. Lee Roberts, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Sam Auriemma, Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call for investors at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time that same day. The call will be broadcast live over the Internet. To listen to the event via the Internet, please follow the instructions that will be available on the investor relations’ section of FileNet’s Web site at http://www.filenet.com. A replay of the Web cast will be available for an extended period of time. Alternatively, to listen to the call live, dial (866) 800-8652. The conference call ID number for the call is 22611956. A replay of the call will be available from approximately 4:00 p.m. PT on October 25 through midnight PT on November 1. To listen to the replay, dial (888) 286-8010. The conference call ID number for the replay is 58082614. Click here to return to Contents
netGuru Receives Nasdaq Notification 10 October 2005
netGuru, Inc. received a Nasdaq Staff Deficiency letter (the "Letter") on October 5, 2005, indicating that the Company is not in compliance with the $1.00 minimum closing bid price requirement for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market as set forth in Marketplace Rule 4310(c)(4) (the "Rule").
The Letter also stated that, in accordance with Marketplace Rule 4310(c)(8)(D), netGuru will be provided 180 calendar days, or until April 3, 2006, to regain compliance. In accordance with Marketplace Rule 4310(c)(8)(E), if at any time before April 3, 2006, the bid price of the Company's common stock closes at or above $1.00 per share for a minimum of ten consecutive business days, the Company will be provided written notice that it complies under the Rule.
Page 28 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
If compliance with the Rule cannot be demonstrated by April 3, 2006, the Staff will determine whether netGuru meets The Nasdaq Capital Market initial listing criteria set forth in Marketplace rule 4310(c), except for the bid price requirement. If the Company meets the initial listing criteria, the Company will be given notice that it has been granted an additional 180 calendar-day period to comply with the Rule. If it is determined that the Company is not eligible for this additional compliance period, the Company will be provided written notice that its securities will be delisted. At that time, the Company may appeal to a Listing Qualifications Panel the Staff's determination to delist its securities.
Click here to return to Contents
PTC to Host Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2005 Results Conference Call and Webcast on November 2, 2005 11 October 2005
PTC expects to release fourth quarter and fiscal year 2005 results before the market opens on Wednesday, November 2, 2005. Following the issuance of the press release, the Company will host a conference call and simultaneous webcast to discuss the results with investors. The earnings press release and accompanying financial and operating statistics will be accessible prior to the conference call and webcast on the Company's web site.
WHO: Dick Harrison, President and Chief Executive Officer, Neil Moses, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
WHEN: November 2, 2005, 10:00 a.m. (ET)
DIAL-IN: 888-566-8560 (U.S.); +1-517-623-4768 (International). Please use passcode PTC.
WEBCAST: To access the live webcast of the conference call, please visit http://www.ptc.com/for/investors.htm.
REPLAY: A replay of the call will be available until 5:00 p.m. (ET) on November 7, 2005. To access the replay by phone, dial 402-220-9726. To access the replay via webcast, please visit http://www.ptc.com/for/investors.htm.
Quarterly conference calls will be archived for public replay for a period of three (3) business days from the date of the live call. Please note that statements on the call are as of the date of the call and PTC does not assume any obligation to update the archived calls. In addition, matters discussed in the calls may include forward-looking statements regarding PTC's products, future operations or anticipated financial performance. Actual results in future periods may differ materially from current expectations due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those described from time to time in reports filed by PTC with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including PTC's most recent reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q.
Page 29 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Click here to return to Contents
[TCS] Strong Q-o-Q Performance, Big Wins Drive Growth Momentum (US GAAP) 11 October 2005
H1 Revenues at 1.3 billion USD
Revenue up by 8.93% Q-on-Q
Net income up by 8.84% Q-on-Q
Wins two US$ 250m deals during the quarter
Tata Consultancy Services reported its financial results according to US GAAP for the quarter ended September 30, 2005. Highlights for Quarter Ended September 30, 2005.
Revenue at Rs. 29,513.49 million (US$ 670.53 million) up by 8.93% Q-on-Q
Net Income at Rs. 6,733.73 million (US$ 152.99 million) up by 8.84% Q-on-Q
EPS up from Rs. 12.89 in Q1 to Rs. 14.03 in Q2
74 new clients added in Q2
5596 associates joined the company in Q2
TCS becomes the first Indian IT Services company to employ 50,000+ professionals
Second Interim Dividend of Rs 3 per share announced
Strong ramp-ups with existing clients in North America, new client acquisitions across verticals and large outsourcing wins helped the company post a stellar quarterly performance with excellent growth momentum for the future.
TCS reported a total income for the quarter ended September 30, 2005 at Rs. 29513.49 million (US$ 670.53 million) versus Rs. 24307.27 million (US$ 528.30 million) for the corresponding quarter last fiscal. Net Income stood at Rs. 6733.73 million (US$ 152.99 million) for the quarter ended September 30, 2005 versus Rs.5769.02 million (before one off item, US$ 125.39 million) for the corresponding quarter last fiscal.
Page 30 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Commenting on the company's performance in Q2, CEO and MD of TCS, Mr. S Ramadorai said: "The significant client acquisitions we have had in the previous quarters have resulted in excellent ramp-up and growth during the Quarter. TCS' Global delivery cum Consulting led growth strategy has gained full market validation with the number of significant wins we have had this quarter". "Our ability to manage complex technology engagements on a global scale will continue to be a growth driver" he added.
Big Wins
A US $250m + global engagement with ABN AMRO set the new benchmark for outsourcing deals to India. The pioneering efforts of TCS' Global Delivery Model again came to fruition.
In India, Tata Teleservices outsourced IT operations and applications to TCS in a contract worth US$250m
A leading US Retailer selected TCS as its strategic IT partner on a multi-year contract
Two large US insurance providers selected TCS as their strategic partner during the quarter
Another leading global bank selected TCS as its partner in Latin America in a multi-year, multi- million dollar deal.
One of the largest engineering, construction and oil-field services company selected TCS for providing state-of-the-art GIS solutions
Capturing Value
The company continued its client acquisition and growth momentum across all its service segments.
TCS' differentiated Platform-based BPO strategy continued to witness strong traction and the practice added 8 new clients in transaction processing during Q2 across Banking, Retail and, Pharma verticals. Three existing clients ramped up operation and added sizable additional associates during Q2. The BPO business had 2312 Employees at the end of Q2. A new BPO Centre in Chennai became operational during the quarter with a capacity of over 1000 seats.
Significant BPO deals include:
A leading US retailer selected TCS for its analytics process.
A major European bank selected TCS for its Fixed-Income process.
A leading US Semi-conductor equipment company selected TCS for Supply Chain processes.
Page 31 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
TCS' Asset Leveraged Solutions are offering great value to clients. TCS' products in banking, insurance and capital markets achieved critical wins during Q2.
Significant Product deals include:
TCS' benchmark Insurance product IIMS was selected by a global insurance company for its China and Korean subsidiaries and will form the platform for the client's next generation solutions for group and individual life products.
A leading investment bank and brokerage house in Chile selected Quartz as its platform.
Two major US financial institutions selected TCS' Anti-money laundering solution finDNA.
TCS' eClearSettle was selected by the National Depository Centre in Moscow
The company continues to leverage its strong client base in the manufacturing segment to move successfully into Engineering and Industrial Services (EIS), which added 18 new clients during Q2.
Significant EIS deals include:
Engineering CAM solutions for a leading UK aerospace company.
Implementing its Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) strategy for the world's leading home and business audio systems company.
A large producer of semiconductor equipments in North America chose TCS as its EIS partner
The Remote Infrastructure Management services continued to grow in strength and added 18 new clients during Q2, taking the total number of active clients to 102 at the end of Q2.
Significant Remote Infrastructure Management deals include:
A leading North American Bank chose TCS as its strategic partner for a host of services including Server consolidation, Performance management, Network monitoring and Data centre management.
A leading UK-based global insurance company has engaged TCS for providing security and access management services.
TCS will provide end-to-end infrastructure management and services for Tata Teleservices.
TCS' Assurance Services won 6 new clients during Q2 with its new Testing Centre of Excellence gaining acceptance from large customers. At the end of Q2, it had 64 active customers.
Page 32 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Significant Assurance Services deals include:
Business Acceptance testing for a leading financial services company in Europe.
End-to-end test automation for a leading telecom equipment manufacturer in North America.
Enterprise testing strategy development for a leading manufacturing company in Asia Pacific.
Delivering Value
TCS' core banking solution at State Bank of India has been successfully implemented in over 5000+ branches. Two State Bank subsidiaries—State Bank of Patiala and State Bank of Travancore—are fully under the core banking solution.
The core banking implementation at Indian Bank crossed the 100 branches mark during the quarter.
TCS successfully implemented its depository and clearing solution eClearSettle for a Middle- Eastern financial exchange. This is considered as an international benchmark for end-to-end deployment timeline.
TCS successfully implemented an end-to-end business transformation program for a leading Insurance company in North America.
TCS defined and implemented data warehouse architecture to achieve process intelligence for a Pharma major in the US.
For a leading retail research company, TCS BPO delivers 300,000 reports every month with an accuracy of 99.98%.
TCS' EIS practice implemented an e-matrix based solution for a large medical equipment manufacturer to achieve FDA compliance in their manufacturing and supply chain processes.
Human Resources Update
There was a gross addition of 5596 employees and net addition of 4224 employees. TCS' attrition rate was 8.7% for the last 12 months, the lowest in the Indian IT industry.
At the end of Q2, the total employee strength of the company was 53, 329, with employees coming from 49 different nationalities. The strength of non Indian nationals increased to 3.9% of the total employee base from 3.7% at the end of Q1. 53% of TCS employees have more than 3 years of experience and 23% are women employees.
Page 33 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS) is a leading information technology consulting, services, business process outsourcing and engineering services organization. TCS reported consolidated revenues of $2.24 billion (U.S.) in the fiscal year 2004-2005.
For more information: http://www.tcs.com.
For Q2 2005-06 Press Release (Indian GAAP), please visit http://www.tcs.com/0_media_room/releases/200510oct/Indian_Gaap.htm.
Click here to return to Contents
Implementation Investments
Ameron International Selects Synergis Adept Engineering Data Management and Achieves 50 Percent Increase in Productivity 11 October 2005
Synergis Software announced that leading concrete poles manufacturer Ameron International has selected Synergis Adept® engineering document management (EDM) to help improve product engineering and fast track its industry certification processes. Since implementing Synergis Adept document management with Autodesk Inventor® and AutoCAD® design software, Ameron engineers have realized major productivity improvements, including managing, measuring and improving product development operations. The Adept implementation also facilitated Ameron International’s (http://www.ameronpoles.com) ISO industry certification and total quality management programs, and is now instrumental in helping the company meet Sarbanes Oxley requirements.
“I estimate we are at least 50 percent more productive in design and engineering as a result of our utilization of Adept,” said Mark Luna, a senior engineer for the concrete pole product division of Ameron International, whose products are sold primarily to utilities, city lighting and public works agencies, electrical distributors, architects, and developers.
“We were able to install, bring in all of our old drawing files, set up our ‘library cards’ and implement the solution in two days, and most of that time was spent deciding upon our own internal data fields and the manner of our library usage. My belief is that in engineering time alone, we broke even within a few months and continue to achieve returns by way of efficiency and increased productivity,” said Luna.
Ameron is already extending the value of its Synergis Adept system outside of its engineering department to purchasing, customer service and its internal certification coordinators. “The software is becoming increasingly appealing to even more divisions and departments at Ameron,” said Luna. “We are looking forward to expanding our use of Adept throughout the organization.”
Click here to return to Contents
Page 34 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Constellation Energy Contract Valued at $750,000 for Deployment of eB Across Nuclear Fleet 6 October 2005
Spescom Software Inc announced that Constellation Energy, a leading east coast power utility has awarded the company a contract valued at approximately $750,000 for the supply and implementation of a Corrective Action application based on the eB platform throughout its nuclear fleet.
The contract was awarded after an extensive competitive analysis and cost justification by Constellation Energy. In terms of the deployment, the eB Corrective Action application will be used by plant personnel to capture all events, observations, deviations, problem reports, non-conformances, self assessments, operational experience, requests for changes, etc that are identified on the plant. These may relate to the plant systems, structures and components as well as to procedures, persons, processes, documents, records, etc used to operate and maintain the plant. The eB Corrective Action application will record, track, escalate and resolve all these events ensuring complete visibility of the status of each event until it is successfully closed whilst maintaining full records of all actions related to the event. It forms a core 24/7 information management system required to operate a complex plant.
"We are very pleased that Constellation Energy has selected our eB Corrective Action application for deployment across its enterprise," commented Keith Stentiford, CEO of Spescom. "Their decision shows the confidence they have in using eB in mission critical applications and further strengthens Spescom’s position as a leading player in the nuclear industry.”
“With the recent signing of the 2005 Energy Bill by President George Bush and the resurgence of interest in nuclear power to solve the country’s growing energy needs, the company is well positioned to capitalize on the significant spending that is anticipated to occur over the next few years as new nuclear plants are licensed and brought online,” added Mr Stentiford.
Spescom Software is a developer and marketer of information management software solutions for the energy, nuclear, oil&gas and other sectors that provide the unique ability to manage disparate types of content and other data on a single platform. The Company's proprietary eB platform provides extensive enterprise content management (ECM) functionality, together with best-of-breed configuration management capabilities. These capabilities enable the secure capture and storage of both structured and unstructured information, in addition to the ability to organize, control and manage this information. Key customers include Constellation Energy, Continental Express, AmerenUE, Cities of Las Vegas and Dayton, Lloyds Register, United Space Alliance, Entergy, Northeast Utilities, London Underground, Network Rail, and many others. The Company is headquartered in San Diego, California, with an international sales and support center in London, UK.
Click here to return to Contents
Dassault Systèmes and Queen’s University Establish PLM Competency Centre 11 October 2005
Page 35 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Dassault Systèmes announced a new partnership with Queen’s University, Belfast, U.K., whereby the company will provide PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) solutions for education and research.
Queen’s University will integrate Dassault Systèmes collaborative PLM product development solutions in its research and undergraduate curricula: CATIA V5 for 3D product development, DELMIA for digital definition of manufacturing processes, and SMARTEAM for product data and lifecycle management. Dassault Systèmes will collaborate with the Northern Ireland Technology Centre (NITC) at the university to develop PLM-related courses adapted to the changing business environment. As a result, the undergraduate curriculum will include a PLM module, and in the near future it is anticipated that the university’s Master of Science (MSc) students will be the first postgraduates in Europe able to study for a higher degree in PLM, using Dassault Systèmes software.
The partnership will benefit companies in Northern Ireland by providing young engineers trained on the digital design software used by most of the world's most successful manufacturers. NITC will also help companies to develop the skills of their engineers by using Dassault Systèmes software as part of the University's range of Continual Professional Development training programs. Foremost of those companies is Bombardier, the largest manufacturing company in Northern Ireland, which sponsors a Chair in Aerospace at the university, as well as numerous research projects, including a recently completed successful pilot project validating digital manufacturing tools from Dassault Systèmes on its CRJ 700/900 aircraft’s trans-section Final Assembly Line.
Tom Edgar, NITC director, explains, “This is an important partnership for Queen's University Belfast and the wider economy. It supports our efforts to transform Northern Ireland into an innovative economy by providing direct access for students, researchers and companies to the most up-to-date PLM technology developed by the acknowledged industry leader. The partnership will also facilitate the university’s curriculum development in engineering. Our undergraduate and postgraduate students will gain expertise in conceptual design through to manufacturing, giving them complete product-lifecycle knowledge.”
“Queen's University is recognized for its close ties to industry,” says Pierre-Jacques Bauer, Worldwide Academic Relations Manager, Dassault Systèmes. “Academic institutions are key to enterprises competing on the international scene, as they educate the highly skilled engineers who will manage innovation and optimize processes using cutting-edge PLM solutions. With this partnership, Dassault Systèmes demonstrates its active engagement in providing students the most advanced PLM tools and technology to be used in their curricula.”
Click here to return to Contents
Engineous Software Wins Phase V Award for Continuing Work on the US Army's Integrated Performance Cost Model Program 11 October 2005
Engineous Software, Inc. announced that LMI Government Consulting of Mclean, Virginia awarded a significant sub-contract to Engineous for continued work on the US Army's Integrated Performance and
Page 36 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Cost Model (IPCM) program. The IPCM program addresses one of the 13 transformational initiatives set forth by the United States Department of Defense and meets the stated goals of the Army's SMART costing initiative. The award is the result of the LMI/Engineous collaboration on a contract with the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army—Cost and Economics (ODASA-CE). Engineous' Federated Intelligent Product Environment (FIPER) is the core analysis framework being utilized under this program.
The goal of the Army's SMART costing initiative is to develop a performance-based cost estimation capability linked to engineering designs and effectiveness models that will enable cost-performance trade-offs early in the life cycle of a system. IPCM will connect cost analysis methodologies, engineering design tools, system requirements, and effectiveness analyses. The IPCM will also be able to interface with web-based, collaborative environments, such as PTC's Windchill™, as utilized within the Army's Future Combat Systems program.
Through Phase IV of the program, the LMI/Engineous team demonstrated the IPCM concept and developed an IPCM component for Combat XXI. Combat XXI is a Joint Army-Marine Corps effort to replace the Combined Arms and Support Task Force Evaluation Model (CASTFOREM), a legacy combat simulation. Combat XXI is a non-interactive, high-resolution, analytical combat simulation focused on tactical combat scenarios. Additionally, the team began development of an interface between IPCM and the MATREX environment to enable classified studies within the framework.
During Phase V of the program, ODASA-CE requires the continuation of development and support for the fielded prototype system, and calls for Engineous' FIPER, to be adopted by four remote Army locations supporting the IPCM program. These installations will require assistance from the LMI/Engineous team in researching and developing the required policies and capabilities to advance the system towards its objective capability. The Army also will conduct fielding of IPCM to test the framework under operational conditions and to encourage user participation in the development process.
"We have reached an important milestone in the IPCM program," said Glenn Reis, Vice President of Business Development for Engineous Software. "Completing the development of the key FIPER components for Combat XXI and the MATREX environment positions IPCM for operational capability testing. Further, the Army's push to deploy FIPER to four locations shows an important commitment to fielding the IPCM capability", Reis stated.
"FIPER's ability to easily integrate with complex models and simulations and scale from the desktop to the enterprise, allows LMI to focus on our domain expertise for the benefit of the Army", said Gerry Belcher, LMI Program Manger for Cost and Resource Analysis. "Phase V will be an important step in fielding IPCM capability and providing the Army a strategic solution for support the Warfighter," states Belcher.
LMI selected Engineous Software and its FIPER solution as its core framework to support the deliverables of the IPCM program. FIPER is a commercial, enterprise-class architecture that specializes in providing a rapid component development and analysis environment and a distributed computing runtime capability, well suited to take advantage of current grid technologies. Built on a Java™2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) and web services standards, FIPER can support programs like the
Page 37 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Army's Future Combat Systems by scaling across the extended Army enterprise and bridging complementary integrations with other J2EE applications like PTC's Windchill.
Click here to return to Contents eSERV Selects PTC® Windchill® To Strengthen Engineering Services Offering 12 October 2005
PTC announced that eServ, a product engineering services provider and long time PTC Pro/ENGINEER® customer, is using PTC Windchill PDMLink™, Windchill ProjectLink™ and ProductView™ as the product development system to support collaboration and data management with its customers. eServ provides manufacturing companies a cost-effective way to extend their product engineering capabilities with a flexible outsourced model. eServ is expanding its use of PTC Windchill solutions to connect geographically dispersed engineering design teams.
Facing the pressure to reduce costs, increase productivity and encourage innovation, companies around the world have begun to extend their product development teams with outsourced engineering services. eServ, headquartered in Peoria, Illinois, began serving local manufacturing companies and has since grown to provide services to customers around the world from its U.S.-based locations. Working with multiple customers at distributed sites requires eServ to tightly manage the product development process while optimizing collaboration between design teams. eServ selected Windchill to meet this critical need and help manufacturers extend the design and engineering process without increasing the cost of labor and the associated overhead. Optimizing the product development process translates to more value per dollar spent while also improving time and cost pressures.
PTC’s product development system is well-suited to solve the challenge of distributed product development. By adding Windchill solutions, including ProductView, to their current implementation of Pro/ENGINEER, eServ can manage the configurations and versions of Pro/ENGINEER® models and provide viewing access to their customers and partners for review and markup. The system provides real- time global access to critical product and process information through a Web-native portal with embedded 3D visualization for view and markup, enterprise search, and document management for products and standard parts libraries. Specifically, Pro/ENGINEER is used by eServ to create complete digital representations of their products. Windchill PDMLink provides product information control (mechanical, electrical, and software content, as well as document management), configuration management, and a robust workflow engine for automating change management tasks. Windchill ProjectLink provides project plan management, distributed team collaboration, and process templates for design reviews, new product introductions, quality and bid response. All of these capabilities are delivered in an integral, cohesive system, which translates into faster return on investment, lower risk, and lower total cost of ownership for customers.
Customers currently engaging with eServ include Caterpillar, John Deere, Harley Davidson, Whirlpool and General Dynamics American Truck Company, Terex Corporation, Oshkosh Truck, US Military, Federal Signal, Case New Holland (CNH), Allsteel and others. eServ plans to use Windchill to support their ongoing engineering projects with these companies.
Page 38 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
“PTC’s product development system is key to addressing the global product development challenges we face,” said James Richmond, CEO, eServ. “Windchill is an innovative solution that enables us to offer organizations the opportunity to securely extend their engineering design teams without moving off- shore, which some of our customers prefer not to do, or cannot do, for regulatory reasons.”
“Today’s challenging global environment creates increased need for a product development system that provides distributed teams with the appropriate content and integrates them into the product development process,” said, Anil Chitkara, vice president, Global Product Development strategy, PTC. “eServ is using Windchill solutions to connect their engineering team with their customer’s team in order to harness the talents and energy of the entire group. As a result, both teams are aligned and moving forward with the same goal in mind – getting the product out to the consumer in the shortest time possible.” eServ provides product engineering services that enable leading Fortune 1000 manufacturing companies to discover new ways to maximize their engineering function. eServ has extensive experience in providing cost-effective engineering solutions designed to meet specific product development requirements. For more information on eServ, please visit http://www.eserv.biz.
Click here to return to Contents
FISHER/UNITECH Helps Wise Plastics Technologies Realize Up To 40% Reduction in Design Cycle Times 11 October 2005
Wise Plastics Technologies Inc., headquartered in St. Charles, Illinois, has realized a 30-40% reduction in the design cycle times of its injection molded components and assemblies since the implementation of SolidWorks® 3D mechanical design software. In addition, the Stratasys Dimension 3D printer has helped the company simplify model production and generate additional revenue by building concept model parts in hours, not days.
Wise Plastics Technologies provides custom state-of-the-art engineering through in-house tooling and prototyping for the military, consumer product, medical, automotive and electronics industries. The medical industry comprises nearly 60% of the company's target market.
FISHER/UNITECH, the leading SolidWorks reseller in the Midwest, assisted Wise Plastics Technologies with the implementation. "Exceeding customer expectations is the hallmark of our company," said Fred Wise, president of Wise Plastics. "With FISHER/UNITECH, SolidWorks and the Dimension 3D Printer, we've been able to shorten delivery times, help customers with their design verifications and get products to market faster."
Wise Plastics Technologies' engineering department replaced AutoCAD® with SolidWorks Office 2006 as the lead software for the design of its injection parts and consumer products. "We chose SolidWorks for its compatibility with our customer base and range of design features," said Dave Otto, V.P. of Sales and Engineering for Wise Plastics. "SolidWorks has helped us take in and generate models and drawings in many different formats, streamlining the work between suppliers and customers." SolidWorks and the
Page 39 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary integrated COSMOSXpress™ tool have helped reduce several design issues. The interference check tool allows for easy assembly confirmation, while COSMOSXpress is used to evaluate the differences in materials for possible cost reductions.
The Dimension 3D printer from Stratasys has helped Wise Plastics Technologies minimize the number of prototypes required to verify production tools. "Now that we're able to supply our customers with a fast, low-cost physical model, it has accelerated the approval process," said Otto. The Dimension 3D printer enables the company to share 3D parts with its supply chain, function as a service bureau for additional revenue and utilize 3D models for sales and marketing. "The Dimension printer has shortened our development time on projects and increased our level of confidence overall for our applications," said Otto. "We also use it to create our own components for secondary operation fixtures, saving us thousands of dollars and many hours of work."
Wise Plastics Technologies chose to work with value-added reseller FISHER/UNITECH based on its strong technical support, training and implementation strategy.
Wise Plastics Technologies Inc., formerly Wise-Hamlin Plastics since 1974, is a custom producer of close tolerance plastic injection molded components. As an ISO 9001:2000 registered manufacturer, Wise Plastics Technologies produces components and assemblies for a diverse group of domestic and international OEM companies including the medical, electronics, military, commercial display, consumer, automotive and telecommunications industries.
The Dimension 3D Printing Group is a business unit of Stratasys, Inc., based in Minneapolis, Minn. Dimension 3D printers—which include the legacy Dimension and the enhanced Dimension SST—are networked, desktop modeling systems that provide CAD users a fast, office-friendly, low-cost alternative for building functional 3D prints. Dimension 3D printers build accurate models layer by layer using durable ABS plastic, allowing users to not only evaluate design concepts, but test 3D prints for functionality, form and fit. As the first desktop 3D printer that sells for less than $25,000, Dimension incorporates many key features found in modeling systems that cost tens of thousands of dollars more. For more information, visit http://www.dimensionprinting.com.
Click here to return to Contents
Kawasaki Microelectronics Adopts Apache’s SoC Power Closure Design Flow 12 October 2005 Apache Design Solutions, supplier of physical power integrity solutions for system-on-chip (SoC) designs, announced that Kawasaki Microelectronics, Inc. will use Apache’s RedHawk full-chip dynamic power solution in the design flow for ASIC designs at 130nm and below. Kawasaki selected RedHawk for its silicon-proven dynamic analysis of the power/ground network behavior and its ability to identify the impact of noise on timing and yield. “As we move beyond 130nm process nodes, we need to support a design closure flow including dynamic power behavior prior to tapeout,” said Yoshi to Muraishi, Director of CAD Development of Kawasaki Microelectronics. “After detailed evaluation, we selected Apache’s RedHawk because we were able to
Page 40 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary detect the dynamic hot spots and utilize the accurate power supply noise waveforms for timing impact analysis.” “Power integrity has become one of the key contributors to higher production cost and lower manufacturing yield, and our customers are looking for a solution that can address this problem,” stated Andrew Yang, CEO of Apache. “We are very pleased that Kawasaki joins our growing list of leading semiconductor companies worldwide in addressing the critical power closure requirements for advanced nanometer designs.” RedHawk is a full-chip Vectorless Dynamic™ physical power integrity solution for SoC power closure sign-off of 130nm, 90nm, and 65nm designs. Certified by TSMC’s 5.0 Reference Flow and correlated with silicon measurements and SPICE, RedHawk addresses dynamic power issues such as simultaneous switching output (SSO) for core, memory, clock, and I/O, as well as effects of on-chip inductance, package RLC, and decoupling capacitance. RedHawk enables designers to identify dynamic “hot spots,” examine the impact on timing, accurately pinpoint the cause of dynamic voltage drop, and automatically repair the source of supply noise. With RedHawk’s integrated transistor-level characterization and unsurpassed capacity, designers can effectively reach power closure sign-off for high performance SoCs, including those utilizing advanced low-power design techniques such as leakage current control, power gating, multiple voltage domains, and multiple threshold transistors. Kawasaki Microelectronics is a leader in advanced yet affordable ASIC technology. The company’s technologies and design support are used in the consumer electronics, computer, office-automation, networking and storage markets. Kawasaki Microelectronics has design centers in Tokyo , Boston, San Jose, and Taipei. For more information, visit http://www.k-micro.com. Click here to return to Contents
Liz Claiborne Inc. Selects PTC® Retail, Footwear And Apparel Solution As Company-Wide PLM Standard 11 October 2005
PTC announced that Liz Claiborne Inc., a leading designer and marketer of an extensive range of fashion apparel and accessories for women, men, teens, children and infants, has standardized on PTC Retail, Footwear and Apparel Solution for enterprise product lifecycle management. The solution leverages the power and scalability of Windchill®, PTC’s web-based product data management and collaboration solution, to enhance the product development process in the retail, footwear and apparel industry.
The retail, footwear and apparel product development process is complex and companies are challenged to reduce time-to-market and product costs while improving product quality and information exchange. Liz Claiborne required a solution that would optimize its product development processes to support its transformation to a highly integrated supply chain development model. PTC Retail, Footwear and Apparel Solution will help Liz Claiborne to enhance global product development by improving value chain collaboration throughout the product lifecycle. One of the most significant challenges in the global product development process is managing and controlling access to product data and imagery. This is especially important when a company collaborates on designs internally, as well as with suppliers from around the world.
Page 41 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
“The business landscape in which we operate is changing dramatically, and we are adopting aggressive strategies and global infrastructure investments to drive future growth. Implementation of PLM based technologies will enable a more agile, collaborative and integrated product design and development process across the entire value chain. Supply chain optimization is integral to developing and delivering compelling, trend-right products in an increasingly competitive business environment,” said John Sullivan, senior vice president of Systems, Sourcing and Service, Liz Claiborne Inc. “In alignment with Liz Claiborne’s business transformation and vision, PTC was chosen as our single source provider of PLM solutions based on their best-in-class technology, company scale, stability and proven success in the Retail, Footwear and Apparel markets.”
“Traditional PDM offerings have not adequately addressed the collaborative nature of the retail, footwear and apparel industry,” said Matthew Austin, marketing program director, consumer products, PTC. “The PTC Retail, Footwear and Apparel solution addresses the unique requirements of the industry to manage product development across a complex global value chain and is fast emerging as an authentic source of competitive advantage.”
Liz Claiborne Inc. designs and markets an extensive range of fashion apparel and accessories for women, men, teens, children and infants. The Company also markets fragrances for women and men. The 41 brands in the Liz Claiborne Inc. portfolio are available at more than 30,000 points of sale worldwide. For more information visit http://www.lizclaiborneinc.com.
Click here to return to Contents
Marvell Adopts Synopsys' Galaxy Platform for High-Performance Communications Products 10 October 2005
Synopsys, Inc. announced that Marvell, a leader in high-performance broadband communications technologies, has adopted Synopsys' Galaxy™ Design Platform as a RTL-to-GDSII design solution to develop networking and storage products. Marvell uses Synopsys' Galaxy platform to help develop complex, high-performance devices that touch every point of the communications infrastructure such as switching, transceivers, wireless, PC connectivity, communications controllers and storage.
"Marvell has been a longtime user of Synopsys' design and verification technology and uses key tools such as Design Compiler®, Astro™, PrimeTime® and VCS® to get our high-performance products to market," said Pantas Sutardja, chief technical officer at Marvell. "We use Design Compiler and Astro as our primary synthesis and place-and-route solution. Adding Synopsys' Astro-Rail™, DFT MAX, JupiterXT™ and Physical Compiler® technology has further strengthened our flow and improved our time to results."
Marvell's design implementation suite includes Synopsys' Galaxy products including Design Compiler RTL synthesis solution, JupiterXT physical planning solution, Physical Compiler and Astro physical implementation solution, DFT MAX 1-pass test synthesis solution, Power Compiler™ power management solution, Astro-Rail power rail analysis solution, Astro-Xtalk™ cross-talk analysis solution, PrimeTime static timing sign-off solution, Star-RCXT™ parasitic extraction solution, and TetraMAX®
Page 42 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary automatic test generation (ATPG) solution. Additionally, Marvell uses Synopsys', VCS RTL verification solution and Vera® testbench automation.
"To see an industry leader like Marvell using our solutions for their high-performance, complex system- on-chip and networking products is truly gratifying," said Antun Domic, senior vice president and general manager of the Implementation Group at Synopsys. "Marvell and Synopsys have enjoyed a strong history of collaboration. In fact, Marvell was a key partner in the development of our power network synthesis technology—part of our JupiterXT solution. We look forward to continued mutual success."
Click here to return to Contents netGuru Inc. REI Division Adding Corporate Accounts; Fourteen STAAD.Pro Corporate Clients Signed During Last Six Months 13 October 2005 netGuru, Inc., engineering software division REI added fourteen new STAAD.Pro corporate accounts during the first six months of the Company's fiscal-year 2006, which began April 1, 2005.
Under three-year licensing/use agreements, the new corporate clients—including Bechtel Corporation with more than 100 users located in offices worldwide—have adopted STAAD.Pro as their default program for structural analysis and design tasks. The agreements include flexibility to increase the number of users without added cost, and support tasks such as installation, maintenance, upgrades, security, and renewal can be managed from a client's single, centralized location.
STAAD.Pro corporate accounts have access to all STAAD software, including STAAD.foundation for analyzing and designing mat foundations and pile caps and footings; STAAD.etc, a collection of structural design programs for retaining walls, masonry wall, base plates, etc.; STAAD.beam, a new product that analyzes, investigates and optimizes multi-span composite beams with web openings; Sectionwizard, a section property calculator; and more than 60 international steel and concrete design codes to accommodate the needs of multi-national companies engaged in overseas contracts.
In addition to Bechtel, corporate clients added during the last six months include, among others, Aker Kvaerner; DMJM Harris; Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern; LEO A. DALY; New York State Department of Transportation; and Shaw Stone & Webster. netGuru Chairman and Chief Executive Amrit Das commented: "STAAD.Pro corporate accounts provide access to the broad range of STAAD products and offer important administrative and operational efficiencies for clients. STAAD.Pro is also an excellent training tool and, as the industry standard, provides the means for our corporate clients to implement effective working relationships with their business partners. These advantages are resulting in growing use by architecture, engineering, and construction companies worldwide."
Page 43 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Click here to return to Contents
Newark InOne Goes Live With New Endeca-Powered Punchout/Roundtrip Website 11 October 2005
Newark InOne, a leading small-quantity distributor of electronic components and test equipment in North America and a subsidiary of global Premier Farnell plc, has launched a new Punchout/Roundtrip site for its eProcurement customers, offering them the same advantages that its http://www.newarkinone.com website provides: access to more than 2.1 million electronic products and improved capabilities such as parametric search, advanced search, navigation by attributes and a Bill of Material upload.
The site's new search capabilities, powered by a next-generation product search and Guided Navigation® solution from Endeca, produce fast and accurate product results, which can then be compared and sorted by any of over hundreds of desirable dimensions, attributes or criteria. While presented in a familiar parametric search interface, the search engine allows design engineers and buyers to find products in ways not possible through competitive services and avoid the pitfalls of traditional parametric solutions. eProcurement customers, as a result, can now intuitively interact with the data to find the right products that meet unique design needs and discover relevant new products that they may not have known were even available. The solution is part of Endeca's recently launched Manufacturing & Distribution Search Solutions, a combination of information retrieval applications and services expertise tailored for manufacturing and supplier environments.
In addition, the improved "Favorites" interface allows buyers to more easily manage projects, kits and stockroom data. Referring to the new features added to the site, Newark InOne customer Sue Wagamon, senior buyer, GBS Supply Management, Medtronic, comments, "Newark InOne added things that I've never seen on anyone else's Punchout site. They really went above and beyond."
"We've been an eProcurement leader in our industry for more than eight years," says Susan Fischer, senior vice president, marketing and e-commerce, Newark InOne. "With our new Punchout site, our eProcurement customers have the same first-rate experience as our website users."
Newark InOne offers solutions for any eProcurement system, worldwide, and supports XML standards for Ariba, Oracle, Datastream, SciQuest, Ketera, Perfect Commerce, SAP and Pantellos. The Newark InOne eProcurement team can be contacted at 1.877.363.9275 or by email at [email protected].
Endeca Manufacturing & Distribution Search Solutions
The direct result of extensive work with dozens of leading manufacturers, suppliers and business-to- business cataloguers, like John Deere, Brady, Cabot Corporation, CDW, IBM and Sigma Aldrich, Endeca's Manufacturing & Distribution Search Solutions combine information retrieval applications with vertical services expertise. The solutions help manufacturers and suppliers boost parts reuse and strategic sourcing initiatives, improve customer service, drive online sales and reduce costs by making it easier for people to find products, parts and components information. These include Product Data Navigator
Page 44 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Solutions, Product Catalogue Search Solutions and Website Search and Navigation Solutions, all powered by Endeca's next-generation search and Guided Navigation platform.
Newark InOne, a subsidiary of global distributor Premier Farnell plc, is a leading small-quantity distributor of electronic components and test equipment in North America. A market leader with locations in the US, Canada, Mexico and Brazil, Newark InOne offers the broadest product selection from 440+ top manufacturers and a unique range of tailored services, including eProcurement.
Newark InOne serves customers who are working in design, maintenance and purchasing through multiple sales channels- contact centers, a local branch network, a dedicated field sales force and e- commerce. It has the ability to link with any eProcurement system, and its dedicated eProcurement team works with customers before and after an implementation. In 2002, Newark InOne secured a General Services Administration (GSA) schedule (#GS-06F-0044M) and supports federal government customers through a dedicated website, http://www.teamgov.com, and a specially trained team of representatives.
Stocking 200,000 brand name products, Newark InOne also has access to millions of electronic products. A wide range of timesaving services, including kitting, bar-coding and stockroom management solutions that can be tailored to individual needs, complements Newark InOne's unmatched selection.
Premier Farnell plc, Newark InOne's parent company, is a leading global marketer and distributor of electronic, maintenance repair and operations (MRO) and specialist products and services, trading in more than 100 countries with a database of 2 million customer contacts.
For general information, visit http://www.newarkinone.com and http://www.premierfarnell.com. Information about Newark InOne's GSA schedule is available by calling 1.800.TEAM.GOV (800.832.6468).
Click here to return to Contents
South Carolina DOT Wins 2005 BE Award 13 October 2005
The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has won a 2005 BE Award for its North Myrtle Beach Connector project. The award category was "Civil: Visualization." When completed, the project will establish a crucial gateway over the Intracoastal Waterway to the North Myrtle Beach community that will ease congestion and expand opportunities for commerce.
To address concerns of local officials and citizens, SCDOT used MicroStation V8 to develop a complex 3D model of the entire connector project. From the model, SCDOT produced visualizations for display at public meetings. Virtual tours of the model helped communicate proposals for sound walls, placement of sign bridges, and landscaping. Rendered stills and flyover animations effectively explained key details that otherwise would have been difficult to communicate.
Page 45 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
"As a result of various view renditions and computer animations of the North Myrtle Beach Connector project generated with MicroStation V8," visualization manager Stephen Meetze explained, "the project became fully supported and was adjusted to resolve concerns that became evident through the design and public involvement process."
"SCDOT was commended on several occasions for the realism of the renditions, and for elaborately involving the public in the decision process," Meetze continued. "Because of the overwhelming response and contribution to the success of this project, visualizations have become a standard part of all major projects at SCDOT."
Every aspect of the connector project was modeled using road and bridge data from GEOPAK civil design software. MicroStation V8's ability to handle files of any size made this enormous project possible without the use of multiple reference files. A single individual at SCDOT, using only one workstation, developed the entire visualization in about a month.
For more information on SCDOT's winning project and all of the other 2005 BE Award projects, visit http://www.be.org/2005beawardwinners. For more information on the Bentley products used in this project, visit http://www.bentley.com/civil.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation's 5,400 employees build and maintain roads and bridges as well as provide mass transit services to the citizens of the state. With nearly 41,500 road miles and 8,300 bridges, South Carolina has the fourth largest state-maintained road system in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.dot.state.sc.us.
Click here to return to Contents
Product News
Altium Releases Service Pack 3 for P-CAD® 2004 10 October 2005
Altium Limited, a developer of Windows-based electronics design software, announced the release of Service Pack 3 (SP3) for P-CAD® 2004, Altium's PCB design system for layout professionals. Available as a free download to existing licensed P-CAD 2004 customers, SP3 is a substantial upgrade, with over 160 new features and enhancements that offer greater ease-of-use and flexibility in the PCB design process.
The development of new features and enhancements available within SP3 reinforces Altium's commitment to ongoing support and development of P-CAD, with the focus for this Service Pack on strengthening the performance of the system and increasing value to customers. This is reflected in productivity enhancements in many areas including variants, layer stack up and configuration of options. Additionally a significant upgrade was made to the P-CAD TIES Viewlogic/ePD interface, which now supports eProduct Designer® (ePD) 2004 SP1. The TIES utility allows the transfer of electrical design information between the Viewlogic/ePD CAE design tools and P-CAD's tools, and offers cross-probing
Page 46 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary plus forward/backward annotation. The PADS to P-CAD translator has also been updated to handle non- English characters, enabling support for foreign languages, as well as supporting newer versions of PADS (up to and including version 2005.1).
The number of component libraries included in P-CAD 2004 has been significantly increased with SP3; the 19,000 new components bring the total components available to almost 80,000. These components, developed according to the ISO9001:2000 standard, significantly reduce the need to create a component from scratch, saving time and effort.
P-CAD 2004 SP3 also includes an increased number of CAM file export options. P-CAD users can now output an IPC-D-356A formatted net list. This popular format includes netlist connectivity data, blind and buried via information, and also differentiates between through-hole vias and free pads. Furthermore, P-CAD 2004 SP3 makes it easier and faster to setup new designs. Default settings for such items as apertures, design rules, grid settings, and pad styles can now be stored and applied automatically to new designs. The Library Executive has also been enhanced; a new "Save to File" option has been added that allows incomplete data to be saved to a separate file and reloaded to continue work at another time.
"We are pleased to announce the release of Service Pack 3 for P-CAD 2004, with an abundance of customer driven enhancements," said Nick Martin, founder and CEO, Altium. "This Service Pack reinforces our commitment to P-CAD and continues our promise of delivering expanded capabilities that meet the current and future needs of our P-CAD customers."
P-CAD 2004 SP3 key features at a glance
19,000 new library components
Improved Viewlogic/ePD support
Improved PADS to P-CAD translation
Support for the IPC-D-356A standard
New Automated Design Default Settings automatically applies default settings to new designs
Incomplete component data can now be saved
Advanced Route Tool is improved to include a Violation Halo indicator in hugging mode when the path to the cursor location cannot be found
Printing of variants in Schematic is more flexible. Parts excluded from the variant can be cross- hatched, excluded from the print, or excluded along with their attached wires
Enhancements have been made to P-CAD to strengthen the use of the Bonus Technologies, which include Altium Designer's Situs Topological Autorouter, CAMtastic and Mixed-Signal Circuit
Page 47 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Simulation. These include performance improvements in the output of large designs from P-CAD and usability of the Situs router
For a full list of new features and enhancements in SP3, visit http://www.altium.com/pcad/resources/downloads/spDownloads/.
Pricing and availability
P-CAD 2004 SP3 is available free of charge for immediate download to all licensed P-CAD 2004 customers from http://www.altium.com/pcad/resources/downloads/spDownloads/.
P-CAD 2004 also includes Bonus Technologies that encompass Altium Designer's Situs Topological Autorouter, CAMtastic and mixed-signal circuit simulation. These Bonus Technologies compliment and enhance the capabilities of the P-CAD system and offer additional design power to P-CAD customers.
For more information visit http://www.altium.com/pcad/ or contact your local Altium Sales and Support Center http://www.altium.com/contacts/.
Click here to return to Contents
AssurX Announces Immediate Availability of CATSWeb Process for Document Control 11 October 2005
AssurX, Inc., a supplier of Enterprise Quality and Compliance Systems, announced the immediate availability of CATSWeb Process for Document Control, allowing built-in, easy and effective management of the controlled content life cycle from change orders through release approval, dissemination and training. With recent high profile corporate compliance scandals being thrust into the spotlight, the ability to provide rapid access to current and accurate documents has become a critical issue with new and updated industry and government regulations at all levels. CATSWeb Process for Document Control allows firms to improve enterprise-wide visibility of process changes, reduce risk and labor costs associated with use of erroneous and outdated procedures, and demonstrate regulatory compliance.
CATSWeb Process for Document Control provides an intuitive workflow environment for managing the entire lifecycle of content (procedures, specifications, drawings, etc.) via integrated change orders, version control and training tasks.
"The training component of CATSWeb is especially valuable because federal inspectors often examine an organization's training programs, and evidence that the training actually occurred, to get a feel for the level of control and discipline," said Sal Lucido, VP of Enterprise Solutions. Just as a Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) program is often cited as a bellwether with FDA inspectors for other operations, a strong and well-documented training program is also an important early indicator for all
Page 48 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary inspectors. CATSWeb Process for Document Control makes it easy to quickly demonstrate that the training program is thorough and reliable.
Key benefits for all users include:
• Managing and distributing content, including SOPs, procedures, drawings and datasheets.
• Facilitating compliance with regulatory requirements and standards including cGMP, ISO 9000, 21 CFR Part 11, SOX, and HIPAA.
• Making relevant content easy to locate, view, print, e-mail and download.
• Providing full text search across the entire content repository.
• Automatic notification regarding new, updated and recalled documents.
• For supervisors to manage employees, assign new hire document training and training for new roles, and efficiently document monthly activity.
• Content managers to define a document's affected areas, automatically set training tasks and access rights and also receive automatic notifications of document change request status.
Unveiled at the recent AssurX Summit User Conference, CATSWeb Process for Document Control was enthusiastically received. Users commented that CATSWeb Process for Document Control includes needed functionality that is missing in many competitive solutions, is much easier to configure and use, lends itself to rapid implementation, and delivers faster ROI.
Annette Schaps, Director of Quality and Regulatory Compliance at Thermage, Inc. states that, "After looking at various PLM systems, we found many of the solutions required major workflow changes, lacked flexibility and were high cost. CATSWeb Process for Document Control is currently being used for electronic routing and approval of Engineering Change Orders. In addition to being able to review the status or the changes and view the document itself, we really like the ability to have the training requests automatically launched after the document is released."
"An August 2005 FDA guidance document states that companies can significantly enhance their manufacturing decisions with effective, intelligent risk management policies," notes Tamar June, VP of Strategic Marketing. The International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) concurs.
Bottom-line: By leveraging sound policies and tools including CATSWeb Process for Document Control, companies have an unprecedented opportunity today to seize the compliance initiative, satisfy regulators, and significantly improve their operational efficiencies.
Page 49 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
AssurX, Inc. provides companies with best-of-breed enterprise-wide global solutions for their quality and compliance system needs. CATSWeb is the proven leader as the industry's system of choice—used at FDA-regulated and ISO/QS 9000 certified companies around the world. CATSWeb is a zero client application that can be accessed from any computer, running any operating system, with any Web browser, anywhere and anytime that an Internet or intranet connection is available. AssurX is headquartered in Morgan Hill, CA with satellite offices throughout North America and Europe. More information about CATSWeb and AssurX can be found at http://www.assurx.com.
Click here to return to Contents
Autodesk Ships 3ds Max 8 Software 10 October 2005
Autodesk, Inc. announced it has begun shipping Autodesk 3ds Max 8 software, the latest version of its 3D modeling, animation and rendering solution. Created to address growing 3D pipeline complexity with new data management, character animation and speed/performance advancements, 3ds Max software is one of the industry's most popular solutions that help customers realize their creative 3D ideas for game development, film and video production and design visualization.
3ds Max Subscription customer Epic Games, makers of the Unreal Engine 3, which was recently chosen by Sony Computer Entertainment for its software developer kit for the new PLAYSTATION 3, plans to benefit from 3ds Max 8 in their production pipeline. "When our artists got their hands on the 3ds Max 8 beta, there was no turning back. The time savings from silver-bullet features like Pelt Mapping meant that we immediately put the beta in production for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007," said Michael Capps, Ph.D., President, Epic Games. "We've been working with the 3ds Max team since the Microsoft DOS days, collaborating on ways to make the Unreal Engine's content pipeline more efficient. We dream up a few crazy features, and they turn around a new version in no time."
Autodesk originally pioneered the concept of unlimited network rendering with 3ds Max and Autodesk Backburner functionality. Now, Autodesk introduces the industry's first scalable, unlimited mental ray network rendering option specifically for 3ds Max. This proprietary addition gives valuable rendering flexibility to customers using 3ds Max software. 3D artists can now distribute 3ds Max rendering tasks (via Backburner) across a network using the integrated mental ray renderer without incurring additional costs-allowing them to scale their mental ray rendering resources to the limits of their network or render farm capabilities.
All new features and enhancements in 3ds Max 8 address the needs of animators tasked with meeting the demands of more sophisticated effects projects, next-generation game consoles, and photo-real design visualizations. Character Development features include: advanced rigging tools, motion mixing and motion retargeting (non-linear animation). Modeling & Texturing advancements include new UV pelt mapping, DirectX and .fx support. Comprehensive Development Framework enhancements include improved software developer kit (SDK) tools and documentation, XML support that efficiently exchanges scene and animation data and an interactive MAXScript debugger along with support for the Autodesk DWF Viewer, for simple collaborative review and approval of 3D data. Complex Data and
Page 50 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Asset Management advancements bring continued connectivity to third-party asset management systems and integration of the Autodesk Vault full-featured data management and asset-tracking solution.
For a complete list of new 3ds Max 8 features, please visit: http://www.autodesk.com/3dsmax/.
"This release of 3ds Max software brings significant productivity boosts to our user base," said Marc Petit, vice president of product development and operations at Autodesk Media and Entertainment division. "To that end, we're very proud to also provide our customers with the extended flexibility of the mental ray network rendering framework, adding great value to 3ds Max by allowing our customers to freely scale their render farms and realize an even greater cost of ownership advantage."
Pricing and Availability
Autodesk 3ds Max 8 software is now available in English through authorized resellers worldwide. The suggested retail price for Autodesk 3ds Max 8 software in North America is US $3,495. The suggested retail price to upgrade from 3ds Max 7 to 3ds Max 8 in North America is US $795.
3ds Max Subscription
The Autodesk suggested retail price for 3ds Max Subscription is US $440 per year and is available for purchase simultaneously with the product purchase or upgrade. Subscription customers qualify for access to the latest software updates, valuable product extensions and e-learning materials. For more information about purchasing 3ds Max Subscription, contact an Autodesk Authorized Reseller or visit http://www.autodesk.com/subscription/.
Click here to return to Contents
Autodesk Improves Product Design Collaboration for Manufacturers 13 October 2005
Autodesk Inc. announced that it has improved product design collaboration for the manufacturing industry. Now, engineers using a variety of 3D design applications can share compact DWF versions of product models with the extended manufacturing team. DWF is an open, standards-based file format designed for sharing complex mechanical drawings and 3D models via email or the Internet. Autodesk Inventor has long supported direct output of DWF files. With the release of the latest version of DWF Writer, Autodesk now makes it easy to publish 3D design data from other 3D design software including Solidworks and Pro/ENGINEER. The free*, downloadable software permits engineers using other 3D design applications to manage and share accurate digital designs, for greater productivity across the supply chain—without loss of data to paper-based communication.
Manufacturers are continually seeking ways to improve productivity and bring products to market faster, while reducing design errors and rework. Globalization and off-shoring create new pressures on
Page 51 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary designers to better integrate information across extended teams, including communication with production team members who do not use 3D design tools.
New Autodesk DWF Writer functionality lets designers using leading 3D mechanical design software save their models and design data as DWF files and share them securely with product teams. By creating 3D DWF files, engineers are able to provide accurate, data-rich digital designs to non-technical team members at any point in the manufacturing process. As a result, product developers can save designs in an industry-standard format and send these files electronically for bids or for production at manufacturing sites around the world. Off-shore team members can view and understand designs easily, using the free* Autodesk DWF Viewer software, or using Autodesk DWF Composer or Autodesk data management solutions.
"The ability to capture a 3D window into a form that can be easily saved and shared is simple and elegant. This is one of the more clever uses of technology I have seen in years," said Charlie Bliss, Team 44, Hiller Aviation Education Foundation.
The latest version of Autodesk DWF Writer supports publication of 2D files from a Microsoft Windows system printer driver, and retains intelligent design information in 3D models to help ensure communication of design intention. Autodesk DWF Writer software is available as a free* download from the Autodesk website at http://www.autodesk.com/dwfwriter.
* This product is subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement that accompanies download of the software.
Click here to return to Contents
AVEVA Announces VNET 3.3 12 October 2005
AVEVA announced the general availability of VNET version 3.3. AVEVA has developed this technology in consultation with new and existing customers, including Jacobs, BP, Shell, Petronas, Woodside, JR McDermotts and Alstom.
VNET allows information created by experts in one business function to be used by non-experts in other parts of the business or in different organizations. In historical case studies, the use of VNET in a project has enabled radical changes in business processes to be achieved with ease on a regular basis; project timescales have been compressed, plant uptimes improved and recovery-from-failure times reduced.
AVEVA has enhanced VNET with this new release to address major opportunities in the market for oil and gas producers, power generators, shipbuilders and petrochemicals companies. This includes the addition of new functionality to allow Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractors and plant owner-operators to interact more effectively without changing their proven systems and existing working practices. One such example is the new ability to link remote maintenance activity to corporate
Page 52 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary asset management systems and new business processes allowing customers to manage commercial risk and Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) issues.
"VNET 3.3 offers huge, demonstrable benefits to owner-operators by improving the relationship with the EPC at handover," explained Richard Longdon, CEO of AVEVA. "Handover has traditionally been regarded as a definitive period at the end of a project but VNET 3.3 brings that process forward, allowing dynamic simulation, plant training procedures and even de-bottlenecking studies to be conducted before commissioning. On a typical large oil facility, for example, this has the potential to bring forward first oil production significantly. At the current price of oil, this translates to a direct impact on the bottom line of about $15million per day for a 250,000 bpd installation."
Benefits to users of the new VNET 3.3 include:
• Improved usability, enabling interactive access of data maintained in SAP systems
• A PDF gateway that allows users to recover pdf information automatically for cross-referencing to other applications
• Microsoft Sharepoint integration, allowing organizations without a document management system to have a single integrated solution within VNET
• The ability to query structured data on progress and status information; streamlining business processes such as construction planning and maintenance procedures
• A 2D and 3D AutoPlant gateway for navigation and collaboration, enabling AutoPlant users to work with or migrate to more powerful CAD systems easily
VANTAGE Enterprise NET (VNET), part of the VANTAGE Suite, transforms the efficiency in accessing correct information, improves collaboration between the various teams on a project, highlights inconsistencies between data sources, assists in decision support and better manages the flow of information between applications. As a result, it removes significant costs from the engineering process.
VNET is an internet based technology that enables common applications to be integrated to create an internet-based information portal. It allows customers to view and manipulate information throughout the lifecycle of an engineering project. In addition, it can be integrated with AVEVA and competitor products, as well as other complementary applications such as SAP and Documentum. AVEVA is successfully delivering both the underlying VNET product and the associated integration services to clients worldwide.
Click here to return to Contents
Page 53 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
AVEVA Delivers Huge Package of Customer-Driven Enhancements to Project Resource Management System 12 October 2005
AVEVA announced the release of VANTAGE Project Resource Management (VPRM) 9.6: the latest update to the materials and resource management solution from the VANTAGE suite.
The launch of VPRM 9.6 was largely triggered by customer feedback, especially tighter integration with JD Edwards' financial software, which is used by many leading engineering companies. It enables the automatic transfer of cost-coded purchase order details using flexible Web Services & XML. There was also demand for a configurable technology link that would allow vendor documents to be displayed directly from the project document vault.
The release also answers demand for preliminary, controlled material take-off of 'yet-to-be-identified' bulk and tagged items. This change allows any engineering discipline to export MTO details to VPRM, giving earlier visibility and increased confidence in information of material requirements downstream. AVEVA has developed an interface to allow customers to take advantage of these new features immediately.
"AVEVA's in-depth industry knowledge, coupled with our reputation for the timely development and delivery of software was a major factor in Chicago Bridge & Iron signing our recent worldwide agreement against considerable competition." said Richard Longdon, CEO of AVEVA. "The JD Edwards interface has been included as standard in release 9.6, to the benefit of all VPRM customers."
The ability to link VPRM with any MTO or 3D-modelling system offers a significant benefit, as customers no longer have to waste time synchronizing specifications in order to "hand-shake" material requirements accurately. VPRM 9.6 has also been more closely integrated with AVEVA's Model Management, which enables the engineering department to save considerable checking time, and leading to far greater confidence in project estimates.
Other enhancements include: automation between VPRM, PDMS, and other external systems; approval and issue control of isometric and support drawings for MTO and additional support for Windows XP SP2, Windows Server 2003 and Oracle 10g.
Click here to return to Contents
CADopia Announces the Release of CADopia 6 11 October 2005
CADopia, a developer and distributor of products based on the OpenDesign and IntelliCAD technology, announced that CADopia 6 is now shipping.
Page 54 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
"CADopia 6, previously known as CADopia IntelliCAD, incorporates a number of exciting new features such as support for Adobe Acrobat PDF output and viewing of Microstation DGN and ESRI SHP files, while providing a stable, high performance CAD design, drafting, and detailing solution for engineers and architects," said Surya Sarda, President and CEO of CADopia. "CADopia 6 also supports opening and saving of most Autodesk AutoCAD drawing files up to version 2006, using the DwgDirect technology."
"I am impressed by the level of compatibility of CADopia software with AutoCAD," said John Loacker, President of Kroll Maps, Seattle, USA. "CADopia has been working closely with us to ensure that the CADopia solution meets our needs."
The new and improved features in CADopia 6 Professional Edition include:
• New! Export your drawings as Adobe Acrobat PDF files
• Open Autodesk AutoCAD files up to version 2006
• New! Sweep and loft solids using ACIS solid modeling technology
• New! Export and import DWF (Drawing Web Format) files for viewing on the web
• Enhanced! Raster Image Support with support for over 100 file formats such as BMP, TIF, GIF, JPG, CALS.
• New! View ESRI (SHP) and Microstation (DGN) files as images
• Enhanced print style tables
• New! External References Manager
• Enhanced Entity Snaps with extend and projected intersection options
• Enhanced FlexLM Network License Manager with optional floating licenses
• More customization options
• Enhanced command bar feature
• Performance enhancements
• General functionality improvements
Page 55 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
To learn more about the new and updated features, please visit http://www.cadopia.com/about_us/news/cadopia6_released.asp
CADopia 6 is available in 3 editions – Standard, Premium, and Professional. A floating network license option is available for volume license users. Educational versions of the products are available at substantial discounts for accredited educational institutions.
CADopia OEM is available to CAD application developers as a platform technology for their niche CAD applications, allowing them to leverage the functionality that is already available in CADopia 6.
CADopia 6 Professional Edition also includes Columbus Document Management software and Ralph Grabowski’s CADopia Customization Guide and Inside CADopia 6 books.
To download an evaluation copy of CADopia 6 Standard Edition or to request an evaluation CD, visit http://www.cadopia.com. CADopia customers may upgrade to the new version by contacting [email protected].
Click here to return to Contents
CADSTAR 8.0 Includes Advanced Features for Signal Integrity, Routing, Lead Free Compliance and Variant Management 11 October 2005
Zuken announced CADSTAR 8.0, the latest version of the company’s desktop PCB design solution. This features improvements in schematic design and library management, support for variants, lead free component technology and jumpers. There are also major enhancements to placement, routing, and advanced signal integrity analysis tools.
The CADSTAR Schematic Manager features significant usability enhancements for engineers. Pin names and numbers can now be rotated in the schematic symbol, pin labels can be assigned in the library, multi-line text can be justified, and text can be aligned and rotated while supporting readability, plus much more.
Component management is now a simple process; users can search components within multiple libraries while maintaining data integrity required for carrying out necessary design processes such as ECO updates, checks and post process procedures.
CADSTAR 8.0 includes the latest in functionality for dealing with new technology that has evolved from the introduction of new legislation such as the European WEEE and RoHS Directives and continued innovation in design processes and fabrication such as lead free soldering, soon to be mandatory in most electronics equipment in the European Union. Electrical connections using jumper technology is now supported. Users can add jumpers on the fly (like a normal via) in the P.R.Editor XR 2000 L4 (or higher version). Rounded rectangle pads are also supported, improving the process of lead free soldering. The
Page 56 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Variant Manager now includes the support of text per variant, eliminating the requirement for separate supporting documentation for manufacturing. Hyperlinks and documentation in Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF can also be added to the variant text.
The hard work has been taken out of complex routing with major enhancements to the P.R.Editor. The introduction of revolutionary technology, ‘trunking’, means that designers can now perform auto- interactive routing much more efficiently. Trunks address issues associated with handling different routes, busses, or differential pairs collectively as one entity, enabling users to quickly sketch routes, facilitating fast up-front planning and manipulation of a collection of signals as a group. All interconnects can be concurrently considered when routing at the ends of a trunk using the trunk end router function, combating design complexity as the board density increases; which can be performed in combination with an improved 45 degree angled pusher. Length and skew control is a quick and easy process using a new interactive lengthening tool that maximizes exploitation of available real estate.
Improvements in CADSTAR SI Verify go a long way toward simplifying the process of designing with increased data rates. Version 8.0 includes a highly accurate FEM field solver for considering frequency dependent losses and the proximity effects on strong couplings. Eye diagrams can be generated for performing eye-mask verification and for providing analysis based on multi-bit sequence stimuli. This version also includes RF models for passive devices and accurate timing, and waveform verification can be performed at die level.
The latest version of CADSTAR has been driven by customer demands, with most of the new functionality featuring in the top ten enhancement requests of current CADSTAR customers. Maintaining a high quality continues to be the core principle driving dynamic responsive product development.
CADSTAR 8.0 will be available from the middle of November 2005 with modules starting from $/€1,000. For more information visit http://www.cadstarworld.com/cadstar8.
Zuken’s CADSTAR is a Windows-based solution for PCB design that spans schematic capture, placement, routing, library creation and management, signal integrity, EMC analysis, and production of manufacturing data.
Click here to return to Contents
CollabNet Joins Mercury BTO Ecosystem As Elite Alliance Partner, Supports Comprehensive Approach To Application Lifecycle Management 11 October 2005
CollabNet announced that the company has been selected as a member of the Mercury BTO (Business Technology Optimization) partner ecosystem. Membership is based on CollabNet's shared lifecycle approach and solution integration with Mercury BTO Enterprise. The CollabNet Connector to Mercury TestDirector has also been validated as an Elite Connection.
Page 57 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Mercury BTO Enterprise helps govern and manage IT and optimize application quality, performance, and availability. CollabNet Enterprise Edition 4.0 integrates tools for software development, project management, knowledge management, and communication management in an on-demand Web-based software development environment.
"The software development industry has entered a new era in which applications are collaboratively developed and deployed by decentralized teams over the Internet. By partnering with Mercury, CollabNet helps these geographically distributed testing and development teams seamlessly work together to efficiently track and resolve defects across the application lifecycle," said Bill Portelli, President & CEO, CollabNet. "With reduced lifecycle development and testing costs and faster time to market, companies can better serve the needs of their customers and partners in this interconnected world."
The recently announced CollabNet Enterprise Edition 4.0 integrates directly with Mercury TestDirector through the CollabNet Connector Suite and allows testing and development teams to work together more efficiently when tracking and resolving defects across systems. The CollabNet Connector gathers defects from TestDirector and synchronizes them with the CollabNet environment, allowing members of the testing team to pass defects to the software development team. Test plans created in Mercury TestDirector can also be version controlled using CollabNet Subversion, the leading solution for distributed version control on the Internet.
Click here to return to Contents
FileNet Announces General Availability of FileNet Capture 5.0 10 October 2005 FileNet Corporation announced the general availability of its next-generation capture products, Capture Professional 5.0 and Capture Desktop 5.0. FileNet Capture 5.0 now includes FileNet ZeroClick records capture capabilities to ensure that documents are automatically declared and classified as records in FileNet P8 once they enter an organization. This integration enables organizations to enforce records management and compliance policies at the technology layer, helping to eliminate user-related errors, reduce time and cost factors, and ensure best-practice records management. As the primary paper content capture capability for the FileNet P8 platform, FileNet’s Capture products enable organizations to acquire and catalog both electronic and paper-based content at its source, then distribute and manage this content based on an organization’s specific business needs. FileNet Capture 5.0 incorporates enterprise class document scanning with a powerful, yet flexible, architecture for capturing enterprise content regardless of where it resides or however it’s structured. “Organizations today are demanding solutions that help them address a growing number of compliance regulations which require the capture and management of content assets across the enterprise. To stay ahead of these regulations, organizations are adapting highly-scalable and flexible content management solutions that, at their core, capture enterprise content,” said Martyn Christian, chief marketing officer for FileNet. “By incorporating FileNet’s innovative ZeroClick capabilities into Capture 5.0, FileNet has given its customers an ECM solution that can capture valuable business information helping to minimize the risks associated with non-compliance.” Additional New Features
Page 58 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
In addition to FileNet ZeroClick capabilities, new features in Capture 5.0 include remote office offline capture processing, silent installation, and single station integration. With remote office offline capture processing, customers will now be able to perform specific functions by processing documents offline, during off-hours, from remote sites anywhere in the world. This helps ensure the integrity and security of an organization’s data, decreases network usage, and eliminates shipping and handling costs. FileNet Capture’s silent installation feature, which enables the automated installation, configuration, and deployment of FileNet Capture components, helps reduce the cost of administration for FileNet Capture. Single station integration helps reduce the number of installations and configurations an administrator must support by enabling a single capture station to interface with multiple FileNet back-end repositories. Click here to return to Contents
Hitachi and Denali Collaborate to Deliver CE-ATA Simulation Models for Microdrive® 3K8 12 October 2005
Denali Software and Hitachi Global Storage Technologies announced the availability of advanced CE- ATA simulation models for Hitachi's 8 GB "Mikey" hard drive, officially known as Microdrive 3K8. Chip designers can use the software to simulate the detailed interaction between CE-ATA product designs and Microdrive-based devices at the pre-silicon stage of chip development. The models enable designers to improve product design quality and speed time-to-market for new consumer electronics devices. The simulation models are available now to select customers at: http://www.denali.com/hitachi- CEATA or http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/micro/design.htm.
"Hitachi's goal is to provide customers with leading-edge hard drives and the support they need to deliver innovative consumer electronics devices," said Larry Swezey, deputy general manager, Mobile Hard Drive Business Unit, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. "This CE-ATA simulation model will enable Microdrive 3K8 customers to streamline development and testing processes and accelerate their time-to- market."
The new Hitachi Microdrive 3K8 is a 1.0-inch hard drive, featuring a reduced footprint and power consumption for integration into mobile phones and other ultra-miniature consumer electronic devices. The drive has a maximum capacity of 8GB, and is available exclusively for embedded applications. It features a ZIF connector supporting PATA, CE-ATA, or ATA on MMC interfaces. CE-ATA is a new standard interface for small-form-factor hard drives that addresses the requirements of the handheld and CE market segments, including low pin count, low voltage, power efficiency, cost-effectiveness and integration-efficiency.
"We are seeing a tremendous increase in demand for specialized storage solutions for mobile consumer electronics," said Kevin Silver, Vice President of Marketing for Denali. "Hitachi is clearly demonstrating leadership in this space with its new 1.0-inch Microdrive 3K8, and we are excited to work with them on design enablement tools for these devices. The availability of advanced simulation models, or verification IP, for the Hitachi Microdrive enables chip designers to accelerate product development, and optimize their designs even before an actual drive is available. This collaborative effort is consistent with our goal to provide customers with high-quality verification IP that speeds design and verification of their products."
Page 59 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
The simulation model for Hitachi's Microdrive 3K8 is available through Denali's PureSpec™ verification IP product line, an industry standard modeling solution for other devices and interfaces including DDR- SDRAM, Flash, Serial ATA, PCI Express, and USB 2.0/OTG.
The Denali 3K8 simulation model, available to Hitachi customers, includes a fully configurable bus functional model (BFM), protocol monitor, and complete assertion library for the CE-ATA specification and the Microdrive 3K8. The model covers all the behavior and timing of the Microdrive 3K8 with a CE- ATA interface, including basic hard drive functions such as read and write commands, cache operations, access times and error processes.
PureSpec model of the Microdrive 3K8 is compatible with all popular electronic design automation (EDA) languages and verification environments, including: C/C++/SystemC, Verilog/SystemVerilog, VHDL, Specman e, OpenVERA and others. For more information this and other PureSpec verification IP products, visit: http://www.denali.com/purespec.
Hitachi Global Storage Technologies was founded in 2003 as a result of the strategic combination of Hitachi's and IBM's storage technology businesses. Hitachi GST is the industry's second largest hard disk drive manufacturer in revenue.
The company's goal is to enable users to fully engage in the digital lifestyle by providing access to large amounts of storage capacity in formats suitable for the office, on the road and in the home. The company offers customers worldwide a comprehensive range of storage products for desktop computers, high- performance servers and mobile devices. For more information on Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.hitachigst.com/.
Denali Software Inc. is a provider of Engineering Design Automation (EDA) tools and Intellectual Property (IP) solutions for chip interface design, integration and verification. It's Databahn™ IP products offer fully configurable controllers for Flash, DRAM, and hard disk drives. Dataplex™ is an integrated subsystem of Databahn IP cores that provides optimal dataflow from external memory and storage to system designs. Denali's PureSpec™ and MMAV™ verification IP support all complex interfaces, including DRAM, Flash, PCI Express, ASI, AMBA, USB, Ethernet, CE-ATA, and Serial ATA. Denali's Blueprint product is an ESL product for on-chip register design and management. More than 400 companies worldwide use Denali's tools, technology, and services to design and verify complex chip interfaces for communication, consumer, and computer products. For more information, visit Denali at http://www.denali.com/, call 650-461-7200 or email [email protected].
Click here to return to Contents
HRS Partners With Gael Quality To Distribute Q-Pulse Compliance Management Software 10 October 2005
HRS, developer and supplier of the Jobshop suite of manufacturing software, has signed a partnership agreement with Gael Quality Ltd to distribute its Q-Pulse system to existing Jobshop users and new business opportunities. Q-Pulse is recognized as a market leader in quality and compliance management
Page 60 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary software, with more than 4000 user companies across the broadest cross section of industry and commerce.
The agreement recognizes the synergy that exists between business management and quality and compliance systems within the manufacturing sector. It also marks the first phase of a development program that will result in closer interoperability between Jobshop and Q-Pulse.
“Q-Pulse helps organizations ranging from airlines and financial institutions to health care trusts to implement a culture of improvement throughout their operations,” says Gael Quality’s Sales Director, Martin Bowman. “All companies have similar requirements and the principles we employ are equally applicable across industry boundaries.
“HRS has an enviable position in the manufacturing sector. Its core competences and expertise will undoubtedly enable the benefits of a continuous improvement culture to be brought to the widest range of existing and new HRS customers alike.”
“It is vitally important for us to continually develop our software and services portfolio through future releases of Jobshop,” continues HRS’s Managing Director, Peter Roost. “The strategic agreement with Gael Quality not only reflects the close fit between our two company cultures, but also provides each partner with the means to enhance the value and capabilities of its software products.”
HRS, along with Planit International, Licom, Radan, Cabinet Vision and Cabnetware belong to the Planit Holdings group of companies – a London Stock Exchange listed business operating in global industrial and retail markets, with software products encompassing design to manufacturing applications and business management solutions.
Based in East Kilbride, Scotland, Gael Quality designs, develops, markets and supports Q-Pulse – a software application to assist companies manage compliance based management standards, such as ISO 9000:2000, QS 9000, JAR-OPS, CPA.
Gael Quality has grown rapidly since its formation in 1995, and today has more than 20,000 users throughout all industry sectors in 70 countries world-wide.
Click here to return to Contents
IBM Expands PLM Express Portfolio to Help Mid-sized Manufacturers Increase Customer Responsiveness and Maximize ROI 11 October 2005
IBM announced that it has enhanced its portfolio of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Express portfolio created specifically for mid-sized manufacturers with two new offerings: Product Lifecycle Management Express for Business Integration and Product Lifecycle Management Express for Machining. These new, easy-to-implement and affordable solutions will provide mid-sized
Page 61 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary manufacturers with benefits only available to larger companies until now. This will help them start their On-Demand journey by increasing both horizontal integration between ERP and PLM processes, and vertical integration between design and manufacturing. Thus, they will be able to respond faster to changing customer requirements and to bring products to market quicker with improved quality and more innovation- while maintaining profitability.
The overall IBM Express Portfolio now counts over 100 solutions designed, developed and priced for the mid-market, including new Express services offerings, new industry-specific solutions, the Business Partner program ‘Built on IBM Express Portfolio’, and new Express middleware, servers and high- powered IntelliStation workstations that provide infrastructure support for PLM Express solutions. The latest PLM Express offerings demonstrate IBM’s continued investment in the mid-market with solutions that address the security, reliability, cost and ease-of-use requirements of mid-sized businesses.
Product Lifecycle Management Express for Business Integration is designed to automate business processes and enhance the bottom line by bridging the divide between product development and production. Companies are realizing that they can obtain maximum benefits from their Product Lifecycle Management and ERP systems only by integrating them. The bridge is built with SMARTEAM Gateway, WebSphere® Business Integration Server Express Plus, and the Adapter Capacity Pack for WebSphere Business Integration Server Express. The efficient and effective integration of key enterprise applications will help improve decision making, product quality, revenue, profit margin and time-to- market. This IBM offering includes the hardware, software and services elements to accomplish this integration, run on IBM eServer® xSeries® servers.
IBM Product Lifecycle Management Express for Machining enables midsize companies to accelerate their time to market and lower the cost of product development by improving the integration between initial concept design and manufacturing, ensuring the manufacturability of a product much earlier in the development process. PLM Express for Machining is tailored to the needs of the numerical control (NC) machining user who needs to prepare machine tools to "cut the parts" that have been designed usually by another company. It provides fast and secure data transfer between manufacturers and their customers and automated programming of machine tools based on design geometry. It also offers a secure database for centralized access to design and manufacturing documents and to previous projects. This improves productivity and significantly reduces the number of machining errors that cause scrap and re-work.
This solution supports a wide array of machining operations with an integrated tool set.
It is based on CATIA V5 NC Manufacturing and SMARTEAM TeamPDM, both IBM PLM applications developed by Dassault Systèmes.
“With CATIA V5 SMG we reduced the time to program an electrode from 8 hours to 30 minutes. The capability to reuse company knowledge gives us complete control of program quality” says Chris Philpott, Systems Engineer at HBC Engineering Solutions, a leading component manufacturer and tool maker for mold and press tools, based in Sheerness, Kent, UK.
About PLM and PLM Express Product Lifecycle Management is a strategic approach to creating and managing a company’s product-related intellectual capital, from its initial conception to retirement. IBM‘s Express portfolio is comprised of hardware, software, services and financing and is the first in the
Page 62 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary industry to meet specific criteria for mid-sized businesses —- companies between 100 and 1000 employees that often have fewer IT skills and tighter budgets than larger enterprises – in their transformation into On Demand businesses using IBM’s open standard-based technology. Sold and serviced through IBM and IBM’s extensive locally based PLM Business Partner network, the IBM PLM Express Portfolio consists of solutions integrated with CATIA Version 5 and SMARTEAM both developed by Dassault Systèmes. To learn more about PLM express, please visit http://www.ibm.com/solutions/plm/express.
FACT SHEET
IBM Product Lifecycle Management Express for Business integration
This solution is:
Able to exchange information between previously incompatible systems
Scalable (grows to meet the organization's needs)
Adaptable in the face of organizational changes
Able to rapidly integrate and automate business processes
More then just data exchange
Reduces application maintenance resources and expenses
Increases business agility by allowing quick adaptability to business rules changes
Offers a low TCO and leverages existing systems to deliver proven ROI
Many customers have implemented — or are in the process of implementing — enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. At the same time, they also are phasing in stages of product life-cycle management (Product Lifecycle Management) implementation starting with computer aided design (CAD), computer aided manufacturing (CAM), computer aided engineering (CAE) and product development management (PDM) Customers are realizing that the maximum benefits of these two systems can be reached only by integrating them. This offering includes the hardware, software and services elements to accomplish this integration. The bridge between the Product Lifecycle Management and ERP systems is built from SMARTEAM, SMARTEAM Gateway, WebSphere® Business Integration Server Express Plus, and the Adapter Capacity Pack for WebSphere Business Integration Server Express. Plus, it is run on IBM xSeries® servers. IBM Business Partners provide the skills to install and implement the solution, which is:
Capable of exchanging information between and across systems that were not designed to work together
Page 63 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Robust, with transaction and rollback support built into the solution
Scalable, to grow to meet an organization's needs as it grows
Adaptable, so that, as the solutions in the organization change, one solution can be substituted for another without a complete rewiring of the connections between the applications involved
IBM Product Lifecycle Management Express for Machining
Components of this solution include IBM Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) applications software developed by Dassault Systèmes:
CATIA V5 3D Product Design software plus Numerical Control (NC) Manufacturing products for part programming
SMARTEAM product data management (PDM) software for collaboration, workflow and drawing vaulting
STEP and IGES for working with CAD data from other systems
Plus an optional Manufacturing Profile Pack offering a selection of advanced NC products to enable customizing of each NC user’s configuration to his or her specific needs.
IBM Business Consulting Services or IBM PLM Business Partner services for training, onsite user support, customization and post processor generation.
Additional components that would logically constitute a clothing or cross-brand opportunity include:
Web-based learning solutions (WLS)
IBM WebSphere® Application Server Express and IBM DB2® Express
IBM Electronic Customer Support Representative (ECSR) enhanced support
Hardware: IBM IntelliStation® PRO Series, ThinkPad® notebooks from Lenovo, IBM eServer(logo)® xSeries® or IBM BladeCenter® server
Additional external network attached storage (NAS) or storage area network (SAN) storage for large data requirements
ITS Services for extended warranty and installation services
Page 64 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Proximity Services for hardware and software infrastructure installation and support – from IBM or from IBM PLM Business Partner
IBM Financing Advantage from IBM Global Services
The IBM offering is: A low-cost and an easy-to-implement solution with robust and industry-leading functionality that allows manufacturers to collaborate with their customers earlier in the design stage, reducing product development time and cost and speeding time to market, and is supported by the certified IBM network of over 200 PLM Business Partner firms backed by IBM.
Click here to return to Contents
IBM Names PROSTEP Advanced Level Partner September 2005
Within the ranks of IBM’s Partnerworld program, PROSTEP AG has joined the circle of members who carry the status “Advanced Level Industry Optimized”. This status is awarded to manufacturers whose software solutions are characterized by a particularly high level of compatibility to IBM software and hardware products. A major factor in this recognition is the successful integration of OpenPDM®, PROSTEP’s PLM integration platform, in IBM’s WebSphere Business Integration (WBI) software suite.
The combination of WBI and OpenPDM® allows IBM and PROSTEP to offer a powerful and scalable environment for the integration of different business processes which not only meets the needs of large corporations but also those of small and medium-sized companies. As an IBM Business Partner Advanced Level Industry Optimized, the Darmstadt-headquartered PLM specialist also provides IBM customers and WBI users with appropriate services. The company is currently in the process of realizing its initial customer projects in this area.
The OpenPDM® product family from PROSTEP provides an integration solution for the product data from different PDM, ERP or legacy systems which possess connectors to the leading PDM systems such as Teamcenter , UG Manager, mySAP PLM, ENOVIAVPM, Windchill or Pro/INTRALINK. These connectors allow relevant PDM information such as part and document master data, product and model structures, configuration information and release statuses to be exchanged or made available while ensuring consistent and conflict-free access to the systems.
WBI provides for an unrestricted flow of information and a smooth process flow across all applications and thus also allows cross-enterprise B2B integration with partners, suppliers and customers. The business processes are modeled graphically and can be simulated using parameters that can be configured as required. WBI monitors the correct process flow and provides tools for dynamic process analysis, which allows for a fast and flexible response to changing marginal conditions.
Click here to return to Contents
Page 65 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
IFS Announces New Maximum Overall Equipment Effectiveness Solution 11 October 2005
With SCA Graphic Sundsvall AB and a customer reference group from the asset-intensive industries, IFS has developed MaxOEE™, a real-time solution for strategic control and analysis of production output.
"Our industry needed a real-time solution that improved user productivity and that, as a result, had a positive impact on a company's bottom line," said Christer Bystrom, system owner at SCA Graphics. "We worked closely with IFS to develop this solution with the goal of significantly reducing our production down time. We believe MaxOEE's extremely flexible user interface is key to improved user productivity for asset-intensive organizations such as ours."
"In addition to partnering with SCA Graphics and the Asset Intensive Industry Advisory Group, development of the MaxOEE application and its unique user interface was done in close cooperation with a variety of our customer user groups to ensure an optimized, effective user experience," said IFS president and CEO Michael Hallen. "Based on IFS Service-Oriented Component Architecture™, this new application, which is vertical by design, provides companies with rapid ROI as well as new opportunities to increase their bottom line."
Using the seamless capture of real-time production data to build a knowledge database, MaxOEE gives companies the real-time knowledge they require to drive informed decisions regarding plant investments, strategic workforce management, and enterprise asset management.
Drawing on the latest human-computer interaction (HCI) research, the MaxOEE application uses a combination of innovative visualization techniques and modern technology to deliver outstanding user productivity. Visualization technologies such as time lines and tree maps provide an overview of vast of amounts of information, allowing users to discover patterns and gain in-depth insight from what would otherwise be lists of hundreds of thousands of records. MaxOEE uses the latest web-deployed smart client technology to deliver the application over the web in a secure, zero-install manner.
Click here to return to Contents
MSC.Software Releases MSC.ADAMS 2005 r2 12 October 2005
MSC.Software Corp. announced the release of MSC.ADAMS 2005 r2. MSC.ADAMS is part of the SimOffice integrated VPD environment and is a leading motion simulation product that allows engineers to simulate, understand and quantify the performance of mechanical systems before building expensive hardware prototypes and conducting physical tests.
"Having worked with multi-body systems for over 20 years, I think the automated 3-D contacts capability has made MSC.ADAMS much more valuable to us. Now we can model realistic engineering high-precision joints where the dynamics of contacts and friction are very important and where
Page 66 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary clearances of 50 microns are traveled in microseconds," said Ashraf Zeid, technical fellow, system dynamics & controls, Visteon Corporation.
MSC.ADAMS is a multi-body dynamics simulation solution that allows engineers to gain an in-depth understanding into the performance of their mechanical systems. Several significant enhancements aimed at increasing user productivity have been implemented in MSC.ADAMS 2005 r2 including:
• Improved flexible system modeling plus further integration of MSC.ADAMS and MSC.Nastran for higher-fidelity durability simulations.
• Common solver for multi-body, controls, and hydraulics applications. ADAMS/Solver (C++) now fully supports ADAMS/Linear and ADAMS/Vibration. By using a common solver engineering teams will find it much easier to integrate these systems into a complete virtual prototype.
• Significantly faster contact simulation through parallel processing. Contacts are now supported by the Shared Memory Processing (SMP) module originally introduced in MSC.ADAMS 2005 r1.
• ADAMS/SmartDriver, a new product that provides advanced driving simulation in ADAMS/Car and ADAMS/Chassis.
• New technology added to ADAMS/Linear to provide higher fidelity linearization for rotating systems by accurately capturing centrifugal and gyroscopic effects.
• New experimental capability for exporting validated MSC.ADAMS models to MSC.Nastran for detailed NVH analysis.
To help MSC.Software customers get the most value from the significant enhancements made to MSC.ADAMS 2005 r2, MSC.Software is hosting a Webinar, highlighting "What's New in MSC.ADAMS 2005 r2." This public Webinar is available for viewing by visiting http://webinars.mscsoftware.com/.
MSC.ADAMS 2005 r2 is available directly from the MSC.Software sales team and through its worldwide network of resellers. For more information on these and other enhancements please visit http://adams.mscsoftware.com/.
Click here to return to Contents
Nemetschek North America Announces the VectorWorks 12 Product Line 12 October 2005
Page 67 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Nemetschek North America announced the release of its VectorWorks product line, complete with a variety of new features and substantial product improvements allowing users to work faster and smarter than ever before. The company is pleased to announce its newest offerings: VectorWorks Fundamentals, VectorWorks Architect, VectorWorks Landmark, VectorWorks Spotlight, VectorWorks Machine Design, VectorWorks Designer, and RenderWorks.
“We have made some changes to our product line this cycle to better address the needs of our users and to better position them in the marketplace,” says Sean Flaherty, CEO, Nemetschek North America. ”Our general-purpose CAD program has been renamed VectorWorks Fundamentals to focus on the requirements of designers looking to do basic drafting and modeling. We are introducing VectorWorks Designer, a culmination of all the products in the VectorWorks product line. VectorWorks Designer is for designers that want to be able to do it all and who need advanced production, presentation, and collaboration. Finally, we changed the name of VectorWorks Mechanical to VectorWorks Machine Design in order to more accurately define its target market.“
Mr. Flaherty continues, “We are a company that strives to meet the needs of our users. The changes we make in our products and our product line are in direct response to our customer requests. With VectorWorks 12, we’re offering the most substantial list of improvements ever. Live sections, radiosity rendering, new and improved objects, new worksheet formatting options, and better DXF/DWG compatibility are among the many features added throughout the product line.”
"We have been using VectorWorks since MiniCAD 3+. During that time we have relied on VectorWorks for all of our design requirements. We use VectorWorks for both 2D process design and detailed 3D models of complex water treatment equipment,” says Pat Stanford, President, Coviana, Inc. ”Version 12 of VectorWorks will further enhance our productivity. The 3D modeling tools are faster. The new tool palettes greatly improve the interface, allowing us to have ready access to the tools we need.”
For a complete list of new and improved features, and for pricing and availability please, visit http://www.nemetschek.net.
Nemetschek North America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of European software giant Nemetschek AG. A global leader in design technologies, Nemetschek N.A. has been developing CAD software for the AEC, entertainment, landscape design, and manufacturing fields since 1985. VectorWorks is available in more than 85 countries and is translated into seven languages. VectorWorks is ideal for firms that don't have unlimited IT budgets.
Click here to return to Contents
NIKA to Exhibit EFD.Pro at PTC/User Events in Germany and France 12 October 2005
NIKA GmbH, a provider of fluid flow and heat transfer simulation software for engineers will present EFD.Pro to the European Pro/ENGINEER user community at the PTC/User Conferences in Paris [October 20] and Friedrichshafen [October 23] this month. EFD.Pro is the first fully integrated
Page 68 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Engineering Fluid Dynamics software for Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire. The seamless interface enables users to create designs with Pro/ENGINEER and then immediately analyze and optimize them – without translating any data and within the familiar Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire environment.
EFD.Pro offers analysis of compressible and incompressible liquids and gases, laminar and turbulent flows, heat transfer and species transport for steady-state and transient flow regimes as well as numerous other sophisticated physical models. It can be used for the development and optimization of various products such as automotive parts, computer housings, valves and regulators within a shorter time frame and with better quality.
To find out more about EFD.Pro or the next generation in fluid flow analysis, please visit http://www.nika.biz. NIKA GmbH Hanauer Landstraße 188 . 60314 Frankfurt am Main Tel. +49 . 69 . 130 253 0 . Fax +49 . 69 . 130 253 53 [email protected] . www.nika.biz.
OSIsoft Announces MCN Health Monitor Software 13 October 2005
OSIsoft, a supplier of performance management software, announced Manufacturing Control Network (MCN) Health Monitor, designed to enhance manufacturing IT infrastructure performance. MCN Health Monitor is a new product from OSIsoft.
MCN Health Monitor identifies hot spots in a process manufacturing IT network, and drills down into the history behind the events. This capability improves the performance and reliability of an IT infrastructure by identifying and resolving events that were previously difficult or time-consuming to diagnose, such as containing viruses and pinpointing network failures. It helps answer questions such as, ‘Is the problem located in the local area network, the distributed control system application, or the servers?’; ‘What events led up to the crash or incident?’, and ‘How do we trouble shoot problems that only occur intermittently?’
The new product includes interfaces that are installed in an OSIsoft PI Server or interface server, which collect IT data from the manufacturing network, applications and devices. It also includes a management console (based on the PI System management tools and a PI ProcessBook add-in) that configures IT data collection, organizes data by IT devices and automatically creates displays for IT devices on the manufacturing control network. OSIsoft’s Wired City division was instrumental in the development of the product.
“When production facilities shut down due to infrastructure problems, it costs process manufacturing companies thousands of dollars,” said Michael Saucier, vice president of Marketing, OSIsoft. “Maintaining uptime is crucial, and MCN Health Monitor is an effective way to centralize an operator’s ability to be alerted to performance threats.”
The solution is already deployed at a power generation plant. Using MCN Health Monitor, the plant is able to use just one tool to extract data and immediately pinpoint network bottlenecks and the cause of
Page 69 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary connectivity loss. A lost generating unit, for example, can cost the company as much as $1,000 per minute.
OSIsoft delivers performance management software to the world's leading process manufacturing, life sciences, and utility companies—anywhere real-time operational metrics fuel performance. With more than 10,000 installations worldwide, OSIsoft's real-time data platform crosses IT and process boundaries to incorporate and display operational information. Providing comprehensive visibility into operations, the OSIsoft platform unlocks the potential for timely analysis and the ability to make critical, informed and profitable decisions.
Click here to return to Contents
Pathtrace and Mori-Seiki Announce Collaboration Plans October 2005
Pathtrace, developers of EdgeCAM, and Mori-Seiki, the industry leading Machine Tool vendor, have announced collaboration plans to provide factory approved post processors for the Mori-Seiki range of Mill/Turn products.
As part of this collaboration, EdgeCAM will be shown on the Mori-Seiki booth and used to program demonstration parts at major trade shows. The first results from the collaboration were shown at EMO in Hannover in September, where EdgeCAM was demonstrated programming the latest Mori-Seiki NT Mill/Turn machine tools.
In addition, Pathtrace will supply EdgeCAM to the Mori-Seiki technical centers in the USA, an extension to the current arrangement where software has been supplied to Mori-Seiki in both the UK and Japan.
David Boucher, Marketing Director at Pathtrace comments, “Mill/Turn machines deliver huge productivity benefits but are more complex to program. By working with Mori-Seiki we are able to provide our mutual customers an EdgeCAM solution tailored to the latest generation of Mill/Turn Mori- Seiki machines and this will significantly reduce lead-time in implementing new Mill/Turn technology”.
Dr. Fujishima, Development Director for Mori-Seiki adds, “By working with leading CAM software vendors such as Pathtrace, we are able to give our customers the assurance that there is a programming solution available to meet their needs when investing in our latest generation NT range of Mill/Turn machines.”
Click here to return to Contents
Pathtrace Announces Support for Autodesk® Vault October 2005
Page 70 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
Pathtrace, developers of EdgeCAM computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software, has announced support for Autodesk Vault, the foundation of Autodesk’s data management solution with the EdgeCAM 10.0 release. Autodesk Vault is a key component of Autodesk Inventor Series software.
As Autodesk’s Global Preferred CAM Partner, Pathtrace is committed to providing tight integration with the Autodesk Inventor range of products. The latest release of EdgeCAM links directly to Vault. CAD Designs and EdgeCAM part files are stored in a secure centralized location, allowing engineers to easily find and store data by version number. Associativity is maintained between the different data sets and additional file properties such as machine tool, operator and time/date details are stored with the EdgeCAM part file. File properties are searchable in Windows Explorer, making it easier to organize, find and utilize valuable EdgeCAM data.
David Boucher, Pathtrace Marketing Director commented, “As Autodesk’s Global Preferred CAM Partner we will continue to offer industry leading level of integration between EdgeCAM and the Autodesk Inventor Series products. Our Autodesk Inventor customers today increasingly use Autodesk Vault for data management and naturally expect EdgeCAM data to utilize the benefits of this solution.”
“We are pleased that yet again Pathtrace is at the forefront in CAD/CAM interoperability by extending integration to include the data management arena,” adds Richard Runnells, Senior Manager of Manufacturing Partner Programs at Autodesk. “This commitment to the Autodesk Inventor Series product further demonstrates the strength of our global partnership and further enhances EdgeCAM’s position as the standard in solids-based machining.”
Click here to return to Contents
Productivity Improvements are Key in the Latest Release of EdgeCAM software from Pathtrace Engineering Systems October 2005
Machine simulation
EdgeCAM Simulator now offers full machine simulation. This extends the already comprehensive verification and visualization of the machining process by allowing the entire machine tool to be modeled accurately and shown through the machining process.
The new capability is primarily aimed at mill/turn applications where there is an increased likelihood of expensive collisions because of the relatively confined nature of these machines and the sheer number of movable components including turrets, sub-spindle and the B-axis indexing head. Complex programs can be proved out prior to being deployed on the machine tool, increasing the confidence of the operator and reducing lead times.
For lathe programming fully detailed tools, turrets and other devices such as tailstocks and steadies can be displayed with full movement through the machining session, helping to avoid expensive collisions, optimize the cutting process and reduce cycle time. All aspects of the machine tool are modeled using a
Page 71 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
CAD system, such as Autodesk Inventor®, SolidWorks® or EdgeCAM’s own Part Modeler application and can be configured for any machine type including mill/turn lathes and 5-axis milling machines.
Machine simulation is one of the most important preconditions for ensuring safe operations when performing 5-axis machining, helping to visualize the machine tool movement when making rotary movement. This is of critical importance as, in many cases, a small change in tool orientation can result in a large rotary movement.
5-Axis machining
Also in EdgeCAM version 10, Pathtrace will be previewing EdgeCAM’s new multi-axis machining functionality. A comprehensive range of simultaneous 4- and 5-axis strategies meets the production machining requirements of industries such as aerospace and automotive.
5-axis strategies include swarf cutting for machining variable taper walls and sophisticated multi-surface finishing with inbuilt, automatic collision detection. Additional strategies are available to handle applications such as machining of impellor type components and the deflashing of plastic molded components. 4-axis simultaneous machining is aimed at complex rotary applications such as camshafts and blades. All new machining strategies will be available for both mill and B-axis mill/turn machine configurations and fully support solid and surface geometry.
Autodesk Vault integration
As Autodesk’s Global Preferred CAM Partner, Pathtrace is committed to providing the highest level of integration with the Autodesk Inventor range of products. The latest EdgeCAM release links directly to Autodesk Vault, the key component of Autodesk’s data management solution and extends the power of the solution to offer smarter data management. By storing design and EdgeCAM part files in a secure, centralized location, engineers can easily find, reference and reuse both CAD and CAM data. A further benefit of the integration is that additional file properties are now stored with the EdgeCAM part file and these can displayed inside Autodesk Vault and Microsoft Windows Explorer™, making it easier to manage EdgeCAM data.
The new capabilities build on recent EdgeCAM releases and thus rely on proven technology. EdgeCAM is a complete solution for milling, turning, mill/turn, advanced solids and freeform machining and solid modeling. For further information about the latest release of EdgeCAM, please click here.
Click here to return to Contents
PROSTEP and AutoWeb Team to Improve the Exchange of Intellectual Property September 2005
PROSTEP and AutoWeb announced a unique solution that enables an efficient and secure means of data exchange between each companies data exchange systems for their respective clients. The solution
Page 72 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary integrates the two companies respective data exchange systems, the AutoWeb Intellectual Property Exchange and the Engineering Data Workflow solution OpenDXM® from PROSTEP.
The integration project was initiated to address the need of a global Tier-1 automotive supplier who required connectivity between their offices and clients in Europe that used OpenDXM® and those in North America that used AutoWeb. The resulting offer is a fully automated and more streamlined method of utilizing the current AutoWeb and PROSTEP applications that are required by this Tier-1’s clients.
“With this new product, PROSTEP is able to offer its OpenDXM®-customers a solution for executing a global data exchange strategy” said Dr. Bernd Pätzold, President and CEO of PROSTEP AG. “This includes the support of various data exchange standards like ODETTE file transfer in the European market and AutoWeb file exchange in the US- and Asian markets. We follow our customer requirements, which are more and more oriented on worldwide operations combined with the support of global engineering data exchange and collaboration.”
“AutoWeb is pleased to be offering this integrated product to our clients. It will make global communication throughout our customers’ supply chains more efficient and effective. As the economy becomes more global the need for these types of cooperative solutions will only get stronger” stated Nino DiCosmo; Chairman, President and CEO of AutoWeb.
The two companies finalized and installed the first stage of the project earlier this month and hope to announce a full integration solution to all of their customers by Q4 2005.
Click here to return to Contents
SAP Releases 28 New Versions of Best Practices Offerings for Midsize Enterprises 12 October 2005
Further delivering on its commitment to meet the unique software deployment requirements of midsize enterprises, SAP AG unveiled new versions of its fixed-scope, pre-defined packages of software and services. Based on mySAP™ ERP, the SAP® Best Practices offerings are available in 28 scenarios addressing the demands of midsize enterprises in industries as diverse as retail, utilities and the public sector. The preconfigured offerings are enhanced with new tools designed to help customers achieve faster implementation times and higher business flexibility while lowering risks.
SAP Best Practices include a clear, step-by-step methodology; reusable documentation and complete pre- configuration settings that provide everything needed to run specific key processes "out of the box" with minimal installation effort. Combining SAP's business process expertise in serving the world's leading companies with the know-how of its channel partners, SAP Best Practices are designed to meet the resource, price and industry requirements of midsize enterprises while laying a scalable foundation for business growth.
Page 73 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
The new portfolio of SAP Best Practices offers end-to-end business process scenarios for specific industries such as Warranty Processing with Returnable Parts for the automotive industry and Prototype Development for the high tech industry. Customers can use industry-specific SAP Best Practices in conjunction with cross-industry scenarios for customer relationship management (CRM) and supply chain management (SCM), such as Campaign Management, Engineer-to-Order and Supply Chain Performance Management. SAP Best Practices for business intelligence and enterprise portal round out the portfolio.
"To stay ahead of the competition, we cannot afford to suspend our businesses for lengthy implementations of products that are highly specialized and difficult to support—or conversely, to deploy standard solutions that do not fit the needs of our industry," said Kian Macrae, managing director of Bandito's Chile Co., a family-owned consumer products company in Kew, Johannesburg, South Africa. "The SAP Best Practices offering provides us with solutions specially tailored for our industry and allows us to achieve a faster return, lower long-term costs and the ability to scale over the life of our business."
The software's installation is almost entirely automated, allowing SAP partners and customers to focus their efforts on more important project activities. New deployment tools for personalization and installation allow rapid installation and easy personalization. Solution configuration data can be quickly and consistently changed using a predefined and easy-to-use spreadsheet.
SAP partners can utilize SAP Best Practices to build micro-vertical mySAP™ All-in-One solution offerings that leverage their unique industry expertise and service capabilities. Midsize enterprises can choose from a broad micro-vertical portfolio of nearly 600 qualified mySAP All-in-One partner solutions, available in more than 50 countries and used by more than 6,700 customers.
"With these new versions of SAP Best Practices, we continue to address the distinct industry requirements and unique business characteristics of midsize enterprises," said Robert Viehmann, vice president, Global mySAP All-in-One Development, SAP AG. "By jointly building our SAP Best Practices portfolio in collaboration with our channel partners, we help our customers realize faster time to market, shorter implementation times and continuous business improvement."
For an overview of all industry- and cross industry-packages as well as language versions, please go to http://help.sap.com/bestpractices, select the "SAP Best Practices" tab, then "Industry Packages" or "Cross-Industry Packages."
Click here to return to Contents
UGS Launches PLM Mid-Market Product Portfolio and Channel Program in EMEA 10 October 2005
UGS Corp. announced an aggressive and industry-changing strategy to serve the EMEA high-growth mid-market—focused on delivering enterprise-level PLM technology in an easy-to-deploy portfolio to companies in the mid-market.
Page 74 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
UGS made the announcement at its EMEA mid-market launch event in Prague today, which was attended by more than 280 persons from its indirect channel partners, selected strategic customers and press executives.
“This is all about bringing PLM to the mid-market,” said Angus Marshall, director of Sales & Channel Programs EMEA for UGS. “We are changing the game with the introduction of a PLM product portfolio to the mid-market and an aggressive and industry-changing strategy with the launch of our new global channel program.”
Microsoft’s Günter Rester will deliver an address at the event. Rester is director of Discrete Manufacturing Industries for Microsoft EMEA.
“UGS is part of Microsoft´s global ‘Peak Performance´ initiative, which focuses on key solution scenarios in the manufacturing industries,” said Rester. “Among these scenarios, PLM and engineering collaboration has one of the highest potentials and UGS is one of our top partners in this space. Our close joint development with UGS leads to one of the most advanced PLM solutions built on a widely used collaboration software stack from Microsoft.”
With a name synonymous with speed and velocity, mid-market customer Spyker Cars is also presenting at the event. Spyker users UGS software in the manufacture and design of its sports cars. Victor Muller, CEO of Spyker, will present.
UGS’ mid-market strategy is supported by two key components:
· The new product portfolio – the UGS Velocity Series™ portfolio – marks the first offering to combine UGS’ Solid Edge™ and Femap™ software – two mid-market solutions for digital product development – with the technology of UGS’ Teamcenter™ software.
· The new Global Channel Program focuses on deploying enterprise-level PLM to mid-size manufacturers that is easy to buy, install, deploy, use and support. The new program will expand partner capacity by 50 percent by the end of 2006. Partners in the new UGS channel program can sell UGS’ entire suite of products, including portfolios like the UGS Velocity Series as well as individual products like NX™—UGS’ flagship suite of digital product development software – and the new collaborative product data management (cPDM) product—Teamcenter™ Express.
Mid-Market Business Drivers
Similar to large organizations, mid-size manufacturers face issues of global sourcing, product customization, accurate and timely quotations, program management, integrated design and manufacturing and increased regulatory requirements. However, mid-size manufacturers typically lack the resources necessary to effectively manage the explosion of 3D data associated with these issues.
Click here to return to Contents
Page 75 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
UGS Launches I-deas 12 NX Series; Extends NX Roadmap with New Multi-CAD Capabilities and Workflow Productivity Gains 13 October 2005
UGS Corp. announced the immediate availability of I-deas® 12 NX Series software, one of its market- leading integrated computer-aided design, manufacturing and engineering analysis (CAD/CAM/CAE) software solutions.
I-deas NX Series, along with the recently released NX™ 4, is part of UGS’ strategy to support a unified offering representing the world’s most advanced digital product development solution.
“I-deas 12 NX Series is another key milestone release in our I-deas to NX roadmap,” said Chuck Grindstaff, executive vice president of Products, UGS. “We are pleased that I-deas customers worldwide are responding to the technology we are delivering. This latest release provides a smooth transition path with shared licensing, multi-CAD capabilities and additional workflow productivity improvements. I- deas’customers are already replacing their existing I-deas Team Data Manager (TDM) tools with Teamcenter Engineering, which illustrates their readiness to migrate to NX.”
New Multi-CAD Capabilities
I-deas 12 NX Series features new capabilities for working in a multi-CAD environment. This release leverages UGS’ JT Open proven lightweight format for data sharing among various CAD applications. New capabilities include: measure to underlying precise geometry, measure to facet point/line/plane, align instance, create sections, attach product and manufacturing information (PMI), create constraints, and plot/print instances.
Workflow Productivity Enhancements
I-deas 12 NX Series features user-driven productivity enhancements in design, assembly, 3D annotation, drafting and simulation.
“We create many section views on our large assembly drawings,” said Egon Welter, CAD manager, Siemens. “The ability to create 3D section views is a huge productivity boost, and the new ‘section of a section’ is a great enhancement.”
Moving Towards Full NX Implementation
With the release of I-deas 12 NX Series, UGS provides tools to successfully migrate to NX. A new shared licensing capability allows I-deas customers to operate both I-deas NX Series and NX from the same license. Customers can become familiar with the NX environment and see firsthand the benefits of transitioning to NX through new features, such as data and custom programming migration tools.
Page 76 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary
“We are looking forward to implementing I-deas 12 NX Series, as there are many enhancements that will collectively provide significant benefit to all our users,” said Tom Guant, engineering services manager at IMMI in Indiana. “Furthermore, this is a key release for us as we begin to migrate toward full NX.”
Click here to return to Contents
Unveiling of a New Integrated High Performance Computing System at Ferrari Highlights Fluent CFD Software 10 October 2005
Fluent Inc. announced its participation at a grand opening event in Maranello, Italy, of a new and revolutionary data center dedicated to Ferrari's aerodynamic research & development. This data center is a clear demonstration of the deployment of an HPC (High Performance Computing) solution delivered by a partnership between Fluent, American Power Conversion (APC) and AMD, and focused on the high-level performance, stability and reliability required to perform external aerodynamic simulations for Formula One Racing. During the event, Fluent and APC's customers have the opportunity to hear directly from the solution suppliers the key needs and requirements of the engineering team at Scuderia Ferrari and to discuss the issues and challenges faced in designing and implementing a data center of considerable complexity and size.
The Ferrari data center itself is an integrated supercomputer—based on AMD64 Opteron processors with Direct Connect Architecture—and it is used for CFD simulations using software and services from Fluent. Its physical infrastructure utilizes APC's InfraStruXure, with integrated cooling, and it offers power, cooling, management and services in a rack-optimized design, ideal for high-density computing installations. The APC solution leads to lower power and cooling costs under a unified computing platform.
"We partnered with Scuderia Ferrari to help them deploy an ideal solution for their sophisticated research and development data center, which houses one of the largest privately owned supercomputers in the world," said Dwight Sperry, APC's Group General Manager, Enterprise Systems and Business Networks. "While the technology exists to create data center designs with multiple powerful processors in a clustered environment, IT professionals are dealing with today's challenge to power and cool them— while ensuring high availability as well as the ability to expand for tomorrow's technology. InfraStruXure's immediately deployable benefits were clear to Ferrari. And since Ferrari also is considering increasing the processing power in the future, InfraStruXure's agility was instrumental as well."
Commenting on the unveiling of the Ferrari HPC, Gerard De Neuville, Fluent Corporate Vice-President said, "Fluent has a long history of success in F1. Most of the Formula 1 teams use Fluent's CFD software and the existing relationship between Ferrari's Aerodynamics Department and Fluent stretches back to 1996 when we supplied them with software and services for CFD analysis of their racing cars. Their cutting-edge HPC environment represents one of the biggest industrial computing platforms in the world, and will help to drive the optimization of large scale applications of FLUENT. Fluent's customers' demand for computational power continues to expand as HPC, with its high capabilities, allows F1 teams to perform extremely large CFD simulations, or to support rapid design analyses. No longer the exclusive
Page 77 CIMdata PLM Industry Summary domain of large centralized automotive and aerospace enterprises, HPC is now equally important to engineers in smaller design groups and in process industries such as power generation, oil & gas, chemicals, and materials processing, and Fluent is strongly committed in these markets as well."
This new HPC installation was a challenge in terms of ventilation and cooling in that the center is located within the historic site of Enzo Ferrari's early design and development facilities. This retrofit posed HVAC challenges not seen in more modern buildings. Antonio Calabrese, Head of Information Systems in Ferrari remarked that, "Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro deploys only best-in-class technologies and products that are proven to meet our challenges. Both APC and Fluent have demonstrated the right level of expertise and flexibility needed to fulfill our demands."
Click here to return to Contents
Page 78