December 16, 2002

2PLM John Stark Associates

Volume 5 Number 9

Page 1 - Welcome Page 2 - Update Page 3 - News Page 4 - Brief lines

* Welcome * Welcome to this issue of 2PLM, an e-zine distributed every two weeks on a free subscription basis. This week's article, Please stop howling, is from regular contributor Mike Bryan. Mike's previous article, 'STEP and PDM' can be read in the November 4, 2002 issue. * Please stop howling * Apparently, problems with transferring product data up and down the supply chain between heterogeneous CAX systems are proving very costly for companies worldwide. We need to ask ourselves why this should be so - it isn't rocket science. The real problem seems to be that companies just don't concern themselves very much with quality control of their product data. But this quality control has got to be applied top down not bottom up because it has to permeate the whole organization. The most valuable resource that any manufacturing company has is its product data, but you wouldn't think so from the cavalier manner in which it is sometimes handled and distributed. Transferring product data between two disparate systems need not and should not result in any loss of accuracy especially when double precision storage and computation are employed. And neutral representations such as IGES and STEP have sufficient scope such that there should be no loss of data either. Let's take a look at the exchange process and see where problems occur. First and foremost, does the company operate a CAD construction standard? Then, is the CAD model checked to that standard? In many cases the answer to both of those questions will be NO. OK, so now we have a valid and checked CAD model so we pre-process it into the chosen neutral format. Have we had this pre-processor quality-checked for compliance with the relevant neutral format standard? Most companies will have to put their hand on their heart and say NO, so they will have no idea if the conversion and approximation algorithms are sound and robust. If they are, then if you start with valid geometry you should finish up with valid geometry. All of the above reasoning applies to the post-processor stage as well - that is when the neutral format representation is converted into the receiving system. Now it is true that tolerance difference between the two systems can cause difficulties such as self-intersecting solids or gaps in surface geometry - but it really shouldn't. Even poor old IGES has a granularity value embedded in its Global section which should take care of tolerance variations. So, no problems in transferring data between system A and system B. As we all know, in the automotive and aerospace industries, supply chains can be very long and this, I believe is where the real problems lie. Does the customer always have a view over the whole length of the supply chain - right down to the last jobbing shop that is making simple components like fasteners? After all, it is the customer's valuable product data and he should never lose sight of it. It is one thing to supervise and quality control the transfer of product data to the first tier suppliers but what happens after that? What generally occurs is that each supplier will take responsibility for transferring data further on down the chain. And really bad things can happen. Most often the SMEs have no data exchange competence and use consultants (who charge a fortune and often don't hold the product data in the same reverence that the original customer does) to do the transfers. So, the customer must oversee and quality control the transfer of product data all the way down the supply chain and even back again when and where that is necessary. The corporate weeping and wailing over CAD interoperability reminds me of the story of the howling dog who's sitting on a thorn and is just too lazy to get up. Manufacturing Industry uses quality control widely over its processes but not always, seemingly, with respect to its most valuable resource, its product data. So let's get up off the thorn, stop howling and start applying a little quality control where it really matters. Mike Bryan can be contacted at m.bryan@chyanbre.demon.co.uk

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ThetisPro - Unified PLM solution from Thetis Technologies. Inc. A Reader Survey A reader asked if we run surveys. A good question in view of our wide readership. Here's one that could help you to position your Collaborative Product Development (CPD) priorities against the priorities of others. We've made a list of the main areas of CPD interest. If everyone responds by indicating the Top 5 priorities for their company we will be able to form a picture across the different industries. Please select a link and reply to the survey form hosted by our partner i-nova.cpds. The results will be e-mailed back to all participants. Survey in English Survey in French Survey in German Reference Section Follow the link for books in the Product Development Library Configuration Management . Innovation Management . Performance Metrics . QFD Proposed ICP-35K Project In a recent issue we mentioned the proposed "Implementing CPD and PLM Technologies for 35,000 European Manufacturing Companies" project for the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration. The Expression of Interest for the project is on the European Commission's CORDIS web site at http://eoi.cordis.lu/dsp_details.cfm?ID=34920. Here is an updated list, by country, of the Consortium members participating in preparation of the proposal: Austria : AVL Belgium : CRIF/WTCM, Decubber Project Associates, KUL, The European Federation of high tech SMEs, Sequoyah Denmark : Teknologisk Institut Finland : Huhtamaki Group, Technia France : Centric Software SAS, CTBA, EADS, i-nova, PSA, Tecnomatix France Germany : ABB, Accenture, BMW Group, Bosch, CAxOPEN, CeTIM (D/NL), DaimlerChrysler, EADS-M, EMC, EPI-K, Fraunhofer Institut, Siemens, TU Dresden, TU Munich, Uni. Bochum, Uni. Kaiserslautern, Uni. Magdeburg, VDI/VDE-IT Greece : Technika Plastika SA, TU Athens Ireland : CIMRU Galway, KineMatik Italy : CR-Fiat, IITA Milan, Politecnico di Milano, think3 Netherlands : ADSE, EDS, TNO, TU Eindhoven Norway : EPM Technology, SINTEF Portugal : NLS, Uninova Spain : AIDIMA, CIDAUT, IDEKO I.A.E., SOCINTEC Sweden : Eurostep, IVF Switzerland : ABB, Cadcamation, Charmilles Technologies, CERN, EPFL, HES-SO Geneva, ITI, John Stark Associates, Step-X UK : PDEX, Queen's University, NIAC, Sun Microsystems, Tempest Consulting, Uni. Cardiff, Uni. Edinburgh, Uni. Loughborough, Xerox Malta : Uni. of Malta Poland : OTI Warsaw, IPEA Wroclaw, Uni. Lodz Slovenia : CADING Brasil : UFRGS Porto Alegre In discussion : Access Commerce, ADEPA, Bombardier-Rotax, CostVision, Computer Technologies, Cranfield University, Design Rule, DuPont Europe, IAI, Plexion UK, TU Bergakademie Freiberg. To achieve a good balance in terms of size, industry, application and geography, we're interested in hearing from other European organisations that may be interested in participating in the project, as well as those that would like to support it without actually participating. If you're based in the UK or Ireland contact Roger Tempest. If based in another EU country, or in one of the Candidate Countries, contact John Stark. Here are two documents that answer frequently asked questions: How to join SME Entry Package EDM/PDM/PLM World Follow the links for : Vendors in the EDM/PDM/PLM World. Latest additions/modifications : Selerant Corporation. EDM/PDM/PLM service providers. Latest additions/modifications : DELT ICT Services B.V. EDM/PDM/PLM Conference and seminar organizations Conferences and Seminars in the EDM/PDM/PLM world CE2003 : 10th ISPE International Conference on Concurrent Engineering Madeira, Portugal. July 26-30, 2003 PTC/USER World Event Orlando, FL. June 8-11, 2003 ProSTEP Symposium 2003 Ruesselsheim, Germany. May 7-8, 2003 PLM World 2003 Anaheim, CA. April 28 - May 2, 2003 Cambashi Seminar 2003 Gaydon, England. April 9, 2003 Total Design Solutions 2003 Novi, MI. March 19-20, 2003 Collaborative Product Development and SRM Strategies for Aerospace 2003 Bethesda, Maryland. March 17-19, 2003 CAD case studies, CAD user stories DW Product Development, Inc. : Moldflow Adviser PocketSpec Technologies Inc. : ColorQA Color Comparison Device Polymer Technologies : Moldflow Jada Plastics : Moldflow British Telecommunications (BT) : GTX Bose Corporation : Ansoft Corporation Others General Interest Innovation Management Engineering Change Management Managing PDM in a changing environment Principles of Good Product Development Newsletters Engineering Data Management Newsletter - November 2002 issue Table Of Contents CPC/PLM Strategies : 2002 2PLM Media Sheet Advertisers of CAD, CAM, CAE, EDM, PCM, PDM, PIM, PLM, CPC, CPC/PLM and related systems and solutions. Read the 2PLM Media Sheet. Find out how to reach more than 30,000 customers with one mouse click.

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* Corporate * Documentum announced that it has successfully completed its acquisition of privately held eRoom Technology, Inc. Documentum issued approximately 7.77 million shares of its common stock and paid approximately $12.60 million in cash for all of the outstanding shares of eRoom's capital stock. Details Documentum announced that it has successfully completed its all-cash acquisition of privately held TrueArc Corporation for $3.6 million. Details Integrated Development Enterprise, Inc., IDe, announced that it secured $13.25 million in venture capital funding from five firms. Details * Financial * Firepond, Inc. announced results for its fourth quarter ended October 31, 2002. In the fourth quarter, Firepond reported total revenue of $4.4 million as compared to $4.3 million in the prior quarter and $9.1 million for the same period in the prior year. Details Framework Technologies announced that it has completed the fourth fiscal quarter of 2002 on September 30th, having achieved record-breaking sales. Details Download AutoVue from Cimmetry Systems Verity, Inc. reported financial results for its second fiscal quarter ended November 30, 2002. Verity's revenues for its second quarter were $22.9 million, representing a 4% sequential increase over first quarter revenues of $22.0 million and a 1% increase from revenues of $22.6 million for the second quarter of last year. Details * People * Avatech Solutions announced the appointment of Donald R. "Scotty" Walsh as the company's new chief executive officer. Details Pragmax Software Corporation announced the appointment of Richard C. Watts as CEO. Details think3, Inc. announced the addition of three senior executives to its management team. Joining the think3 team are industry veterans Daniel Meyer, vice president of worldwide marketing; James Levison, vice president of finance; and Dean Germeyer, vice president of North American sales. Details * Implementation * Ariba, Inc. announced that Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. has deployed the Ariba Buyer procurement solution throughout its Japanese operations. Details Autodesk, Inc. announced that BEA Systems, Inc. has transformed its building project management and facilities management processes with the Autodesk Buzzsaw collaboration service. Details Baan announced that its iBaan for Product Lifecycle Management (iBaan for PLM) solution has gone live at Unisys Brazil to help streamline and integrate the company's engineering processes. Details Commerce One announced that Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik has selected Commerce One technology and services to automate its procurement processes. Details Documentum announced that BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) has deployed the Documentum ECM platform for Life Sciences. Details Documentum announced that Honeywell Technology Solutions Inc. has selected the Documentum ECM platform. Details EDS reported that the LeTourneau Inc. Equipment Group has implemented its Solid Edge CAD system. Details INCAT announced that Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc., a global provider of aerostructures, has selected I/Check V4 as its corporate standard for checking and ensuring the integrity of CATIA data. Details Lumeo Software announced that TetraPak is piloting the Lumeo Control Interface with a bottle sterilizer named "Rupert", in search of solutions to aid in early PLC testing. Details More about Myriad and Brava! WebKit from Informative Graphics Corporation MSC.Software Corp. announced that Korean rail manufacturer Rotem has increased their use of MSC.Software virtual product development technology and purchased MSC.ADAMS and MSC.ADAMS/Rail. Details Oculus Technologies announced that The Boeing Company has selected Oculus Technologies to provide its CO software for the DARPA AIM-C project. Details Open Text Corporation and Impact Innovations Group announced their joint efforts in developing a Livelink-based application for the United States National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Details PTC and Airbus announced that PTC Windchill product lifecycle management solutions have been deployed to create the product information backbone of the Airbus A380, the 555 passenger super jumbo aircraft now under development. Details PTC announced it is supporting Carnegie Mellon University in its drive to give mechanical engineering students a comprehensive understanding of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). Details RAND Worldwide announced that Berufsakademien Baden-Wurttemberg (a group of nine German universities of Cooperative Education) has selected the Company to provide 500 seats of CATIA V5 from Dassault Systemes. Details SolidWorks announced that Belgium's largest industrial design university, Kaho Sint-Lieven, is equipping its engineering students with 3D CAD skills by incorporating SolidWorks software into its curriculum. Details SolidWorks announced that clamp and gripping device manufacturer DE-STA-CO Industries is using SolidWorks 3D PartStream.NET Internet technology to provide customers with millions of easily downloadable 3D CAD models of products from its online catalog. Details Speed to Market announced that NDI, a leading supplier of optical tracking equipment, has selected Speed to Market's Concerto Software for managing its product development projects. Details Speed to Market announced that the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base has decided to deploy TOC Project Management and Concerto multi-project scheduling software across seven additional test portfolios as a result of a successful pilot phase. Details Spescom Software Inc., formerly Altris Software, Inc., announced that the Watford and Bletchley Alliance (WBA) has chosen Spescom Software's eB solution to manage its project documentation. Details * Developments * Alibre announced the release of Alibre Design 5.1. Details Avatech Solutions introduced Proof Positive - a quality assurance software product designed for customers of Autodesk Inventor mechanical design software. Details Baan announced new capability for manufacturing companies to leverage product-related information throughout an enterprise using the iBaan for Product Lifecycle Management (iBaan for PLM) and Baan's Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) solutions. Details Cadence Design Systems, Inc. announced that the Cadence Palladium design verification system now has custom interfaces to leading wireless test equipment from Anritsu Corporation, Rohde & Schwarz, and Elektrobit. Details Cimmetry Systems Inc. announced the release of AutoVue 17. There are many significant new features in AutoVue 17. The AutoVue thin-client solution now provides online real-time Visualization and Collaboration for 2D/3D CAD, EDA and office documents. Details Cyco Software announced its upcoming AutoManager Publishing Module for Collaborative Web Engineering Solutions. Details EDS announced the release of Imageware 10, a significantly enhanced software offering from its PLM Solutions line of business providing advanced freeform modeling for automotive class-A surfacing and product styling, reverse engineering and virtual inspection. Details ICAM Technologies Corporation announced that Messier-Dowty of Velizy, France has purchased CAM-POST Development Licenses for its production facilities in France, United Kingdom and Canada. Details ITI TranscenData announced the release of CADfix 5.1, the latest version of its CAD data interoperability tool. Details Lascom announced version 7.0 of Advitium. Details LMS announced the release of Rev 4.40 of LMS Pimento, the laptop-sized portable analyzer. Details Moldflow Corporation announced the release of Moldflow Plastics Insight (MPI ) 4.0. Details Spatial Corp. announced the R10 release of its full line of 3D modeling products. This selection includes the 3D ACIS Modeler (ACIS), 3D ACIS PHL V5, and 3D ACIS Deformable Modeling. Details Spicer Corporation announced the release of ViewCafé 3.1, featuring significant enhancements to Far East font display and markup features. Details Synchronicity, Inc. announced the immediate availability of the Synchronicity Publisher Suite version 2.0. Details Tech Soft America (TSA) announced the release of the latest versions of its HOOPS-based part viewers. Details VX Corporation announced that the upcoming version 7 of its VX CAD/CAM software will support the leading SpaceMouse and SpaceBall 3D controllers from 3Dconnexion. Details * Relationships * Access Commerce announced an OEM agreement with Crystal Decisions. Access Commerce has integrated the reporting technology into its latest release of Cameleon Direct Selling providing Cameleon users added value for reporting and analysis. Details Autodesk, Inc. announced the first 10 European applications that have met the qualifications of the Autodesk Inventor Certified Application Program (AICAP) for Autodesk Inventor 6 software. Details Avatech Solutions announced it has been authorized by Autodesk as an Authorized Educational Reseller (AER) to sell products and services to post-secondary educational institutions and students in 48 US states, previously authorized to sell in only 5 states. Details bom.com launched the bom.com partner program. Details Cadence Design Systems, Inc. and Acer Foundation announced a strategic alliance in Taiwan. Details Covisint announced that it has agreed a global strategic relationship with SKF, the world's leading manufacturer of rolling bearings. Details MatrixOne, Inc. and Formation Systems announced that they are in the process of establishing a joint development and marketing relationship to deliver real-time collaborative product lifecycle management (PLM) software for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. Details Universal Viewing and Mark Up from Spicer Corporation Mentor Graphics Corporation announced it has signed Siemens CES Design Services as its first European FPGA Advantage Solutions Thrust (FAST) Partner. Details MSC.Software Corp. announced an agreement with IBM to market, sell and support the IBM eServer pSeries server product line in the European marketplace. Details PTC announced it has amended its distribution agreements with RAND A Technology Corporation, which operates as RAND Worldwide in the North America, Western Europe and Asia Pacific regions, effective immediately. Details Spicer Corporation and RealityWave announced a partnership where RealityWave will embed Spicer viewing technology into its VizStream Platform. Spicer technology will enhance VizStream's extensive 3D CAD model visualization and collaboration capabilities by adding universal viewing for virtually any 2D document, including CAD, vector, raster, and office formats. Details TTF and OPEN MIND announced the signing of an agreement to deliver applications to the global automotive, aerospace and engineering mechanical industries. Details * Other * Alibre Design announced its recent selection for an Editor's Choice Award by CADENCE magazine. Details EDS and Coleg Sir Gar, (Carmarthenshire College), in Llanelli, South Wales, announced the opening of the college's new EDS Centre for Computer-Aided Engineering. Details Engineous Software announced the results of the new graduate level Multidisciplinary System Design Optimization class being offered by the Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics at MIT. Details MatrixOne announced that companies committed to reducing bottom-line costs and improving product introduction processes are succeeding with MatrixOne Program Central. Details Axis Systems, Inc. and Mentor Graphics Corporation announced they had reached a settlement of their patent litigation. Details For more information and to see our latest PDM and PLM jobs visit our website MSC.Software Corp. announced the availability of Mentoring onDemand, a new premium technical support and training service designed to help engineers solve their engineering problems over the phone or Web. Details Open Text Corporation announced it is the first to receive a tough new security certification for its records management solutions. Details Proficiency announced that the Company received a CADENCE magazine Editors' Choice Award for the latest release of its Collaboration Gateway Version 2.0. Details PTC announced that PECO II Inc., a telecommunications power systems and services provider, announced that it has donated solid modeling design software from PTC to four central Ohio educational institutions. Details QUMAS announced that Deloitte & Touche has recognized QUMAS as Ireland's 10th fastest-growing technology company. Details RAND Worldwide announced it has earned recognition as a Partner-level supplier for 2002 in the John Deere Achieving Excellence Program. Details Thetis Technologies Inc. announced that ThetisPro has won Microsoft's Premium .NET Connected certification. Details Verity Inc. announced that it has been cited as a Top 100 company by two IT business magazines, DM Review and EContent. Details VX Corporation announced that Version 6.5 of VX CAD/CAM software has earned a Cadalyst magazine All-Star Award. Details

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