3D CAD NEWS

A few days ago in this space I wrote a phrase typical of the "bit of attitude" we try to bring to CAD reporting. I noted that the purchase of Seemage allowed Dassault Systemes to continue its pursuit of "proprietary 3D for all." Which, while historically true of Dassault, isn't really true at all when it comes to 3DLive, the 3D data viewer DS acquired in the Seemage acquisition; 3DLive reads many CAD formats. (Astute regular readers will notice the gratituous use of a semi-colon in the previous sentence, just to confound the amateurs in the audience.)

Anyway, Evan Yares (at his blog) jumped on the phrase "proprietary 3D for all" like a cat jumps on a mouse. He put it on a T-shirt that you can purchase. I've already ordered mine; you should do the same. If my baby (the phrase I wrote) is growing up to become a monster, at least we need to feed it. I intend to wear it for at least a few minutes at COFES, even if it does mean dressing down a bit at my favorite industry event. After all, I'm a journalist, no one expects me to dress to any particular standard. Buy your own shirt by following this link.


The infamous T-Shirt. Text by Randall Newton, Layout by Evan Yares. Production by CafePress.
Inspired by the hard work of the usual suspects.

As has been written elsewhere, the "news" from SolidWorks World last week can be easily summed up: 4,500 SolidWorks users had a nice party. Oh, and engineers who blog find some sort of deep mystery in the use of semi-colons. (Follow the link; I guess to one SolidWorks blogger, semi-colons are to CAD journalists what opposable thumbs are to mammals.)


Historic meeting of blogger (left) and CAD journalist at SolidWorks World. It seems bloggers have opposable thumbs; they just have not figured out how to write semi-colons with them.

But I digress. Sometimes the interesting stuff to be learned at such conferences isn't said in front of a crowd. I learned from a conversation with a Dassault Systemes employee (out on the patio of the San Diego Convention Center) that the recent acquisition of Seemage was preceeded by an ugly bidding war between Dassault and Autodesk. Not ugly, obviously, to anyone who owned a piece of Seemage. Perhaps unseemly would be the better phrase. But all's well that ends well, and now Dassault can continue to pursue its vision of proprietary 3D for all.

What's that you say? What about the contest? Oh, yes. I'll get to that in another post. I was waiting for one of those semi-colon-less bloggers to send me a photo. Moi is a writer, not a photog.

Two announcements landed in my inbox this morning. They came from two different vendors, but they carried the same underlying message: Despite the catcalls from many in the CAD media, and despite the mocking from Autodesk, product lifecycle management (PLM) software isn’t shuffling off into the sunset anytime soon. So, 3D CAD News finds it necessary to announce that the reports of PLM’s demise are greatly exaggerated. But we do believe the industry could use a little help with its collective image.

First, the reports from the inbox. PTC (a company that could use a little good news) says Samsung SDI, a division of the global electronics conglomerate, has deployed Windchill as its enterprise-wide PLM system. Siemens PLM Software, (nee UGS), announces that Burgmann Industries GmbH, a leading manufacturer of seals, is standardizing on Solid Edge CAD and Teamcenter PLM.

These two announcement, from manufacturers with two very different product lines, and many like them, are a regular reminder to us that manufacturers—particularly firms with more than 100 engineering seats—really do want the “single source for all product and process knowledge,” that PLM offers. The newer solutions, like PTC’s Windchill and the latest version of Teamcenter, use modern technologies and are much simpler to install and maintain than previous generations of PLM. The smaller PLM vendors are starting to sell Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), web-based PLM, and the big guys are hot on their heels. Why is PLM viable? Why is it a multi-billion dollar industry with good growth prospects? Consider is quote from the Siemens press release. “To convert development from 2D to 3D, we considered and tested solutions from several providers,” said Daniel Ketterer, project manager for Global Technology Management at Burgmann Industries. “During the testing phase, we were sold on the simple derivation option from 3D to 2D constructions offered by Solid Edge. We develop our seals in 3D, but most customers want to see the constructions in 2D. With the automatic 2D derivation, we are able to tighten our cycle times and optimise delivery times and costs in order to carry out our development processes more efficiently.”

The boom in mechatronics—the combination of mechanical and electronic design—opens up a particularly vein of opportunity for PLM vendors to mine in the coming years.  The Samsung deal is one such example.

Perhaps PLM suffers from an image problem. After all, it is hard to get warm and fuzzy with a database that offers to give a manufacturing enterprise a single source of truth. So, in the spirit of what we do best here at 3D CAD Blog, we offer a few modest suggestions.

A global firm like Siemens PLM needs an image recognized all over the planet to sell their software as “a single source of truth.” Perhaps Siemens could commission themselves a PLM theme song such as “No PLM No Cry” and license the tune from the Bob Marley estate.  

“In me rasta heart I say, PLM de only true way.”

PTC needs a particularly American image, one that stands for speaking truth to power (a real makeover), such as former slave and abolitionist Sojourner Truth. We doubt her fund-raising motto of “I sell the shadow to support the substance” will go over well as a way to promote Windchill. Consider this one a work in progress.

“Am I not a fellow engineer? Do I not also deserve the efficiencies of PLM as my birthright?”

Only a few miles separate the Venus de Milo from the front door of Dassault Systèmes, which makes this long-standing symbol of one artistic source of truth a possible marketing image for the French PLM vendor.

“The missing parts of our vision of PLM beauty will be along shortly.”

Dassault Systemes today announced today the acquisition of Seemage, a small firm that has specialized in the creation of XML-based tools for distributing engineering visual data. "This transaction will enable DS to provide innovative solutions addressing the growing demand of its customers in the diversified area of product documentation," said the Dassault press release.

All too often when there is a marriage in the technology industry, there is someone in the wings suffering from unrequited love. In this case it is Lattice 3D, which also makes XML-based tools for sending CAD data out into the larger enterprise. And which thought it had a nice exclusive deal going with Dassault.

 

Speaking on behalf of Dassault Systemes, former US presidential advisor Karl Rove explains the company's new policy toward Lattice 3D.

Purchase terms were not disclosed, which means there was a combination of unmarked bills and a few stock notes changing hands.

More later. Things are getting interesting here in Paris. It seems the Autodesk Manufacturing Media Summit is sharing the hotel with part of Fashion Week, and the lobby is crawling with models in robes waiting their turn on the runway that didn't exist yesterday in the hotel's Grand Salon. I don't think I'll tell Josh what's going on downstairs.

 

[Editor’s Note: This is about PLM. Please refrain from yawning.]

It is a dog-eat-dog world, they say, so today your economic geography lesson is about the portion of that world known as PLM. Some of the inhabitants are names familiar to CAD users, including Dassault Systèmes, UGS (now Siemens PLM Software), and PTC. There are other inhabitants, like Agile Software which is currently being eaten alive—pardon me, acquired—by Oracle. And there are smaller players like ARAS Software and Arena Solutions (the former BOM.COM). And then there is SAP. (Autodesk is considered by professional analysts as a PLM firm, but in this dog-eat-dog world Autodesk is a cat and refuses to acknowledge the dogs.)

Oracle takes a $495 million liking to Agile.

Look at total revenue and you realize quickly that Oracle and SAP are the true big dogs of the territory. The CAD firms are Chihuahuas nervously treading beneath the feet of Irish Wolf Hounds. Thus we must pause and note when one of these big dogs marks his territory. That’s what SAP did today in announcing its PLM road map.

Over at CADCAMNet I’ll do a more complete (competitive analysis and all that), less doggy explanation of what SAP has in mind, but here we cut to the chase. Here’s what SAP will do to make you sit, roll over, and beg:

2008 (Sit): Simplify the SAP PLM user interface with role-based presentations.

2009 (Roll Over): Offer a “new enhancement package” for the bean-counters to ram down engineering’s throat.

2010 (Beg): Assimilation of real-world information such as RFID data.

[Editor’s Note: The prohibition against yawning is now lifted.]

We tried to get everybody together for a portrait, but only SAP and Dassault Systemes showed up.

There are no grand conspiracies in today’s news that Jeff Ray will replace John McEleney as CEO of the SolidWorks division of Dassault Systemes. McEleney is stepping down for personal reasons that are true to the rhythms of life, reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with his work. We know those reasons, we will not share those reasons in public, and we wish John the very best.

Having said that, the timing is interesting. Just as Dassault is looking to the SolidWorks dealer channel to do some heavy lifting for the rest of the company, along comes the guy who has done much of the work of building it to lead all of SolidWorks. As Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Ray has been responsible for the development of sales, marketing, and distribution. The fierce loyalty of the SolidWorks VAR channel is the stuff of legend. These guys would walk through fire carrying buckets of dung if Jeff Ray suggested it.

More tomorrow at CADCAMNet.

Jeff Ray, incoming SolidWorks CEO.
It seems some Texas Aggies wash up real good.

 

John McEleney, outgoing SolidWorks CEO.
Perhaps now there will be time for a friendly card game.

 

Here's a scoop for all you CAD news junkies. On Thursday CADCAMNet will publish an article in which it sets the record straight regarding recent reports that Dassault Systemes plans to take over the SolidWorks dealer channel. The SolidWorks dealer channel is alive and well and continues under existing management, free of imperial whim from its Paris overlords.

If you aren't already a CADCAMNet subscriber, go sign up for a free month now so you will get an email notice as soon as the article is published on Thursday.

Dassault Systemes CEO Bernard Charles, left, prepares to deliver his now-legendary head fake on alleged architect Frank Gehry. No humans were injured in the making of this photograph.

 

 

When Airbus went public in 2006 and confessed to its inability to deliver the A380 DumboJet on time, the repercussions were many. Executive heads rolled, the unions were pressured to put product first, and several airlines cut back their orders. The two big winners were Boeing and Dassault Systèmes.

Since then Airbus has placed several large orders for CATIA and related software tools. Today Dassault announces that Airbus has standardized on its Abaqus Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software, from Dassault's SIMULIA division.

To quote the press release, "This decision comes as a result of an extensive benchmark of several FEA codes. The Abaqus FEA software has already been successfully applied on the A380 aircraft program for structural virtual testing, and represents a first step in what is to develop into a longer-term collaborative relationship." That last phrase is marketing-speak for "we have both hands deeper into their pockets than you can possibly imagine."

The A380 design team knew they were in trouble when the wiring inside the aircraft started to look like a set from the movie "Aliens".

OK, so I'm working on an article for this week's edition of CADCAMNet, right? And it's about Dassault Systemes, right? OK. So, I thought it might be a good idea, you know, to read the press releases from Dassault that came out during the recent PLM Summit at COE (CATIA Operator's Exchange). Right? OK.

And, like, I read the first press release and I'm flabbergasted, OK? Totally flummoxed, right? Yes. To a person, we the Mr. and Ms. Noseys of the CAD/PLM press missed the biggest news of the week! It was, like, right under our noses, OK? In a Dassault press release! Like no other!

In the third paragraph of the press release titled, "Innovation, Collaboration Technology Highlight PLM Summit Opening Day Presentations at COE 2007," it says:

"Dassault Systèmes CEO Bernard Charlès keynote presentation will focus on Dassault Systèmes’ PLM strategy, vision and product portfolio, including the recently announced acquisition of WHITE, the leading XYZ company, as well as current market and business trends driving PLM market growth."

Those websites that just reprint press releases were the only ones to publish this important story. Makes me want to rethink my publishing strategy, OK? To think, Dassault bought WHITE! This is world-changing! Right! If I had only read the press release before my interview with Dassault CEO Bernard Charles, I could have gotten the scoop on the big news of the day! Arrgh!

Bernie, the new WHITE mascot at Dassault Systemes.

Everyone is confused about the various roles and products that Dassault delivers – except that we all know that SolidWorks is from SolidWorks and CATIA is from Dassault, right? And most of the industry vaguely remembers that SolidWorks is owned by Dassault. What then, we ask, does Delmia, and Enovia, two other lesser known Dassault companies, actually do? No one I talk to can ever really explain what it is they do although the Dassault web site states “With DELMIA, the lean digital manufacturing processes are defined. With ENOVIA, product lifecycle information is managed in a collaborative way.” yeah. That’s clear!

Dassault has evidently realized the same, and also recognized the powerful brand that SolidWorks maintains. Thus, Dassault announced this week during the CATIA Operators’ Exchange (COE) that the SolidWorks reseller channel would now be known as the ‘Dassault Systemes Volume Channel’. Roopinder’s CAD Insider blog, where this news broke, stated that “When pressed to name what products Dassault would be pumping into the "volume channel" in the future, [Bernard] Charles was not clear.”

So, without any clarity in its complete intent, Dassault would seem to be setting up the strong SolidWorks VAR channel to be able to sell other Dassault products, along the lines of its PLM offerings for the SMB (Small-to-Medium_sized Businesses).

The grapevine indicates that SolidWorks themselves were caught flat-footed with this news, with reports of sales managers at SolidWorks unaware of the announcement even after Roopinder broke the news on his CADInsider blog.
On being contacted by various VARs SolidWorks reportedly managed to get a hurried message out to its sales channel essentially saying (I am paraphrasing) ‘Ignore! Stay focused on selling SolidWorks!’ We anticipate that SolidWorks management will have better guidance promptly for their sales team.

We believe that, if improperly managed, this move will serve to defocus the SolidWorks resellers, allowing gaps for other vendors to fill. Additional products being forced on the resellers also increases their costs of doing business, and Dassault will have to take a mature approach to tackle this or else the resellers simply will not sell those additional products.

The long run gamble is that we think SolidWorks will allow the name change, (Dassault after all does own them), but nothing will essentially change in the product line up and sales focus for the SolidWorks VARs.

Hey. Maybe they should set up a sales channel with IBM!

 

Posted by the Brat