CADfidential

A behind-the-scenes look a the world of CAD.

UGS users unite

UGS has expanded the reach of its annual conference to cover NX, Teamcenter, Tecnomatix and Solid Edge. PLM University, scheduled for May 8–12 in Long Beach, California, will mark the 30th anniversary of the UGS user group.

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Search sale

PLM vendor Centric Software acquired Product Sight, which develops product data and enterprise search technology. Centric will incorporate Google-like search functions that span multiple data systems into its OpenPLM product. Product Sight president Bruce Winegarden joins Centric as vice-president of consumer electronics, and Product Sight CTO Ravi Rangan continues in that position with Centric.

Reseller retired

Long-time AutoCAD reseller McNeel & Associates will no longer sell AutoCAD because Autodesk opted not to renew its contract. McNeel will continue to develop and sell its AccuRender rendering application for AutoCAD, as well as its Rhino NURBS-based modeling tool and related applications.

Cheery CAE forecast

Daratech says a recent survey of CAE end users indicates that the market for CAE is "ripe for growth," with 60% of respondents planning to increase their investment in CAE in 2006.

Sorry, Charlie

Albacore Research, developer of ShipConstructor AutoCAD-based shipbuilding software, has changed its name to—drumroll, please—ShipConstructor Software. "The shipbuilding industry talks ShipConstructor, and we want to reflect that," says Rolf G. Oetter, co-founder, president and CEO. Future priorities include STEP interfaces, a common parts catalog, project split and merge, and an electrical package.

Pleasuredome returns

After a management buyout in December 2005, Czech CAD company XANADU has restored that name. (It was known as AAC Solutions for the past year.) The company develops AutoCAD add-ons such as CAD Studio Tools, LT Extension and 3D Ducting.

Please don't sue us

After a complaint about the potential confusion with an Autodesk trademark, CADLock changed the name of its eVault for AutoCAD product to CADVault for AutoCAD. The product, due out this month, allows users to secure graphical and nongraphical elements in an AutoCAD drawing by embedding those elements into an electronic vault object.

CAM consolidation

CAM conglomerate Planit Holdings added Pathtrace PLC to its array of properties. Planit's CAM applications include Alphacam, Cabinet Vision, Cabnetware, Fusion and Radan. Pathtrace develops EdgeCAM NC programming software for metal-cutting machines. Planit reports more than 50,000 customers worldwide and revenue of $51.1 million.

Can't please everyone

After SolidWorks announced that Leatherman Tool Group, maker of those multipurpose tools beloved by airport security screeners everywhere, had standardized on SolidWorks, Autodesk issued its own press release saying that's not necessarily so. "Leatherman uses a variety of CAD and CAM software in the production of its tools," Autodesk quotes John Carroll, who is responsible for desktop software at Leatherman.

Security sale

To expand the security features of its LiveCycle Policy Server software, Adobe acquired the FileLine digital rights management division of Navisware. LiveCycle users will be able to apply access policies, view audit logs that track document access and set expiration dates.

Revenue reports

NavisWorks, a developer of 3D visualization software for the plant and AEC markets, reports that its profits in 2005 were double those in 2004, and revenue was up by 50%.

Z Corp., a manufacturer of 3D printers owned by Contex, increased its revenue by 50% to more than $30 million in 2005.

Personnel changes

Agile software appointed Jay Fulcher as CEO as of May 1, 2006. Currently president and COO, Fulcher also joins the board of directors. Current CEO Bryan Stolle remains as chair of the board.

Bentley Systems appointed Rob Whitesell as vice-president of Bentley Plant. He replaces Dr. Jeff Hollings, who remains with Bentley to focus on strategic business development (after he takes a "long-delayed sabbatical in my native New Zealand"). Whitesell most recently served as president and CEO of ESSI, which he co-founded in 1997.