CADfidential

Search Me

PLM developer UGS acquired visual search technology from sd&m (software design & management) of Germany. Geolus Search (formerly available as geolus SHAPE) finds 3D models based on geometric similarity.

Enterprising CAE

MSC.Software is thinking big with its SimEnterprise simulation software platform, designed to do for CAE what data management products have done for CAD—that is, provide one technology engine that handles all CAE needs and facilitates collaboration. Through a strategic alliance with IBM, MSC will embed IBM technology in its SimManager Enterprise product. IBM also will help MSC.Software offer on-demand access to its MD Nastran analysis tool.

How often do you attend user group meetings or conferences related to your cad software?

Platform Progress

Adobe Reader v7.0.8 supports UNIX and Linux operating systems. UGS plans a version of its NX CAD software for Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger). Teamcenter Engineering Integration for NX is due out for Mac OS X in 2007.

PLM Purchase

PLM developer Agile Software plans to acquire Prodika, a provider of PLM solutions for the consumer packaged goods industry. Agile says the acquisition is part of its strategy of focusing on industry verticals.

Looking for Leaders

AECnews is reviving the Ed Forrest Award, originally established in 1993 to honor outstanding achievement in leadership for the advancement of design/construction automation.

XML for Construction Documents

Associated General Contractors of America and the National Institute of Building Sciences are working to develop AGCxml, a set of standard schemas for exchanging electronic data among AEC business software applications. The goal is electronic exchange of data found in documents such as owner/contractor agreements, change orders and RFIs (requests for information).

SCAE Consolidation

Altair Engineering intends to acquire the Mecalog Group and its RADIOSS product family of CAE software. Initial integration plans include bringing RADIOSS software products under Altair's HyperWorks Unit licensing systems.

BIM Hordes

Autodesk's Revit Building installed base surpassed 100,000 seats, including educational users. Revit Building is the current incarnation of the Revit parametric building modeling product Autodesk acquired in 2002.

Reseller Union

Avatech Solutions acquired TTS (Technology & Training Services), a North Carolina–based company specializing in facilities and asset management systems for organizations in government, healthcare, education and other commercial markets.

Changing Roles

Seemage, developer of MVP (mockup, visualization and publishing) software, named Chris Williams as its CEO. Previously he was a vice-president and general manager at PTC. Philip Attfield joins IDELIX Software as CEO. He founded Signal 9 Solutions, which was acquired by McAfee in 2000.

Ship Shape

Intergraph will work with Lloyd's Register to build an interface between Intergraph's IntelliShip ship design software and the Lloyd's Register assessment applications, RulesCalc and ShipRight SDA.

Delisting Derailed

FARO Technologies, a maker of measurement and 3D scanning devices, will continue to be listed on NASDAQ after demonstrating compliance with all NASDAQ rules.