ANN ARBOR, MI, USA, Feb 5, 2021 – CIMdata, Inc., the leading global Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) strategic management consulting and research firm, is partnering with Aras Corporation (Aras), a leading PLM platform provider, to conduct a survey to understand better how companies manage their PLM solution upgrades.

In CIMdata’s experience of consulting with industrial clients, we find that PLM technologies, once implemented, are not modernized (i.e., upgraded) frequently or not at all. Most solution providers make their newest functionality available in their newest releases to encourage their customers to make the move. As a result, most PLM environments are likely lacking in their ability to achieve the objectives of Industry 4.0, Digital Transformation, and other recent and evolving business initiatives. This modernization gap inhibits organizations from realizing PLM’s value outside the traditional product design domain. Earlier CIMdata research into the PLM Value Gap for Aerospace & Defense companies drove this insight, and it remains true today.

In conducting this survey, CIMdata and Aras are trying to characterize the current state of PLM implementations in terms of implementation age, deployment difficulties, upgrade duration, and associated user demographics. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. Respondents will receive an analysis of the final results and the opportunity to enter a drawing for a Starbucks gift card or a GoPro HERO9. Responses will be held in the strictest confidence and not attributed to any person or company.

Those interested in this topic may participate in the survey at https://www.eSurveysPro.com/Survey.aspx?id=b1b15023-e28e-46d2-afbf-27dbb758ad78.

Invitation

VITORIA-GASTEIZ, Spain, Feb 5, 2021 – Lantek is opening new office in the Basque capital, specifically in the Iberdrola Tower, in order to respond to its new needs for growth and talent recruitment. This allows it to increase its capacity with respect to the facilities it already had in the city.

With this new site, and its headquarters in the Álava Technology Park, the Basque company Lantek reinforces its position in the province of Biscay. The company already has two of its own buildings in Álava, to which it has now added the new site in the emblematic Iberdrola Tower in Bilbao.

With the opening of the new office, the company is boosting its strategic investment in the Basque Country, with the aim of attracting talent specializing in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Maths) profiles to Bilbao, a city that is a world leader in transforming its industrial and technological fabric. The new location will also allow Lantek to reinforce its collaboration with the University of Deusto, Mondragon Unibertsitatea and The University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU), with whom it has been working closely for many years.

This new Lantek Centre of Excellence will be staffed by at least 40 professionals, mainly from the fields of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics. New professionals will be added to the current team in the coming months in order to respond to the needs of growth and the firm’s strategic commitment to the digitization of the industrial sector. “The cultural transformation we are carrying out in the company, with a clear commitment to our teams, together with the great commitment to innovation, is allowing us to position ourselves as world leaders in our sector. We want to continue on this path to address the new challenges of the future in the world of advanced manufacturing and Industry 4.0”, explains Alberto López de Biñaspre, CEO of Lantek.

With this new workplace, Lantek intends to multiply its capacity for the development of applications and software solutions for industry, while also increasing its operational excellence through the support of its 14 international offices. The main activity of this office will be focused on software engineering and development, complementing the existing team at the Álava Technology Park, from where Lantek will continue to supply software worldwide with the best quality standards on the market.

To this end, the Basque company intends to take advantage of the very high level of expertise of the universities in the capital of Biscay. “The development of our teams is important to us, and since innovation is part of our DNA, we are committed to growing in Bilbao as a benchmark innovation ecosystem”, stresses the head of the Basque multinational.

About Lantek

Lantek is a multinational which is leading the digital transformation of companies in the sheet metal and metal industry. With its patented manufacturing intelligence software, it enables factories to be connected, turning them into Smart Factories. It rounds off its range of services with CAD, CAM, MES, and ERP solutions for companies that manufacture metal parts from sheet metal, tubes, and profiles using any cutting technology (laser, plasma, oxycut, waterjet, shearing and punching).

Founded in 1986 in the Basque Country (Spain), one of the main European hubs of machine tool development, Lantek enables the integration of sheet metal and metal processing technologies using the most advanced manufacturing management software. The company is currently the outstanding leader in its sector as a result of its capacity for innovation and commitment to internationalization. With more than 24.800 customers in over 100 countries and 20 offices in 14 countries, it has an extensive network of distributors with an international presence. In 2019, its international business contributed to 86% of its revenue.

For more information, visit: www.lantek.com

WALTHAM, MA, USA, Feb 5, 2021 – AMC Bridge, a vendor of choice for software solutions in the areas of computer-aided design, engineering, manufacturing, and construction, has conducted an annual Customer Satisfaction Survey to get feedback on its service.

Customer satisfaction is a crucial indicator of the company’s overall operations. To keep the finger on our services’ pulse, AMC Bridge conducts annual customer satisfaction surveys. They help us examine our performance and introduce timely improvements to our business and development processes.

The 2020 survey was particularly important for AMC Bridge since we made several COVID-necessitated changes and wanted to make sure that they did not affect our performance.

We were pleased to learn that:

1. 98% of the respondents confirm that AMC Bridge is as efficient as usual despite switching to working from home.
2. 95% of the respondents are satisfied with the services AMC Bridge provides, which has surpassed our result in 2019 (93%).
3. 93% of the clients would likely recommend AMC Bridge to others as a software development company.
4. 88% of the respondents will definitely develop more projects with AMC Bridge in the future.

When asked why they chose AMC Bridge among other software development vendors, most of our clients indicated Recommendation and Reputation as the decisive factors.

On top of the general boost in customer satisfaction, the survey also revealed an increase in satisfaction with the AMC Bridge service quality.

The results are even more impressive in view of the fact that, in 2020, a record number of clients responded to our survey.

Many of our clients also chose to express their appreciation for partnering with AMC Bridge, and we are proud to share them with you:

“We are looking forward to working with you in the future.”, Hiroshi Sakata, Solution Division Development Division, Applied Technology Co. Ltd.

“By collaborating with the company that is active around the world, we were able to obtain new discoveries and the desired quality results. Extremely high capacity and reasonable operating costs.”, Hironobu Yoshizawa, Manager, Robotics Business Dept., Hirata.

Commenting on the survey results, Igor Tsinman, AMC Bridge President, said: “AMC Bridge is committed to providing high-quality services, no matter what challenges life may throw at us. In 2020, the world had to face the pandemic no one could have predicted a year ago. AMC Bridge has regrouped and readjusted to protect our employees and our Clients’ businesses. We do our very best to help our Clients thrive, and the overwhelmingly positive response we received from them validates our strategic direction.”

About AMC Bridge

AMC Bridge is a vendor of choice for software development services in the areas of computer-aided design, engineering, manufacturing, and construction. Since 1999, we have been delivering solutions for CAD, CAE, CAM, PDM, BIM, and PLM applications. We have participated in the development of commercial software products and custom solutions for the engineering markets based on a variety of platforms, from desktop and web to mobile and cloud.  For more information, visit https://www.amcbridge.com.

PLANO, TX, USA, Feb 5, 2021 – Siemens Digital Industries Software and MaRS Discovery District, a Toronto-based innovation hub, have partnered to provide over 1,400 Canadian science and technology companies with access to Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio of software and services to support and accelerate the development of autonomous and connected vehicle technologies. The design and simulation software can help companies in the MaRS ecosystem conduct early design development and advanced verification of autonomous function and performance systems.

Siemens’ industry-leading technology can help the MaRS community to speed innovation in the area of autonomous and connected vehicle development, which is a key focus area for MaRS.

Startup companies are at the forefront of engineering and product innovation and they encounter similar complex design challenges as their larger counterparts, so it’s vital that they build a foundation of digital technology that enable expansion and growth as company needs evolve. Most startups begin with core CAD and CAE technologies but evolving product complexity, for example the quantity of parts and design complexity, often require additional capabilities such as data management, advanced simulation, and manufacturing software. MaRS understands these needs and challenges and strives to provide foundational services to their startup community that enable development and growth.

“Through this partnership with Siemens, we will provide our community with access to a complete autonomous vehicle software platform for complex system design, from ideation through realization,” said Oshoma Momoh, chief technical advisor at MaRS. “This industry-leading technology will help our community, part of Ontario’s Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN), to speed innovation in the area of autonomous and connected vehicle development, which is a key focus area for MaRS. Siemens’ support for the startup community can help remove barriers, transforming engineering ideas into successful products that will benefit the future of mobility in Canada and around the world.”

The partnership offers MaRS clients access to multiple solutions of Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio including:

1. Solid Edge software for 3D CAD, simulation, and design management,
2. NX software for advanced high-performance 3D computer aided design (CAD),
3. the Teamcenter portfolio for product data and lifecycle management,
4. Simcenter 3D software for fully integrated CAE addressing multidisciplinary product performance engineering,
5. Simcenter Prescan software for advanced simulation of autonomous systems, helping to reduce field testing and expand coverage over infinite possible real-world scenarios.
6. Other solutions of the Xcelerator portfolio will also be made available as needed and requested.

MayaHTT, a long-time Siemens partner with unique expertise in addressing complex technical challenges from chip design to full vehicle system validation will support MaRS companies with software deployment and training services.

“The rise of autonomous and connected vehicles is changing the way the vehicles are designed, manufactured and tested. This emphasis on agile development cycles requires new partnerships and collaboration across the supply chain,” said Jamie Dinsmore, Vice President and Country Manager, Canada at Siemens Digital Industries Software. “We are proud to partner with MaRS to empower Canadian startups by providing data management and simulation tools they can use from the beginning of their journeys, which can enable traceability, collaboration and early design validation that can improve product delivery and success.”

For further information on Siemens’ solutions for startups, please see here.

About Siemens Digital Industries Software

Siemens Digital Industries Software is driving transformation to enable a digital enterprise where engineering, manufacturing and electronics design meet tomorrow. The Xcelerator portfolio helps companies of all sizes create and leverage digital twins that provide organizations with new insights, opportunities and levels of automation to drive innovation. For more information on Siemens Digital Industries Software products and services, visit www.sw.siemens.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Siemens Digital Industries Software – Where today meets tomorrow.

WESSLING, Germany, Feb 5, 2021 – CNC-Consult & Automation BV was taken over by OPEN MIND Technologies Benelux BV on 1 January 2021. Apart from the company name, nothing has changed, and the usual trusted contact persons are still available for you to answer your questions about hyperMILL. OPEN MIND takes over all employees, so the high expertise, quality and excellent service will continue to be available to customers, partners and prospects.

The takeover offers further great advantages as OPEN MIND is developing the successful hyperMILL CAM software and so you will receive hyperMILL service and support directly!

(Left) Volker Nesenhoner, CEO OPEN MIND Technologies AG; (Right) Maarten van Teeffelen, Founder & MD, CNC-Consult & Automation BV.

Maarten van Teeffelen, founder and managing director of CNC-Consult, withdrew from his active business life with his company at the end of 2020. OPEN MIND has been the preferred candidate for the takeover to assure continuity and quality.

Over the past 25 years Maarten has made CNC-Consult one of the leading companies in the manufacturing industry with a very high level of CAD/CAM expertise in the Benelux counties. And for almost as long CNC-Consult has been active as hyperMILL reseller.

About OPEN MIND and hyperMILL

OPEN MIND is one of the world’s most sought-after developers of powerful CAM solutions for machine and controller-independent programming. The company develops optimized CAM solutions that include a high number of innovative features not available elsewhere. hyperMILL provides innovative strategies such as 2.5D, 3D as well as 5-axis milling/mill turning, and machining operations like HSC and HPC.

NEW YORK, NY, USA, Feb 4, 2021 – 3D technologies, developed by Materialise, played a crucial role in the world’s first simultaneous double hand and face transplant that was successfully performed at NYU Langone Health in Manhattan, NY. Materialise’s innovative 3D planning and printing tools enable the speed and accuracy required for such a complex medical procedure. 3D printed personalized tools such as those used in the double hand and face transplant, are also increasingly common for use in routine surgery, providing surgeons with an additional level of confidence which results in improved patient outcome.

The 22-year old patient suffered burn wounds resulting from a car accident, leaving him with severe injuries to his face and both arms. He suffered significant damage to his soft tissue, which severely limited his ability to lead a normal life. During a preparation period of 14 months, Materialise clinical engineers formed a cohesive team alongside NYU Langone surgeons, rehearsing the operation in a lab environment to develop and fine-tune the surgical plan. Once a suitable donor was found, the team, led by Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez, the Helen L. Kimmel Professor of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and chair of the Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery at NYU Langone, had only 24 hours to begin the procedure that would improve the patient’s function, appearance and quality of life.

Image-based planning and medical 3D printing have completely revolutionized personalized patient care by providing surgeons with detailed insights and an additional level of confidence before entering the operation room.

In the months leading up to the surgery Materialise engineers coordinated the development of a surgical plan and created an on-screen 3D model based on CT-scans. This allowed the surgeons and clinical engineers to virtually plan the procedure and visualize different scenarios in three dimensions, creating an in-depth understanding of the anatomical bone structure and determining the optimal surgical flow. Pre-surgical planning also made it possible for surgeons to virtually select and position various medical implants to predict the optimal anatomical fit. Once the surgical plan was finalized, Materialise 3D printed the personalized surgical guides, anatomical models and tools for use during the transplant surgery.

During this momentous procedure, Rodriguez and his surgical team of sixteen used Materialise’s 3D printed cutting and drilling guides. This fully guided system for bone fragment repositioning and fixation was unique to the patient’s anatomy and helped position the medical tools with great precision, reducing the overall surgery time. Additionally, Materialise created 3D printed sterilizable identification tags for nerves and blood vessels, 3D printed models that were used during donor transport, and 3D printed splints, enabling optimal donor hand position during soft tissue reconstruction.

During a preparation period of 14 months, Materialise clinical engineers formed a cohesive team alongside NYU Langone surgeons, rehearsing the operation in a lab environment to develop and fine-tune the surgical plan.

“Complex transplant surgery like this brings together a large team of specialists and presents new and unique challenges”, says Dr. Rodriguez. “This demands careful planning and makes timing, efficiency and accuracy absolutely critical. Virtually planning the surgery in 3D and creating 3D printed, patient-specific tools offers additional insights in the pre-operative phase and increased levels of speed and accuracy during a time-critical surgery”.

“Image-based planning and medical 3D printing have completely revolutionized personalized patient care by providing surgeons with detailed insights and an additional level of confidence before entering the operation room,” says Bryan Crutchfield, Vice President and General Manager – North America. “As a result, leading hospitals are adopting 3D planning and printing services as part of their medical practices because they create a level of predictability that would be impossible to achieve without the use of 3D technologies.”

Materialise has pioneered many leading medical applications of 3D printing and enables researchers, engineers, and clinicians to develop innovative, personalized treatments that help improve and save lives. The Materialise platform of software and services forms the foundation of certified medical 3D printing in clinical and research environments, offering virtual planning software tools, 3D-printed anatomical models, and personalized surgical guides and implants.

About Materialise

Materialise incorporates three decades of 3D printing experience into a range of software solutions and 3D printing services, which together form the backbone of the 3D printing industry. Materialise’s open and flexible solutions enable players in a wide variety of industries, including healthcare, automotive, aerospace, art and design, and consumer goods, to build innovative 3D printing applications that aim to make the world a better and healthier place. Headquartered in Belgium, with branches worldwide, Materialise combines the largest group of software developers in the industry with one of the largest 3D printing facilities in the world.

For additional information, please visit: www.materialise.com.

ROCK HILL, SC, USA, Feb 4, 2021 – 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) announced a planned expansion of its Rock Hill, South Carolina, location, adding 100,000 square feet to its existing headquarters campus. This expansion will enable the company to consolidate its materials manufacturing, quality, and logistics operations, with new and expanded materials development laboratories to improve operational efficiencies, accelerate solution development and reduce time to market. In addition, the company will expand its customer collaboration and training facilities, as well as its advanced manufacturing capabilities for both metal and polymer components. These capabilities are critical to accelerating the move from proof-of-concept for new customer applications to full-scale workflow definition and initial industrial production.

3D Systems’ Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Chuck Hull invented 3D printing technology in 1983, and his spark of innovation ignited the 3D printing (also known as ‘additive manufacturing’) industry. More than 30 years later, the company remains a recognized leader in the industry and is the largest, US-based company that provides end-to-end additive manufacturing solutions. 3D Systems collaborates with its customers to create bespoke solutions – comprising materials, hardware, software, and services – to meet unique application and business requirements. The additional customer collaboration space will provide an enhanced environment for 3D Systems’ application engineers to help customers address their distinct market needs.

Advanced materials are at the heart of the company’s 3D printing solutions which enable the design and manufacture of parts for a variety of applications including medical implants, orthodontic aligners, space exploration, satellites, NASCAR, Formula 1, and appliances. The company’s materials innovation – led by its deeply experienced team of materials scientists – is driven by the desire to meet new application challenges presented by its customers. As part of this expansion, 3D Systems intends to invest in new laboratories to foster this activity. The new materials produced in the company’s expanded laboratories have the potential to address an ever-broadening range of applications – changing how products are developed and produced, and how healthcare is delivered.

“While 3D Systems is a global company, our headquarters in South Carolina has been its center for many years,” said Dr. Jeffrey Graves, president and CEO, 3D Systems. “This expansion of our Rock Hill campus allows us to bring together key elements of the business to gain efficiencies, and to accelerate innovation and customer adoption of additive manufacturing on an industrial scale. Through our restructuring and investment activities, we will bring new jobs to the area over the next five years which will contribute to the economic development of Rock Hill and South Carolina. The combination of state-of-the-art facilities; renowned hardware, materials, and software; and our leadership in application knowledge will be a catalyst for us to take our innovation to new heights – providing additive manufacturing solutions for specific, high-value applications in growing markets.”

“I’m pleased that 3D Systems is expanding their presence in our State,” said Senator Lindsey Graham. “As a leader in additive manufacturing, they provide solutions that are enabling manufacturers in the U.S., as well as globally, to transform how they create products. This is driving innovation and helping raise our country’s competitiveness as a manufacturing powerhouse. I’m impressed by 3D Systems’ growth, fueled by the innovation that these investments will continue to support. I look forward to 3D Systems’ success for many years to come.”

This activity is part of the 3D Systems’ restructuring and reorganization plan announced last year. Expanding the company’s South Carolina headquarters location will facilitate executive leadership, R&D, application development, manufacturing, finance, marketing, and information technology to operate from this location. 3D Systems anticipates the expansion will be completed in early 2022. For more information on the company or to explore career opportunities, visit www.3dsystems.com.

About 3D Systems

More than 30 years ago, 3D Systems brought the innovation of 3D printing to the manufacturing industry. Today, as the leading additive manufacturing solutions partner, we bring innovation, performance, and reliability to every interaction – empowering our customers to create products and business models never before possible. Thanks to our unique offering of hardware, software, materials, and services, each application-specific solution is powered by the expertise of our application engineers who collaborate with customers to transform how they deliver their products and services. 3D Systems’ solutions address a variety of advanced applications in healthcare and industrial markets such as medical and dental, aerospace & defense, automotive, and durable goods. More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com.

GHENT, Belgium, Feb 4, 2021 – The Bricsys team is delighted to announce the appointment of Jean-Denis Heymann as Country Manager for France. Jean-Denis will focus on growing Bricsys’ sales within the EMEA region by supporting existing partners, expanding the channel network, and raising the profile of Bricsys across France.

Jean-Denis Heymann

“I’m very excited to join the Bricsys family,” said Mr Heymann. “The challenge is here but the potential is here too. I am convinced that Bricsys’ high quality and affordable CAD solutions combined with flexible deployment options will generate interest amongst prospects and resellers in France.

“With the support of Hexagon and the wider Bricsys team, together with a solid channel sales strategy, we will rise to the challenge of growing the BricsCAD community within the French market.”

Jean-Denis Heymann brings over 15 years’ experience in the CAD world, starting his career in IT manufacturing and business intelligence software. In 2001 Jean-Denis joined the Autodesk team in France where he developed OEM business, managed channel partners and led the subscription project. Before joining Bricsys, Jean-Denis held positions with GRAITEC and later Datech in the CAD division of TECH DATA.

About Bricsys

Bricsys, a part of Hexagon AB’s PPM division, is a global provider of the BricsCAD brand of engineering design software since 2002. We are relentlessly committed to the success of our customers by offering cost-effective, mission-critical CAD software with industry-leading product support. We have offices all over the world, partners in more than 80 countries, and 1,200 registered application developers.

About Hexagon

Hexagon is a global leader in sensor, software and autonomous solutions. We are putting data to work to boost efficiency, productivity, and quality across industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure, safety, and mobility applications.

Our technologies are shaping urban and production ecosystems to become increasingly connected and autonomous – ensuring a scalable, sustainable future.

Hexagon’s PPM division empowers its clients to transform unstructured information into a smart digital asset to visualize, build, and manage structures and facilities of all complexities, ensuring safe and efficient operation throughout the entire lifecycle.

Hexagon (Nasdaq Stockholm: HEXA B) has approximately 20,000 employees in 50 countries and net sales of approximately 3.9bn EUR. Learn more at hexagon.com and follow us @HexagonAB.

IRVINE, CA, USA, Feb 4, 2021 – EON Reality, the world leader in Augmented and Virtual Reality education, has joined forces with the world’s first virtual reality film school to alleviate the global education crisis.

The ongoing global pandemic has been a disaster for higher education. Traditional universities are not set up for online learning, and online schools not set up to teach the creative arts in a digital era when 75% of young people want to become content creators. As an industry worth $700 billion, that shouldn’t be ignored.

“Educators are realizing that if they want to boost enrollments and student satisfaction metrics, they have to offer students more than just prerecorded videos, Zoom meetups, and outdated teaching techniques. Being in college is not the same thing as learning, and higher learning is at the very core of building human capital.” Lionel Simons, CEO of Virtual Film School.

Virtual Film School is a fully immersive film school taught in Virtual Reality by the world’s top teachers and influencers in real time, including the Hollywood professionals responsible for films like Avatar, Ghostbusters and Lord of the Rings. VFS is taught from anywhere in the world, to anywhere in the world. VFS has already launched in five countries, including at the Beijing Film Academy, creating the first TikTok promotional videos for the 2022 Beijing Olympics.  Former alums include YouTube’s 2 billion hitter FreddieW, Emmy Award winner Bernie Su, and 2 billion view TikTok star Niki Baber.

And film is just the start. VFS has already taught English as a second language and will grow into more disciplines in due course as Virtual Film School’s cutting edge curricula debut in 2021 as a part of EON Reality’s worldwide network of partner educational institutions.

“We are ecstatic to incorporate Virtual Film School’s existing curricula into EON-XR, as I believe this is a partnership that could shape how the entire entertainment industry learns and trains. Merging the world’s first VR film school with our world-class XR technology is a collaboration that will likely bring everyone involved to new heights. I sincerely believe that this is a game-changing deal not only for EON and VFS, but also the millions of students around the world looking to get into the entertainment industry.” Dan Lejerskar, Founder of EON Reality.

About Virtual Film School

VFS is the virtual reality-based film school for the next generation of new media creators. Delivered online, students work in an immersive virtual reality environment side by side with the best teachers from the world of filmmaking, including the Hollywood professionals responsible for films like Avatar, Ghostbusters and Lord of the Rings. Unlike other online educational offerings, these aren’t recorded sessions – using proprietary software students interact live with the teachers, learning through practical experience on a virtual set to create content that will engage, entertain, educate and compel on new media platforms. Former students include FreddyW, who achieved 1.8 billion views on YouTube and went on to create the hit Netflix series ‘Video Game High School’, and Bernie Su, who created the first and only web series to win a Primetime Emmy Award, and Nicki Baber, with 2 BN views and nearly 200MM likes on TikTok.

About EON Reality

EON Reality is the world leader in Augmented and Virtual Reality-based knowledge and skills transfer for industry and education. EON Reality believes that knowledge is a human right and should be available, accessible, and affordable for every human on the planet. To carry this out, EON Reality has developed the de-facto standard for Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality-based knowledge and skills transfer software that supports devices from mobile phones to large immersive domes. EON Reality’s global development network — with more than 20 locations worldwide — has created the world’s leading AR/VR library for education and industry with over 8,000 applications and over 40 million users worldwide.