CAMARILLO, CA, USA, Jun 25, 2020 – Further establishing itself as a leader in artificial intelligence for the manufacturing industry, ESPRIT by DP Technology announces extended support for Mazak Smooth Ai CNC. ESPRIT produces machine-optimized, edit-free G-code programs, program optimization, and machine simulation for Mazak’s entire line of machine tools. The extended support offered by ESPRIT for Mazak’s new Smooth Ai CNCs includes the ability to utilize the ESPRIT digital twin inside the CNC.  This new capability is the result of years of collaborative partnership between DP Technology and Mazak Japan and an exciting example of what’s on the horizon for the industry at large.

With this extended support, the ESPRIT project data is synchronized with the Mazak Smooth Ai CNC. The synchronized project data includes the part and stock models, workholding, tooling, work offsets, tool offsets, and G-code program. With the synchronization between ESPRIT CAM and Mazak Smooth Ai, users can now preview the entire machining process virtually on the CNC, using the ESPRIT digital twin, before executing the program on the CNC machine. As a result, manual data input is eliminated, and the machine operator is offered greater assurance of the machining process. This results in shorter setup and prove-out times, and higher quality first-article run-offs.

Powered by the industry-proven AI engine, ESPRIT CAM is well known for its machine-optimized, edit-free G-code. Pairing the high-quality project data from ESPRIT with Smooth Ai provides end users with a streamlined machining experience and the confidence that what they see on the digital twin is what they will get on the real machine.

To learn more about the partnership between ESPRIT and Mazak, visit ESPRIT’s partnership page.

About ESPRIT and DP Technology Corp.

DP Technology Corp. is a leading developer and supplier of computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software. ESPRIT®, DP Technology’s flagship product, ESPRIT®, is a powerful CAM system for CNC programming, optimization, and simulation—supporting the entire manufacturing process. With factory-certified post processors delivering machine-optimized G-code and ESPRIT’s ability to solve unique challenges with automation solutions, ESPRIT is the smart manufacturing solution for any machining application. With world-class technical support, ESPRIT empowers you to get started quickly and keep running at top efficiency. ESPRIT is the only CAM system you’ll ever need.

DP Technology reinforces its commitment to technical excellence by dedicating nearly 20 percent of its annual revenue to ongoing research and product development. This long-term focus has produced powerful technological innovations that have placed ESPRIT in an industry-leading position since its market launch in 1985.

Invitation

SUNNYVALE, CA, USA, Jun 25, 2020 – Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) announced the introduction of a Hardware-as-a-Service option for its Transportation fleet mobility solutions. This new service consists of four bundles, enabling fleets to purchase Trimble hardware and software solutions and upgrade without upfront capital investment. Each of these bundles is designed to help fleets predictably manage technology expenses while gaining access to the latest innovations from Trimble, including 4G LTE connectivity and a streamlined, Android-powered user experience.

“The launch of Trimble’s Hardware-as-a-Service options gives fleets the ability to purchase hardware, software and professional services together for the first time,” said Jon Passman, chief product and marketing officer for Trimble Transportation. “By bundling our subscription and professional services with hardware for a single monthly price, customers can receive the services they value, our assistance in deploying and using them and the predictability of new hardware each term without any upfront capital investment.”

Trimble’s mobility bundles are tiered into four categories:  Premier, Professional, Flex and Base, each designed with easy-to-understand solutions and straightforward pricing. The new bundles deliver core telematics and regulatory components with additional available solutions, including CoPilot® Truck in-cab navigation, Driver Retention Analytics, Automated Workflow and messaging in certain bundles—enabling carriers to select the right bundle to meet their specific business needs. Each bundle is backed by Trimble’s domain expertise and extensive integrations to Trimble and third-party back-office transportation management system (TMS) platforms.

“We are committed to making it easier for carriers to better serve their customers, improve the safety and efficiency of their operations and, ultimately save money,” said Passman. “We created these bundles to simplify the purchase process and take the complexity out of selecting the right solutions for a fleet’s unique needs.”

For more information on Trimble’s products and services, visit:  transportation.trimble.com/transportation-solutions.

About Trimble Transportation

Trimble Transportation is multi-modal and provides solutions for the long-haul trucking, field service management, rail and construction logistics industries to create a fully integrated supply chain. In trucking, Trimble provides enterprise and mobility solutions focused on business intelligence and data analytics; safety and regulatory compliance; navigation and routing; freight brokerage; supply chain visibility and final mile; transportation management and fleet maintenance. With an intelligent ecosystem of products and services, Trimble enables customers to embrace the rapid technological evolution of the industry and connect all aspects of transportation and logistics—trucks, drivers, back office, freight and assets. Through the combined legacy of ALK, PeopleNet, TMW Systems and 10-4 Systems, Trimble delivers an open, scalable platform to help customers make more informed decisions and maximize performance, visibility and safety. For more information about Trimble Transportation, visit:  https://www.trimble.com/transportation-logistics.

About Trimble

Trimble is transforming the way the world works by delivering products and services that connect the physical and digital worlds. Core technologies in positioning, modeling, connectivity and data analytics enable customers to improve productivity, quality, safety and sustainability. From purpose built products to enterprise lifecycle solutions, Trimble software, hardware and services are transforming industries such as agriculture, construction, geospatial and transportation. For more information about Trimble (NASDAQ:TRMB), visit: www.trimble.com.

SUNNYVALE, CA, USA, Jun 25, 2020 – Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) announced the global launch of its digital water and wastewater solutions, including its Telog IoT remote monitoring hardware, sensors and analytics software solutions. This geographic expansion enables water organizations around the globe to benefit from a platform of hardware and software that can be used to wirelessly monitor, analyze and maintain water, wastewater and stormwater networks.

Trimble’s range of advanced digital water solutions are used by thousands of water, wastewater and stormwater management utilities and private contractors throughout North America. The solutions help utilities improve drinking water quality, lower water loss and leakage, reduce wastewater and stormwater overflows and spills, and enhance regulatory compliance. By growing its network of business partners and resellers, Trimble is expanding its reach to provide international sales and support backed by Trimble’s team of water experts.

Trimble Unity software and Trimble’s Telog family of IoT remote monitoring hardware provide water organizations with a single modern digital platform for proactive wireless monitoring, asset and work management. The solutions enable utilities to enhance asset performance by putting real-time information at the center of utility operations, improving efficiency and safety through actionable intelligence. Applications for the Trimble digital water solutions include Non-Revenue Water (NRW), sewer flow and level management, water quality and resource monitoring.

“Water and wastewater utilities throughout the world are faced with the challenge of reducing water losses and the environmental impacts associated with aging, failing infrastructure,” said Alain Samaha, vice president and general manager of Trimble Utilities and Public Administration. “Expanding our geographic footprint to offer our digital water solutions globally will enable more utilities to leverage Trimble’s proven technology to gain deeper insights and help solve their asset management and operations challenges.”

Availability

Trimble’s digital water solutions are available now through Trimble Water and Trimble Water Authorized Business Partners.

1. For information on Trimble Unity software, visit:  www.trimblewater.com/trimble-unity.
2. For information on the Trimble Telog family of IoT Remote Monitoring solutions, visit: www.trimblewater.com/bysolutionarea#iot.
3. For full information on product availability and where to buy, contact Trimble Water at:  www.trimblewater.com/contact-us.

About Trimble’s Water Division

Trimble’s Water Division focuses on solving key challenges that water, wastewater and stormwater utilities face as their infrastructure ages; droughts, flooding and other environmental issues increase; and customer needs grow. Trimble’s solutions combine advanced positioning devices, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and communication technologies with enterprise, mobile and cloud software and analytics to provide utilities with a digital view and analysis of their networks. The solutions enable utilities to assess, monitor, inspect and manage their network in real-time—saving costs, reducing water loss, enhancing asset performance while improving regulatory compliance and customer service. For more information about Trimble’s Water solutions, visit:  www.TrimbleWater.com.

About Trimble

Trimble is transforming the way the world works by delivering products and services that connect the physical and digital worlds. Core technologies in positioning, modeling, connectivity and data analytics enable customers to improve productivity, quality, safety and sustainability. From purpose built products to enterprise lifecycle solutions, Trimble software, hardware and services are transforming industries such as agriculture, construction, geospatial and transportation. For more information about Trimble (NASDAQ:TRMB), visit:  www.trimble.com.

BROOKLYN, NY, USA, Jun 24, 2020 – MakerBot, a global leader in 3D printing and subsidiary of Stratasys (Nasdaq: SSYS), joins the Google for Education Integrated Solutions Initiative to deliver an even more powerful 3D printing experience for teachers and students.

The MakerBot Cloud platform, MakerBot’s print preparation and management solution, is now integrated with Google for Education to provide educators and students with an easy 3D printing workflow. One of the key challenges that teachers face when using 3D printers as a learning tool is how to best manage student submissions and print files. MakerBot Cloud enables educators to easily share, approve, queue, and print directly to MakerBot 3D printers. Whether they’re at home or in the classroom, teachers can access their students’ print submissions through MakerBot Cloud.

The MakerBot Cloud integration with Google For Education provides teachers with familiar tools as they get started with 3D printing with their students. Through the integration, educators and students can easily connect to MakerBot Cloud by using their Google credentials to log in with one click.

Educators can share their printer queue directly to Google Classroom, and students can submit their 3D print projects to MakerBot Cloud to be approved by their teachers for printing. Teachers can also save and organize their students’ design files to Google Drive.

“As a Google for Education partner, we are making it easier for teachers and students to join the MakerBot ecosystem and utilize the tools and resources we have available,” said Nadav Goshen, CEO, MakerBot. “We remain committed to supporting 3D printing education and will continue to develop solutions that will advance the possibilities of learning and innovation.”

As schools shift to adapt to a changing environment, the ability to collaborate with diverse learning environments is more important than ever. MakerBot Cloud allows users from anywhere in the world to access their 3D printers at any time.

For more information, visit makerbot.com/education.

About MakerBot

MakerBot, a subsidiary of Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq: SSYS), is a global leader in the 3D printing industry. The company helps create the innovators of today and the businesses and learning institutions of the future. Founded in 2009 in Brooklyn, NY, MakerBot strives to redefine the standards for 3D printing for reliability, accessibility, precision, and ease-of-use. Through this dedication, MakerBot has one of the largest install bases in the industry and also runs Thingiverse, the largest 3D printing community in the world.

We believe there’s an innovator in everyone, so we make the 3D printing tools that make your ideas matter. Discover innovation with MakerBot 3D printing.

To learn more about MakerBot, visit makerbot.com, the MakerBot blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook.

EXTON, PA, USA, Jun 24, 2020 – Bentley Systems, Incorporated, a leading global provider of comprehensive software and digital twin cloud services for advancing the design, construction, and operations of infrastructure, announces that Robert Mankowski, Bentley’s senior vice president of digital cities, has been named to the executive board of the World Geospatial Industry Council.

Robert Mankowski

Mankowski leads Bentley’s digital cities solution area, which provides infrastructure engineering, digital twin software, and services to help cities that are going digital. He has over 20 years’ experience in software development and has co-invented several technologies now used in the OpenFlows product line. Bentley’s digital cities applications enable engineers to plan and design more efficient city infrastructure.

“I am honored to serve on the WGIC executive board and use my experience and knowledge of both the geospatial industry and the infrastructure industry to further advance WGIC’s mission and objectives,” said Mankowski.

Mankowski joined Bentley in 2004 as part of Bentley’s acquisition of Haestad Methods, a pioneer in object-oriented hydraulic analysis software, where he served as chief technology officer. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Drexel University and is a licensed professional engineer.

Mankowski replaces Ted Lamboo on the World Geospatial Industry Council board. Formerly with Bentley, Lamboo is now CEO of Digital Construction Works, a new digital automation, integration, and digital twinning services and fit-for-purpose solutions company formed as part of a joint venture between Bentley and Topcon Positioning Group.

Bentley is a co-founder of the World Geospatial Industry Council, which acts as a collaborative platform for advancing the role of the geospatial industry and strengthening its contributions to society and the world economy.

Mankowski is one of four new members the World Geospatial Industry Council named to its executive board. More information about the appointments is available here.

About WGIC

The World Geospatial Industry Council is a registered not-for-profit trade association of commercial geospatial companies representing the entire value chain of the geospatial ecosystem. For more information about WGIC, visit: https://wgicouncil.org/

About Bentley Systems

Bentley Systems is a leading global provider of software solutions to engineers, architects, geospatial professionals, constructors, and owner-operators for the design, construction, and operations of infrastructure. Bentley’s MicroStation-based engineering and BIM applications, and its digital twin cloud services, advance the project delivery (ProjectWise) and the asset performance (AssetWise) of transportation and other public works, utilities, industrial and resources plants, and commercial and institutional facilities.

Bentley Systems employs more than 3,500 colleagues and generates annual revenues of more than $700 million in 172 countries. From inception in 1984, the company has remained majority-owned by its five founding Bentley brothers. For more information, visit www.bentley.com.

PITTSBURGH, PA, USA, Jun 24, 2020 – Ansys (NASDAQ: ANSS) is empowering university students around the world to design, build and test next-generation autonomous vehicle (AV) software through the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC). Students participating in the $1.5 million prize competition will program modified Dallara race cars for the world’s first autonomous race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). The challenge was created to advance technology that will speed the commercialization of fully autonomous vehicles and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

As the exclusive Simulation Sponsor of the IAC, Ansys is providing free access to products in its Ansys Autonomy suite — enabling students to develop and refine automated driving software for the modified Dallara IL-15 vehicle and validate it virtually in a closed-loop simulation environment. Ansys also hosted the first of four events designed to train students on AV simulation software and prepare teams for the final race. The challenge includes hackathons and educational workshops, the world’s first simulated high-speed self-driving car race and a head-to-head final competition reaching speeds of up to 200 mph at the IMS on October 23, 2021.

“The Indy Autonomous Challenge is an incredible opportunity to compete at the cutting-edge of driverless racing,” said Charles Vorbach, controls systems architect for the MIT Driverless team. “Our team is excited to develop our entry using Ansys’ simulation tools. We admire their use of sophisticated vehicle models, compatibility with open source systems like ROS2, and user-friendly code-generation that is intuitive enough for even non-software engineers. Most of all, Ansys’ software reduces the amount of physical testing required, which will help safely speed development, especially in the world of COVID-19.”

Ansys simulation solutions provide OEMs, automotive suppliers and mobility companies robust workflows for the design and validation of automated driving systems and components, including safety analysis, software and hardware development, simulation, data management, cloud computing and high-performance computing. As students master Ansys solutions throughout the competition, they will also develop highly sought-after skills in the workplace.

“We’re challenging students to develop autonomous vehicle software that can operate at speeds of up to 200 mph,” said Matt Peak, managing director of Energy Systems Network, a primary organizer of the IAC. “We approached Ansys because that would simply be an impossible task without the best simulation software available. Through Ansys’ virtual environment, student teams can quickly design, test, iterate and validate their software with high fidelity in time for the final race.”

A shared goal of the IAC and Ansys is to enable the development of software that can overcome existing barriers to help speed the commercialization of fully autonomous vehicles and enhance ADAS in cars under human control.

“For more than 100 years, IMS has served as a breeding ground for technological advancements,” said Eric Bantegnie, vice president and general manager at Ansys. “We’re continuing that legacy by putting Ansys Autonomy, the most comprehensive autonomous vehicle simulation software on the market, into the hands of students who will ultimately play a vital role in bringing safe, autonomous vehicles to public roadways.”

About Indy Autonomous Challenge

The Indy Autonomous Challenge, organized by Energy Systems Network (ESN) and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) is a $1.5 million prize competition among universities to program modified Dallara IL-15 racecars and compete in the world’s first autonomous head-to-head race around the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 23, 2021. Racing at speeds of up to 200 mph, the primary goal of the Challenge is to advance technology that can speed the commercialization of fully autonomous vehicles and deployments of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). These enhancements will lead to increased safety and performance in all modes of racing and commercial transportation. In addition, the competition is a platform for students to excel in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

About Ansys

If you’ve ever seen a rocket launch, flown on an airplane, driven a car, used a computer, touched a mobile device, crossed a bridge or put on wearable technology, chances are you’ve used a product where Ansys software played a critical role in its creation. Ansys is the global leader in engineering simulation. Through our strategy of Pervasive Engineering Simulation, we help the world’s most innovative companies deliver radically better products to their customers. By offering the best and broadest portfolio of engineering simulation software, we help them solve the most complex design challenges and create products limited only by imagination. Founded in 1970, Ansys is headquartered south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Visit www.ansys.com for more information.

LEVIS, QC, Canada, Jun 23, 2020 – Creaform, a worldwide leader in portable and automated 3D measurement solutions, today announced the release of the latest version of the MetraSCAN 3D lineup, the company’s advanced optical CMM scanner designed specifically to perform metrology-grade 3D measurements and inspections — right on the production floor. As the fastest and most accurate portable optical CMM scanner, the MetraSCAN BLACK can be seamlessly integrated in any quality control, quality assurance, inspection, MRO, or reverse engineering workflow and operated by users of any skill level in any type of environment.

The MetraSCAN BLACK dimensional metrology system has been developed to measure complex parts and assemblies from an array of industries and manufacturing processes, such as automobile, aeronautics, power generation, heavy industry, metal casting, metal forging, sheet metal, plastic injection, composites, etc.

Featuring unmatched performance and speed for optimized 3D measurements

1. 4X faster: Featuring 15 blue laser crosses for larger scanning area that take up to 1,800,000 measurements per second and live meshing, ultimately cutting down the time between acquisition and workable files.
2. 4X resolution: MetraSCAN BLACK features a measurement resolution of 0.025 mm (0.0009 in) to generate highly detailed scans of any object.
3. More accurate and traceable measurements: High accuracy of 0.025mm, based on VDI/VDE 2634 part 3 standard and tested in a ISO 17025 accredited laboratory, ensures complete reliability and full traceability to international standards.
4. Shop floor accuracy: The MetraSCAN BLACK features a unique and patented dynamic referencing that compensates for surroundings instabilities.
5. Maximum versatility: Masters complex, shiny and highly detailed parts
6. No warm-up time: Operators can be up-and-running in minutes.
7. Touch probing capability:  When paired with the HandyPROBE, the MetraSCAN BLACK lets users harness the power of both 3D scanning and probing for a complete, streamlined inspection process.
8. Available in BLACK and BLACK|Elite: Customers can choose from two models based on their needs: speed, part complexity, accuracy, etc.

“Today’s manufacturers are facing tremendous challenges. They are under increased pressure to accelerate their time to market in order to remain competitive on the global scale. Product quality issues impact scrap rate, production ramp-up, production rate, and downtime, ultimately affecting production costs and overall profitability. Manufacturers need to rely on innovative 3D measurement technologies, like the MetraSCAN 3D, in order to refine their product development and quality control processes,” explained Guillaume Bull, Product Manager at Creaform. “This new version of the MetraSCAN 3D takes dimensional measurement speed, accuracy and versatility to a whole new level. We believe manufacturers will appreciate its performance within their workflows.”

About Creaform

Creaform develops, manufactures, and sells 3D portable and automated measurement technologies and specializes in engineering services. The company offers innovative solutions for applications such as 3D scanning, reverse engineering, quality control, non-destructive testing, product development, and numerical simulation (FEA/CFD). Its products and services cater to a variety of industries, including automotive, aerospace, consumer products, heavy industries, healthcare, manufacturing, oil and gas, power generation, research and education.

With headquarters and manufacturing operations in Lévis, Québec, Creaform operates innovation centers in Lévis as well as Grenoble, France, with direct sales operations in Canada, USA, Mexico, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Singapore. Creaform is part of AMETEK Ultra Precision Technologies, a division of AMETEK Inc., which a leading global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices, with annual sales of approximately $5 billion. For more information, visit https://www.creaform3d.com.

EVRY, France, Jun 23, 2020 – TOPSOLID SAS, one of the world leaders in CAD/CAM/PDM solutions for the Metal and Wood industries, pursues its international growth strategy with the acquisition of two of its historical distributors in Belgium and the Czech Republic.

For TOPSOLID Group SAS, these new acquisitions are part of its “TOPSOLID 4.0” strategic plan, which aims in particular to accelerate its international development and its product offering as part of the digitalization of the industry.

Richard Lamure, CEO of TOPSOLID Group SAS: “We had two very good opportunities to expand our direct presence abroad. I am very pleased to expand the TOPSOLID family and further strengthen our presence in Europe. I would like to extend a warm welcome to these two new teams and I would like to wish them great success!”

TOPSOLID Belgium

A TOPSOLID partner for over 17 years, 4D SERVICES has a remarkable team and recognized technical expertise. The company supports some very fine companies on a daily basis in their industrial processes. 4D SERVICES and TOPSOLID SAS have joined forces to consolidate and develop TopSolid’s positions in Belgium. 4D SERVICES has become TOPSOLID Belgium!

The subsidiary will be managed by Pieter Cornelis and Kurt Neuckermans, the two managers of 4D SERVICES: “Our common objective is to strengthen our operational capacities on the technical and commercial levels in order to continue providing more service to our customers and to reinforce our presence on the Belgian market, one of the most dynamic in Europe.”

TOPSOLID Czech

CENTERSOFT has been present for 10 years in the group’s network of 70 distributors and is the only TopSolid reseller in the Czech Republic. CENTERSOFT partners with many industrial companies that are well regarded in their respective sector of activity. Resulting from the desire of the TOPSOLID and CENTERSOFT teams to unite their destiny in a common project, the new entity called TOPSOLID Czech will be able to rely on the enthusiasm, sense of customer service and technical competence of this young team in order to build its success.

The subsidiary will be managed by Karel Preis, CEO of CENTERSOFT: “We are very confident about the development prospects of TOPSOLID Czech. The Czech Republic is historically a country with a strong mechanical culture, located in the center of Europe. TOPSOLID’s CAD/CAM solutions, and in particular TopSolid’Cam, have great potential for success and we will capture this market!

About TOPSOLID SAS

TOPSOLID SAS, headquartered in Evry, France, is the publisher of the TopSolid software, which provides CAD/CAM and ERP solutions for the mechanical manufacturing, tooling, wood and sheet metal work industries. With a headcount of 320, the company turned over €45 million in 2018. Every year, TOPSOLID invests some 30% of its turnover in research and development for its integrated range of software. The company was founded in 1984 and has been present on the international stage since 1997. Today, about 70% of the software is exported through a network of 60 value-added resellers all over the world. For more information, visit www.topsolid.com.

PARIS, France, Jun 23, 2020 – E-on software, a leading global developer of software for the creation, animation, rendering, and integration of natural 3D environments in the computer graphics, VFX, architecture, and gaming industries, announced the immediate availability of the R5 Release of its VUE, PlantFactory and PlantCatalog Exporter software.

A new free trial version is also available of its VUE and PlantFactory software which includes all the updates from R5.

The full release note details are available online at https://info.e-onsoftware.com/release-notes-june2020

NVIDIA OptiX and Intel Open Source Image Denoisers for the Path Tracer

The Path Tracer now includes two denoisers: The Nvidia OptiX and Intel Open Source Image Denoisers. The denoisers will remove noise from a path-traced render, based on machine-learning technology. Effectively, users can use less samples for rendering and remove noise automatically after the render is finished, which results in much faster rendering times.

Denoising is supported both with the interactive Path Tracer in the viewport and with the offline Path Tracer. By using the denoiser with the interactive Path Tracer, users will get an almost realtime preview of their scene in a much better quality than what OpenGL can offer.

Vastly Improved Displacement

Displacement was massively improved in R5. It works faster, consumes less memory and generates way better displaced geometry. Three new displacement subdivision options were added in the material editor: no subdivision, dynamic subdivision and uniform subdivision. Shadow terminator handling in the render engines was also significantly improved thanks to new interpolation methods, yielding far better finer details and avoids shading artefacts in rendered images and animations.

Satellite maps for Real-World terrains

The real-world terrain import (introduced in R4) can now import satellite maps for automatic texturing of imported terrain data. Users may select satellite data from sentinel-2 or from USGS, and VUE will import the maximum available texture resolution together with the heightfield elevation data information of the selected area.

PlantFactory real-time PBR viewport

PlantFactory has received a viewport facelift – but it’s more than just cosmetics. The new viewport is fully PBR compliant with accurate PBR material previewing, has better responsiveness and performance and introduces a customizable sky model that casts ambient light into the scene for more accurate and comfortable previewing while authoring vegetation species.

Integration technology updates

The VUE integration plugins are now supported in Autodesk 3ds Max 2021, Autodesk Maya 2020* and Cinema4D up to S22*. Additionally, VUE is now compatible with V-Ray Standalone RenderNodes for Maya.

The PlantFactory importer plugins technology previews are also now supported in 3ds Max 2021, Maya 2020 on Windows and Maya 2019 on MacOS. The tech previews also add support for automatic material conversion to Arnold materials and V-Ray Next. Additionally, the plugins can now convert animated vegetation models to animated points.

*Windows only

Other notable new features in VUE and PlantFactory R5

As with previous quarterly releases, e-on software has also added many other new features and UI/UX enhancements such as:

1. Cloud Morphing now supports material animation, plus is more performant and renders faster, VUE will automatically recognize and load sets of PBR texture maps (color/albedo, normal, roughness and many more) following preset and user-defined file name tags,
2. The Path Tracer now supports PBR channels with variable intensities through texture maps as well as semi-transparent and semi-reflective materials,
3. Python is upgraded to version 3.8, gets a new GUI, new documentation and a horde of new functions,
4. Mesh smoothing is up to 4 times faster, and displacement mapping preparation is up to 4.5 times faster,
5. Billboard export now supports PBR channels,  Substance materials can now easily be rotated,
6. VUE, PlantFactory, PlantCatalog Exporter and all PlantFactory import plugins can now share the same PlantCatalog collection location,
7. And a lot more

(1) Export and Integration Plugins are only available in Professional and Enterprise solutions

PlantCatalog Collection update

Alongside the R5 release, the company added a new batch of 15 HD and LD – botanically accurate – vegetation species to its PlantCatalog offering, including:

1. Coniferous: Picea engelmannii, Picea pungens, Picea pungens ‘Koster’, Picea pungens ‘Glauca Globosa’, Picea abies ‘Maxwellii’, Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’, Picea mariana, Picea mariana ‘Ericoides’
2. Perennials: Vinca minor, Chamerion angustifolium, Blechnum spicant, Asplenium scolopendrium, Thuidium tamariscinum, Polytrichum commune \
3. Grass: Phalaris arundinacea

Released in February 2020, the PlantCatalog collection is available either as a standalone package, or complimentary in the company’s Enterprise solutions, or is available as an add-on for Creator and Professional solutions.

More information and all species descriptions can be found at: https://info.e-onsoftware.com/plantcatalog

350 New collection items

e-on software continues to progressively release its owned content collection formerly sold on Cornucopia3D to users of its new software solutions. The R5 release therefore includes a new batch of over 350 3D assets comprised of atmospheres, materials, vehicles, animals, sample scenes etc.

Availability

The new update is available for download as a free software update for all registered users of the company’s VUE and PlantFactory solutions. Users will find the software update and the plant catalog download links on their user account page (under the Software Center tab)

The R5 trial versions are also immediately available at no cost from https://info.eonsoftware.com/try.

All VUE and PlantFactory software titles are available in English, French and German and perform under all versions of Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 (64 bit only), and Mac Intel (64 bit) for MacOSX 10.15+.

About e-on software

E-on software is the leading developer of solutions for the creation, animation, rendering and integration of natural 3D environments (VUE and PlantFactory). E-on software products are used worldwide by the film, television, architecture, game, science, educational and entertainment industries.

E-on software products were used in feature films such as “Dr. Strange,” “Kubo and the 2 Strings,” “Jupiter Ascending,” “Minions,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “The Croods,” “Dragons 1&2,” “Hunger Games,” “Hugo,” “Tintin,” “Super 8,” “Thor,” “Avatar,” “Clash of the Titans,” “Sucker Punch,” “Despicable Me 1&2,” “The Wolf Man,” “2012,” “Lovely Bones,” “GI Joe – The Rise of the Cobra,” “Land of the Lost,” “Terminator 4, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Indiana Jones 4,” “Monster Vs Aliens,” “Australia,” “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” “KungFu Panda,” “Pirates of the Caribbean 2” and TV series such as “Spartacus,” “Smallville,” “Battlestar Gallactica,” “Caprica,” “Stargate Atlantis,” “Stargate Continuum,” “The Vampire Diaries” and more. Read more on these stories in e-on software’s Spotlights section: https://info.eonsoftware.com/meetourusers E-on software was founded on the premise that powerful graphics tools should never get in the way of the designer’s creativity. By investing significant resources in research and development, e-on software is able to deliver cutting-edge, user friendly technologies that produce stunning digital nature scenery. In 2015, e-on software was acquired by Bentley Systems and now operates as an internal venture subsidiary. E-on software is based in Paris, France. For more information visit http://www.e-onsoftware.com.

About Bentley Systems

Bentley Systems is a global leader in providing engineers, architects, geospatial professionals, constructors, and owner-operators with comprehensive software solutions for advancing the design, construction, and operations of infrastructure. Bentley users leverage information mobility across disciplines and throughout the infrastructure lifecycle to deliver betterperforming projects and assets. Bentley solutions encompass MicroStation applications for information modeling, ProjectWise collaboration services to deliver integrated projects, and AssetWise operations services to achieve intelligent infrastructure – complemented by comprehensive managed services offered through customized Success Plans. Founded in 1984, Bentley has more than 3,500 colleagues in over 50 countries, more than $700 million in annual revenues, and since 2012 has invested more than $1 billion in research, development, and acquisitions. www.bentley.com.