UGS PLM Solutions, the product lifecycle management subsidiary of EDS, today announced it has ported Parasolid, the world’s leading 3D geometric modeling component software, to Mac OS X. The announcement was made in conjunction with the Congress On the Future of Engineering Software
(COFES) 2004, which opened today in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Parasolid provides the geometric modeling foundation for many of the world’s leading computer-aided design, manufacturing and engineering analysis (CAD/CAM/CAE) applications. UGS PLM Solutions develops Parasolid, uses it throughout its product development applications and licenses it to independent software vendors (ISVs) and end-user organizations on a “level playing field” policy that ensures all licensees have equal access to Parasolid updates and enhancements.
“We are pleased to offer Parasolid support for the ever increasing customer demand for 3D applications on Mac OS X,” said Bruce Feldt, vice-president of PLM Open products, UGS PLM Solutions in the press release. “Open innovation is a strategic imperative for today’s manufacturer and open solutions like Parasolid help enable this innovation. It is estimated that over 40 percent of the world’s 3D CAD data is based on Parasolid’s open data format and now Mac users and Mac-based application software developers will be able to link into this vast community.”
More than one million end-users employ Parasolid-based modeling applications across the product lifecycle and Parasolid is increasingly preferred as the modeling foundation for innovative design and manufacturing applications in markets leveraging the Mac platform.
The Mac has traditionally been the platform of choice for graphics professionals and designers who require a creative and flexible computing environment. Apple is also experiencing tremendous success with the Power Mac G5 in the science and high performance computing markets with installations like the Virginia Tech G5-based supercomputer — the third-fastest supercomputer in the world — built out of 1,100 Power Mac G5 computers.
By making Parasolid available in this environment, UGS PLM Solutions enhances its product offering and opens up new markets and opportunities in non-traditional industries. In addition, Apple benefits from the expanded catalogue of 3D Parasolid-based applications available to the global manufacturing community on Mac OS X.
“The stability, high performance and ease of use of Mac OS X and the groundbreaking Power Mac G5 are a perfect solution for creating 3D engineering applications,” said Ron Okamoto, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations in the press release. “Parasolid will further broaden the appeal of the Mac for the manufacturing industry by allowing Mac developers to create robust 3D applications that can benefit from the super fast Power Mac G5.”
Support for Mac OS X will be available with Parasolid V16.0, scheduled to begin shipping at the end of this month.
UGS PLM Solutions, a leader in product data management, collaboration and product design software and services with 42,000 clients and more than 2.8 million seats of technology operating in the market, is the product lifecycle management subsidiary of EDS. The company works
collaboratively with its clients to create solutions enabling them to transform their process of innovation and thus begin to capture the promise of PLM. The integration of the former operations of companies including Structural Dynamics Research Corporation, Engineering Animation Inc. and UGS, UGS PLM Solutions has created some of the leading design, collaboration and product data management technologies that ultimately formed the foundation of the PLM industry. Today, the company is a family of one, building on three decades of leadership in continuing to be a pioneer in PLM.
For more information on UGS PLM Solutions products and services, visit http://www.ugsplm.com or http://www.eds.com
Well, it’s definitely good news that there is new and continuing support for the Mac (not that we didn’t have some other big names anyway, but more is good).
This is big news. CAD users always liked that Mac Platform but more CAD programs was going to Windows only. This is only positive and many PC makers are angered buy this announcement.
The rumor I heard was that the staff of UGS PLM Solutions wanted a computer that could perform complex 3D geometric modeling while simultaneously playing “Hey Mama” by the Black Eyed Peas on their iTunes without interruptions to the music.
LMAO @ Aryugaetu
Aryugaetu,
You forgot that not only is “Hey Mama” important, but they want to keep the FPS up while playing Onslaught in UT2004!
This is big news. Not quite as big in the U.S., perhaps, as would be the porting PTC Pro/E, SDRC I-DEAS or CATIA to MacOS X – but an important step globally. CAD/CAM/CAE is one of the keys for getting the Mac back into the hands of engineers.
Last post (at least for a moment)
Savor the moment, people: (1) it’s news, (2) it’s not about the iPod, (2) it’s not about some non-Mac virus (oxymoronic as that term may be), and (4) it’s not bashing MS.
;^) … sorry, King Mel
oops … I meant redundant, not oxymoronic (or just plain moronic)
finelinebob,
you missed one: (5) no politics!! Yeah!
as a senior mechanical and aerospace engineering major, i’ve used both Pro/E and Unigraphics NX….I HATE pro/e, regardless of what it does or how powerful it is, it has a CRAPPY GUI. anyways, that’s what we mostly use here at school, so whatever, but It’s good to hear that i could someday soon run industry standard CAD software on my mac with a slick GUI 😀 i can’t wait!!
oh, and btw, a bunch of my profs use macs, some use linux. unfortunately our labs have windows boxes in em…oh well.
This is just the first step in a long process. The parasolid port doesn’t reflect NX or any other PLM products ported on OSX platform I’m affraid.
That might change in the future.
NX man