Spatial Inc. Announces ACIS 5.3 Upgrade
28 September 1999
Spatial Inc. Announces ACIS 5.3 Upgrade
BOULDER, Colo--Sept. 28, 1999--Latest ACIS Version Enables Greater Productivity Through Enhanced Translation Tools, More Efficient Memory Management, and New Complex
Spring Modeling Capabilities
Spatial Inc. (AMEX: STY), the world's leading developer of 3D modeling technology and interoperability solutions, today announced the availability of version 5.3 of ACIS(R) 3D Toolkit, the de facto 3D solid modeling kernel for the CAD/CAM/CAE industries. This release delivers critical improvements to ACIS, which provide easy-to-use functions for creating complex geometries, better translation of data and improved performance of all 3D operations.
ACIS 5.3 represents a leap forward in solid modeling capabilities for CAD/CAM/CAE software developers by offering performance improvements in Law surface handling, which will mean that Booleans, blends and shells will occur 2-4 times faster than in previous releases. New Application Program Interfaces (APIs) will allow for more accurate and varied modeling of springs including tapered, spiral and archimedia springs. Additional APIs are now included to streamline conversion of splines into analytic surfaces, and have added more comprehensive STEP, IGES and VDA-FS translation tools. Improved memory management reduces the memory required to execute modeling operations. ACIS 5.3's across-the-board improvements allow greater flexibility for design and engineering and better translation provide users with broader access to data.
Robert Kross, Vice President of Mechanical CAD, Autodesk , Inc, commented on the new technology released by Spatial. "ACIS is the enabler for a whole new generation of Autodesk Mechanical CAD products which feature tools and abilities that have never yet been achieved by any other CAD developer. Autodesk Inventor benefits from much of the technology of ACIS, which enables the intuitive assembly-centric Adaptive Design features inherent to Inventor. Adaptive Design methodologies enable you to work the way you think, within an environment of enhanced collaboration and data sharing. We couldn't do it without the abilities of ACIS."
Phil Spreier, Product Marketing Manager, ACIS, Spatial Inc., says, "The release of ACIS 5.3 is evidence of the market-leading position that Spatial has established in the solid modeling kernel industry. Spatial continues to push the boundaries of progress through innovative improvements to all its products.
ACIS 5.3 provides the foundation for advanced interpretive modeling which in turn delivers greater productivity and flexibility to the end-users of ACIS-based products." ACIS 5.3 supports multiple operating systems including Windows 95 and 98, Windows NT 4.0 for Intel and Compaq, Solaris 7, Red Hat Linux 5.2, Irix 6.5, HP-UX 10.20, AIX 4.3 and Tru64 Unix.
ACIS 5.3 features
| -- | Performance and speed improvements are now available in the handling and adding of customized Law surfaces in ACIS 5.3 |
| -- | New APIs for modeling of springs include the ability to create complex coiled, compression, extension and torsion springs. Spacing between coils (pitch) can be specified by a law allowing springs to contract or expand. All these springs are fully modeled using a simple set of APIs. |
| -- | Improved memory management allows ACIS-enabled applications to reduce the amount of memory used during a design session. |
| -- | Better control of tolerances during the healing operations has now been made available. |
| -- | New APIs to simplify the solving of splines to analytic surfaces. The simplification process now includes the ability to set tolerances. |
| -- | ACIS 5.3 includes improvements in performance for the taper operations during modeling. |
| -- | ACIS STEP Translation Husk now available for conformance classes 2 - 5 for AP203. Also includes read support for AIC 508 and simplification of advanced curves and surfaces for translation out to STEP. |
| -- | The ACIS IGES Translation Husk has been enhanced to encapsulate input and output IGES file pointers as well as a pointer to the IGES database. Application developers can therefore manipulate IGES data not supported by the Husk. |
About Spatial Inc.
A leading innovator of 3D modeling technology, Spatial provides advanced component and interoperability products for creating, viewing, exchanging and sharing high-fidelity 3D digital geometry.
The ACIS 3D Toolkit, Spatial's flagship product, is the de facto standard 3D modeling kernel for the MCAD, CAM, CAE, and AEC industries. With more than 500 ACIS licensees and 1.4+ million end users of over 200 ACIS-enabled applications, ACIS is indisputably the world's most widely used 3D modeling kernel. ACIS-enabled applications include ABAQUS/CAE by Hibbitt, Karlsson & Sorensen, Inc., AutoCAD and Mechanical Desktop by Autodesk, Inc., CADKEY by Baystate Technologies, Inc., GAMBIT by Fluent Inc., Grade/CUBE II by Hitachi Zosen Information Systems, GSCAD by Intergraph Corporation, IronCAD by Visionary Design Systems, Inc., Maxwell 3D Field Simulation by Ansoft Corporation, TurboCAD Solid Modeler and Professional by IMSI, Vellum Solids by Ashlar Inc., and Working Model 3D by MSC.Software Corporation. Spatial offers a diversity of production-proven 3D modeling component products, like Spatial Deformable Modeler(TM), a 3D surface modeling tool for high level artistic design and industrial styling.
Spatial's Interoperability Products enable developers and end users to optimize engineering processes by providing efficient methods of communicating 3D models and product data across multiple CAD/CAM/CAE systems throughout the design-to-manufacturing process. Interoperability Products include comprehensive visualization solutions, like IntraVISION and JetScream(TM), data translators for IGES, STEP, and VDA-FS; 3D model healing technology, PDM integration modules and 3Dmodelserver.com(TM).
Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, Spatial has offices in Europe and Asia. Spatial stock is publicly traded on the NASDAQ-AMEX exchange under the symbol "STY." For more information, visit Spatial's Web site at http://www.spatial.com, or call (303) 544-2900.
Statements made in this news release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statement. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by any forward-looking information. A description of risks and uncertainties attendant to Spatial Technology Inc. and its industry, and other factors which could affect the Company's financial results, are included in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the Company's annual report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 1998.
Spatial Inc. and SAT are trademarks. ACIS is a registered trademark of Spatial Technology Inc. IntraVISION is trademark of InterData Access, Inc. All other products are trademarks of their respective owners.