Spatial Launches World's 1st Web Portal Offering Multiple Application Services for Manufacturing and Design Engineers
12 June 2000
PlanetCAD Combines Powerful, Problem Solving Web-based Tools With In-depth Industry Content
Spatial Inc., the world's leading developer of Web-hosted engineering application services, e-frastructure, interoperability solutions and open, component 3D modeling technology, today announced the launch of PlanetCAD. This one-stop Web services portal for manufacturing and design engineers offers a unique combination of Web-hosted application services designed to solve real-world design engineering problems and a robust array of e-commerce, content and community features.PlanetCAD is an engineering service provider, and its focus on providing Web-hosted application services and content, e-commerce and community services strictly to the manufacturing and design engineering community sets the site apart from other business-oriented Web portals. PlanetCAD's Web-hosted software services help engineers to originate, design, communicate and physically create consumer products, machines, buildings and infrastructures. PlanetCAD's application services are developed both internally using Spatial's proprietary technologies and for third-party CAD/CAM/CAE ISVs using Spatial's Web-application expertise.
"Spatial's portal is the first to offer multiple Web-hosted application services, in addition to e-commerce, content and community features, to the manufacturing and design engineering industry," said Bruce Morgan, president and CEO of Spatial. "Our aim is to bring tremendous efficiency to our customers' day-to-day task of creating quality manufactured products. This business model is aimed at saving companies money by helping their engineers become more productive across the digital manufacturing supply chain."
"Spatial's early Web initiatives got off on the right foot with the very positive reception of 3Dshare.com, our first Web-hosted application, and the closing of $6.9 million in venture capital financing," said Isaac Kato, vice president and general manager of Spatial's PlanetCAD division. "The on-time launch of PlanetCAD provides further validation that Spatial is making the successful evolution to an Internet business built on the company's robust technology roots."
PlanetCAD - Web-Hosted Application Services
PlanetCAD's application services are designed to reduce the time, frustration and money spent achieving everyday engineering tasks. The portfolio of these services will continue to grow over the coming months. Current application services include:
3Dshare.com - A fully automated service that
repairs and optimizes corrupt or incomplete design data. CAD, CAM
and CAE files can become corrupted after being transferred between
different computer systems or between supplier and manufacturer.
3Dshare.com, successor to Spatial's 3Dmodelserver.com, can repair
files in a fraction of the time that it takes to do the job
manually and charges customers a fee based on file size and
format.
Bits2parts.com - An e-commerce site that
provides resources for efficiently exchanging design files,
requests-for-quote and bids for rapid prototyping (RP)
services. Bits2parts.com enables rapid and error-free delivery of
design files to RP suppliers, and facilitates RFQ and bid
generation and tracking. In addition, the service will feature the
only online version of the Rapid Prototyping Directory, the
industry's standard resource guide, as well as news and other
content.
3Dpublish.com - A fully-automated service
that takes 2D "snapshots" of 3D CAD, CAM or CAE models for
archival, demonstration or marketing purposes. Customers can
specify file presentation format, scale, resolution, margins and
background color.
Forthcoming application services include:
Quote-A-part - based on Tecnomatix
Technologies Ltd's eMPower Machining solution, this web-hosted
service will enable machining job-shops and small plant
manufacturers to enjoy all the benefits of sophisticated software
on a pay-per-use basis. Using the Internet, the user will be able
to obtain a quote by filling in a simple template with
manufacturing information and attaching the 3D CAD data. Within
minutes, the user will receive a quote providing information on
costing, features, operations and tool requirements for the
manufacturing process.
CadCast.com - Scheduled for launch in Q2 2000, the
service will enable CAD, CAM and CAE model data to be transmitted,
managed and tracked securely over the Internet. CadCast.com is
based on technology licensed by Freightliner, a Fortune 100
manufacturer.
Multiple Third Party Applications - Spatial plans to offer
multiple third-party software applications through the PlanetCAD
ASP platform. Spatial is currently developing its first third
party application and expects to launch two to three more by the
end of FY 2000.
PlanetCAD - Portal Details
In addition to engineering services, PlanetCAD offers a broad array of e-commerce, content, and professional and community services.
E-commerce - PlanetCAD will offer a variety of e-commerce features
to users, starting with its Bits2Parts.com RP brokerage service.
PlanetCAD intends to expand this to the broader custom
manufacturing market. Additionally, the PlanetCAD store will go
live in early Q3.
Content - PlanetCAD currently features industry news, editorial
content and product reviews serving the design and manufacturing
engineering community. In the near future, PlanetCAD will offer
multiple service directories, engineering yellow pages, classified
advertisements, Webcasts of industry forums and speakers and
online educational seminars.
Professional and Community Services - PlanetCAD will offer
professional and community services for design and manufacturing
engineers, including management and tracking of 3D CAD models,
online conferences and professional meetings, engineering-oriented
search engines, career development services, employment boards for
recruiters, chat and bulletin boards.
PlanetCAD - Partnerships
PlanetCAD has secured a number of key strategic partnerships, including, but not limited to:
Tecnomatix Technologies Ltd. - PlanetCAD has made an alliance with
Tecnomatix to apply and host-selected manufacturing cost
estimation software products from Tecnomatix across the Internet.
The first service to be implemented under this key alliance -
quote-A-part - will be available at the end of Q2 2000.
CAD/CAM Publishing - PlanetCAD has exclusively licensed the Web
publication rights to the Rapid Prototyping Directory, the most
comprehensive directory of RP service providers available.
PlanetCAD will make the directory available on Bits2Parts.com.
Alibre - PlanetCAD has struck a cross-marketing partnership with
Alibre. Alibre, a venture funded startup, is an early provider of
Web-based design collaboration tools. The companies have agreed to
co-market their services.
About Spatial Inc.
Spatial Inc. is the world's leading provider of Web-based services, e-frastructure and advanced engineering technology solutions to streamline the digital manufacturing supply chain and set global standards for product engineers, designers, software developers and manufacturing professionals. Spatial is headquartered in Boulder, Colo., and has offices in California, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom.
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, and any projections related to 3Dshare.com and PlanetCAD may be significantly different than those predicted by the Company. 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, 1999.
Spatial Technology Inc., 3Dshare.com, 3Dpublish.com, Bits2Parts.com, ACIS 3D Toolkit, SAT and PlanetCAD are trademarks, and ACIS and IntraVISION are registered trademarks of Spatial Technology Inc. All other products are trademarks of their respective owners.
Trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of the companies with which they are associated.