SpaceClaim Looks to the Engineering Community to Help Shape the Future of CAD


CONCORD, MA, 27 November 2007 --
SpaceClaim Corp. today announced the start of the SpaceClaim 3D CAD Modification Challenge. The worldwide contest is an opportunity for mechanical designers, engineers and product development specialists to try SpaceClaim Professional 2007+ on their toughest 3D CAD modification problems and provide valuable input to the company.

“The engineering community is painfully aware that modifying 3D CAD models is a nightmare, because there is no interoperability between different file formats, and translators only exchange geometry, they don’t make modifications,” commented Michael McGuinness, COO of SpaceClaim Corp. “SpaceClaim is addressing the problem of 3D collaboration with software that supports the ability to import 3D CAD and neutral file formats, and modify the imported geometry regardless of how it was constructed.”

The 3D CAD Modification Challenge is offered to provide a framework for the engineering community to help shape SpaceClaim into the best solution for working with models created by others. By participating in the program, engineers help SpaceClaim better address the models and processes required to successfully meet their needs. The program also provides an opportunity for engineers to try SpaceClaim Professional 2007+, and to learn from other engineers who participate.

Details

To enter, download the SpaceClaim Free 3D CAD Download 30-day trial, and upload a video that demonstrates the process of (successfully or unsuccessfully) performing modifications to CAD models using SpaceClaim 2007+ to the CAD Modification Challenge website. Entrants will be judged by a panel of SpaceClaim engineers, according to the following criteria:

• Degree of difficulty of the design modifications
• Complexity of the model
• Credibility of the modifications and the use case
  
• The “entertainment factor” 

SpaceClaim 2007+ Use Cases

SpaceClaim is being embraced by the engineering community to address a variety of use cases in which they must import and modify 3D CAD models in a lightweight, flexible, dependency-free manner, including:

• Design Reviews, where geometry from multiple systems needs to be imported into a single workspace, and various team members need to collaboratively change models to eliminate interferences and fix other problems.
  
  
• ECRs, where attaching a file to the ECR with the exact 3D representation of the requested changes reduces the chances that the requested changes will be misinterpreted or incorrectly modeled. 

• CAD-Neutral Interoperability, where downstream users of a design import CAD geometry into analysis, CAM, process planning, or other software, fix geometry and simplify or modify the geometry for meshing or NC programming, and (for FE analysis) iterate on the geometry based on the results of the analysis.
  
  
• IP Protection, where manufacturers must hide the details and internal components of designs prior to sharing them with suppliers and other outside entities.
  
  
• Method Neutral Modifications, where modifying complex parts (that perhaps were built by others) fail regeneration in their native CAD systems, and the “clock is ticking.” 

Prizes

Each month, beginning in January 2008, three winners from the prior month's entries will be selected as follows:

• one submission that presents the most challenging successful modification in SpaceClaim
• one submission that presents the most challenging unsuccessful modification in SpaceClaim (stump us, yes we want you to!) 
• one submission that we identify as the most entertaining video 

Each of the three monthly winners receives a copy of SpaceClaim Professional 2007+ and 3D Data Exchange for a 1-year term. In addition, one grand prize winner will be selected on May 2, 2008 as the most impressive challenge out of all entries submitted. The grand prize winner will receive an HP Compaq 6820s Notebook PC, installed with a one year license of SpaceClaim.

To find out more about the challenge and how you can participate, please refer to the SpaceClaim 3D CAD Modification Challenge website.

About SpaceClaim Corp.

SpaceClaim is a privately held company targeting the 3D mechanical design market. SpaceClaim provides a breakthrough CAD-neutral design solution that enhances engineers’ productivity by empowering them to contribute to, consume, and share mechanical designs in a 3D digital form. SpaceClaim has assembled a world-class team of prominent executives, product developers, board members, and advisors with unrivaled experience in bringing the next generation of computer-aided design software to market. Founded in September 2005, SpaceClaim is backed by Borealis Ventures, Kodiak Venture Partners, North Bridge Venture Partners and Needham Capital Partners. For more information, visit SpaceClaim.com. SpaceClaim and the SpaceClaim logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of SpaceClaim Corp. All other trademarks used or mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.


Contact:
SpaceClaim Corp.
Howie Markson
+1-978-482-2211
Howie.Markson@spaceclaim.com