Datakit announces availability of the 2014.3 version of Datakit converters, bringing many enhancements and improvements with special focus on improved support of the Siemens PLM Software™ JT format with more information supported. Datakit is now able to read semantic PMI(Product Manufacturing Information) contained in JT files, as well as axis information and textures. The JT writing as also been improved in multiple ways. PMI writing (Dimensions, annotations, symbols, Datum targets…) has been enhanced semantically, axis information is supported and it is possible to write JT files with a preset 3D view (ModelView). These improvements will allow software vendors integrating Datakit technology (CrossCad/Ware) to support a comprehensive set of information related to JT files into or out of their software. End users of CrossManager, the Datakit standalone software, will also benefit. They can now convert JT files to the format they want, keeping the information contained in the original files, or inversely, translate files from other CAD systems in JT models with comprehensive data support. Datakit supports JT format from versions 6.4 to 9.5.

Bentley Systems, Incorporated, announced the release of AssetWise APM V7.2. This enhanced version of Bentley’s asset performance management (APM) software enables users to take advantage of immersive APM, a visual environment in which hypermodeling is used to spatially enable operations and maintenance for the interactive inspection of critical assets. AssetWise APM V7.2 users can also view infrastructure assets in the context of engineering information conveyed by Bentley’s i-models, and can initiate actions directly from the 2D or 3D representations of the asset. Additionally, AssetWise APM V7.2 users now benefit from advancements in asset strategy development and integrity management. In related news, Bentley further announced: a new version of Bentley’s APM Supervisor Dashboard app for Windows 8.1, the alignment of its APM Process Maturity Model directly to ISO 55000. Alan Kiraly, Bentley senior vice president, server products, said, “What differentiates Bentley’s AssetWise APM V7.2 is the unique capability to interact with the virtual plant and connect asset health data to 2D and 3D models of the plant.

Bentley Systems, Incorporated, today announced the immediate availability of LEAP Bridge Steel for the 3D modeling, design, analysis, and load rating of everyday steel bridges. The software, which adheres to AASHTO Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Specifications, enables users to leverage the benefits of bridge information modeling (BrIM), including increased efficiency and data reuse across the bridge lifecycle. It also provides the advantages of optioneering – which enables engineers to quickly consider trade-offs between multiple design strategies. When used with Bentley’s LEAP Bridge Enterprise software for concrete bridges, LEAP Bridge Steel provides bridge engineers and designers a comprehensive solution to evaluate multiple concrete or steel design alternatives. Raoul Karp, Bentley Systems vice president, structural and BrIM products, said, “The cornerstone of BrIM is intelligent information mobility, which fosters the use of data beyond bridge design and engineering to inform downstream processes such as fabrication, construction, operations, maintenance, and inspection. With easy access to information about

Rand Worldwide today announced that its courseware division, ASCENT – Center for Technical Knowledge, has surpassed the milestone of 30 released Autodesk Official Training Guides (AOTG) in the past four months for Autodesk’s 2015 software. All released 2015 titles are available for purchase through ASCENT’s online store at ASCENTeStore.com. “ASCENT's staff of subject-matter experts, instructional designers, and technical writers have been extremely busy all year to ensure we meet, or exceed, the projected release dates of 2015 titles set in our Courseware Release Roadmap,” says Paul Burden, director of product development for ASCENT. “While producing our standard, off-the-shelf, AOTG curriculum for instructor-led teaching or self-paced learning, the ASCENT team also continues to work with clients to customize our learning resources. They can tailor existing content to match varying client training offerings, include specific workflows, models and datasets, as well as accommodate teaching preferences and institutional branding. No matter what the training need, ASCENT works

Delcam’s PowerMILL CAM software for high-speed and five-axis machining has helped Muroplás SA, a Portuguese manufacturer of medical devices, to make its own moulds quickly and efficiently, and so develop a successful and growing business. Muroplás SA is located in the North of Portugal, close to the city of Trofa.  It was founded twenty years ago with one second-hand injection-moulding machine.  Although the company started out with a general goal to develop parts made by thermoplastic injection, Muroplás has subsequently become a specialist provider of medical devices, in particular dialysis products. Over the years, Muroplás achieved continuous growth through an emphasis on research and development in the manufacture of moulds, and in the use of plastic injection for different markets like medical devices, automotive, civil construction, tools and food packaging. The decision by Muroplás to have its own machining area, allowing the company to manufacture its own moulds, has proved to be fundamental

Centric Software, Inc. has closed on $24 million in growth capital as part of its Series D venture capital financing. The Series D financing was co-led by Fung Capital and Silver Lake Waterman. Fung Capital is the investment arm of the Hong Kong-based Fung family whose holdings include Li & Fung Limited, a public company that sources and distributes consumer products globally with more than $20 billion in revenues. Silver Lake Waterman is the growth capital arm of Silver Lake, the global leader in technology investing. Prior investors Oak Investment Partners and Masthead Partners also participated in the financing round. The Centric 8 PLM suite delivers easy-to-use functionality to manage critical business processes, including product development, sourcing, business planning, quality management and collection management. Centric 8 implements and delivers value rapidly using an Agile DeploymentSM methodology. Working with marquee brands and consumer products companies, Centric has demonstrated the highest growth and innovation

Highlights: Strong commercial activity in Q2 with 127% book to bill ratio Revenue: € 4,176 million Operating margin: € 275 million, increased by +20bps to 6.6% Net income Group share: € 76 million Free cash flow: € 124 million Atos today announced its results for the first half of 2014. Revenue was € 4,176 million, representing an organic evolution of -1.9% compared to the first half of 2013. Operating margin was € 274.6 million, representing 6.6% of revenue, an improvement of +20bps compared to the same period last year. The Group generated € 124 million of free cash flow in the first half of 2014. Net cash position was € 845 million at the end of June 2014 including € 628 million restricted cash for the Bull acquisition (excluding € 639 million from the Worldline IPO received in July). Order entry was € 4,360 million, representing a book to bill ratio of 104% for the first half of the year. Net income Group share was € 76 million. Thierry Breton, Chairman and CEO of Atos said: “The first half of this year was particularly active for the Group. We started

NAFEMS, the International Association for the Engineering Analysis Community, will hold its 2015 World Congress in San Diego, USA, incorporating the 2nd International Simulation Process and Data Management Conference, from June 21st-24th 2015. The biennial congress will bring together the leading visionaries, developers, and practitioners of CAE-related technologies and business processes to share relevant trends and roadmaps, explore common themes, and address these issues in an open forum. The aim of the congress is to provide attendees with perceptive content and perspective on the best way to position their organisations to realize the full potential of CAE both now and in the future. The Congress will also host the 2nd International Conference on Simulation Process and Data Management. This ground-breaking conference will bring together industrial users, technology experts, academics and software vendors alike, allowing all those with an interest to take part in the only truly independent, international forum dedicated to SPDM. Attendees, speakers and exhibitors

Zuken announces that French CADSTAR distributor Novacad has achieved the highest European sales, winning Zuken’s European CADSTAR Distributor of the Year Award for 2013-14. CADSTAR is Zuken’s industry-leading desktop PCB design software. Philippe Biran, Novacad Manager said: “We were successful this year in two very different markets. Entry level CADSTAR Lite offers full CADSTAR functionality at a lower cost for those working on designs with fewer than 2,000 pins. This is attractive for the many smaller companies we support. With CADSTAR Kynetic we have a high-functionality solution for high-speed designs.” Jeroen Leinders, CADSTAR Worldwide Sales Manager said, “The Novacad team has achieved consistent results throughout the year, so this award is well-deserved. Novacad focuses on responsive, locally-based customer service and has strong technical resources. This explains why they have a high level of repeat business.” Biran reports that in the past few years many companies are reducing their European operations and therefore cutting

Cimatron Limited announced today that Gibbs and Associates has developed a partnership with Sandvik Coromant to integrate the Adveon™ Tool Library application. Adveon has been developed in compliance with ISO 13399, which defines cutting tool data representation and exchange. ISO 13399 allows the accurate exchange of tooling data among computer aided applications that support and adhere to the standard, including CAD, CAM, CAE, PDM, PLM and tool management systems. Gibbs and Associates will begin marketing Adveon integrated with GibbsCAM immediately, and begin shipping it with the GibbsCAM 2015 release. Adveon will initially support milling tools, and incorporate turning tools when the data becomes available. GibbsCAM users with current software maintenance will receive Adveon free of charge. Gibbs will demonstrate Adveon at IMTS 2014, September 8-13, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Booth E-3310. Adveon for GibbsCAM allows users to develop their own tool library, selecting from tools they use daily. While having all tooling data at