DISNEY WORLD, ORLANDO, Fla., USA, Feb. 12, 2009 - Although SolidWorks World 2009 has concluded, the words of Sir Richard Branson continue to resonate: ''Everybody's got a dream and it's good to dream the impossible. With the world's best engineers working on your dream, you just might transform the impossible into the possible.''
Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group founder and philanthropist, was a special guest speaker here at SolidWorks World 2009, the largest annual 3D CAD event on the planet. More than 4,000 SolidWorks customers, partners, resellers, and employees attended.
In addition to those poignant comments, this year's event presented another prime opportunity for designers and engineers to network, learn, and find inspiration with colleagues from around the globe.
''Since I started using SolidWorks in 2004, my VAR The SolidExperts insisted I should go to SolidWorks World,'' said Sara Cheney, director of engineering at Vault Structures Inc. in Fort Myers, Fla. ''After finally attending this week, I regret not coming from year one and discovering all these new ways to improve productivity at my company.''
A few conference highlights:
Sneak preview of SolidWorks® 2010 3D CAD software, working directly with the designs of Terrafugia and Magenn Power. These SolidWorks customers revealed their flying car and next-generation wind turbine, respectively, on the main stage.
New Balance and Sony Ericsson representatives taking the stage with
DS SolidWorks Co-Founder and Group Executive Jon Hirschtick to describe their challenges and successes in designing household-name products.
Hirschtick detailing his vision for the future of computer-aided design, saying, ''Most of our work is still in front of us.'' He predicted that touchscreen interfaces, Internet-based applications, video game graphics, and 3D printing will have a major impact on 3D CAD.
Surprise guests Joe Grand and Mike North, co-hosts of the Discovery Channel TV show ''Prototype This!,'' demonstrating their ''Stairbot,'' which carries heavy firefighting gear up stairs (and rescue victims down), and their ''Gecko Paddles,'' which let humans scale walls like the animal for which the devices are named.
A Sumo wrestler in a ''Will it Break?'' segment marching onto the main stage and roughing up a tiny pink scooter. The scooter stood up to the abuse, illustrating the importance of the SolidWorks Simulation software.
Unveiling of a sustainability software package code-named ''Sage.'' Available with the release of SolidWorks 2010 this fall, the new product will help designers and engineers calculate the environmental impact of products they are developing to design for sustainability.
DS SolidWorks CEO Jeff Ray hailing the role of innovation during an economic downturn, noting that nylon, the car radio, and SPAM were invented during the Great Depression. ''Out of adversity comes great opportunity for innovation,'' he said.
Announcement of the site of SolidWorks World 2010: the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif.
For more highlights of SolidWorks World 2009, visit: http://www.solidworks.com/pages/swworld09/index.html.
About Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp.
Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp., a Dassault Systèmes S.A. subsidiary, develops and markets software for design, analysis, product data management, and documentation. It is the leading supplier of 3D CAD technology, giving teams intuitive, high-performing software that helps them design better products. For the latest news, information, or an online demonstration, visit the company's Web site (http://www.solidworks.com/) or call 1-800-693-9000 (outside of North America, call +1-978-371-5000).
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