KOMPAS-3D becomes the first Russian CAD solution compatible with eDrawings

June 19, 2006, Russia, St-Petersburg - ASCON Group, makers of the solid modeling solution - KOMPAS-3D V8 Plus, is pleased to announce their compatibility with the eDrawings viewing and publishing application from Geometric Software Solutions Limited. This partnership allows KOMPAS-3D users to get an opportunity to use an effective, easy-to-use, and free-of-charge tool for interacting with all departments involved in product development cycle.

KOMPAS-3D is the first Russian CAD system supporting eDrawings software, and one of few CAD systems in the world with embedded and free-of-charge eDrawings Professional Publisher. Mike Coleman, President of Geometric Software’s Packaged Software division, says that “This partnership will enable KOMPAS-3D users to share their work in ways that utilize the power of KOMPAS-3D while helping to reducing collaboration times”.

ASCON has been always paid special attention to the importance of data exchange with other systems and solutions, as well as to the need for corporate document management. KOMPAS-3D is designed to import and export data in the wide-range of formats, including DXF, DWG, IGES, SAT, XT, STEP, and also export in the WRML and STL formats. The integration of Geometric Software’s eDrawings format will now allow data exchange with end users independent of their CAD platform.

By saving 3D models and graphics documents in the eDrawings format, KOMPAS-3D users will be able to view, print, annotate and save reviewed documents by means of a free eDrawings Viewer. As a result KOMPAS-3D users achieve more effective cooperation between project participants and faster submission of the documentation at all preproduction stages, regardless of the availability of a PDM system at the enterprise.

The main advantages of the eDrawings format are: light-weight files, CAD-platform independence (the approving party doesn't need to use a CAD system), an opportunity for making comments on the details and saving notes in the same file.

Extended Description of the eDrawing Features
The eDrawings Professional Publisher, incorporated into KOMPAS-3D V8 Plus, allow users to publish eDrawings files directly from KOMPAS-3D in a form which facilitates further document annotating to anyone using the free eDrawings Viewer. Additionally, when exporting to the eDrawings format, it is possible to allow/prohibit editing the document and exporting it into STL.

After opening an object in the eDrawings Viewer, the user can view the document and print it. Extended commenting capabilities include entering text notes, as well as graphical markup. When working with the 3D models, it is very easy to move components, conduct measurements, and dynamically change model cross-sections by selecting planes, hiding components or making them partially transparent. All the changes and annotations are saved in the eDrawings file.




About ASCON Group
ASCON Corporation and its partners ( www.ascon.ru) together act as the leading Russian developer of out-of-the-box CAD and engineering data management solutions and their customized implementations. The company was founded in 1989. The list of ASCON customers exceeds 2500 industrial enterprises, including AVTOVAZ JSC, Kolomensky Zavod JSC, MMPP SALUT FSUE, Mayak FSUE, VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation, Kazzinc JSC, Severstal JSC. Influential "Expert RA" analytical agency ( www.expert.ru) and "Cnews.ru" Internet magazine named ASCON as one of the biggest Russian IT companies.

About Geometric Software Solutions
Geometric is a leader in providing the most cost-effective product lifecycle management (PLM) services and technologies to the global mechanical design, manufacturing, and industrial markets. Partnerships with major PLM vendors such as Dassault Systèmes, UGS PLM Solutions, and MatrixOne offer the unique advantage of providing cost effective services on leading PLM platforms. Geometric offers services based on SolidWorks, CATIA™, ENOVIA™, DELMIA™, eMatrix™, Teamcenter Enterprise (Metaphase)™, Windchill™, and other leading CAD/CAM/CAE/PDM software platforms. The company is traded on both the Bombay (BSE) and the National (NSE) stock exchanges in India. The company's Web site is http://www.geometricsoftware.com.


Contact:
Ilya Alkov, PR Manager, ASCON. Phone/fax +7-495-784-7492, e-mail: Email Contact
ASCON on the Web: www.ascon.ru

Brian Panks, Marketing Manager, TekSoft, Inc. (a subsidiary of Geometric Software Solutions, Limited), Phone: (480) 367-0132, Fax: (480) 367-0420, e-mail: Email Contact
Edrawings on the Web: http://edrawings.geometricsoftware.com/