Shape Your World 
Sanjay Gangal
Sanjay Gangal is the President of IBSystems, the parent company of AECCafe.com, MCADCafe, EDACafe.Com, GISCafe.Com, and ShareCG.Com. MCADCafe Industry Predictions for 2025 – AutodeskDecember 20th, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
New trends in design and make technology promise to reinvent industry workflows over the next year. As we approach 2025, the industries that design and make our world are poised for continued transformation. Rapid advancements in technology are helping reinvent workflows across architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO), design and manufacturing (D&M), and media and entertainment (M&E). From innovations in AI to improving data practices, we’ll see certain trends redefine how innovators create and build over the next year and beyond. Below, we check in with Autodesk leaders on what designers and builders should expect to see in 2025. Read the rest of MCADCafe Industry Predictions for 2025 – Autodesk 2025 Predictions: Expert Insight on the CAD Landscape – SOLIDWORKS CEO and R&D Vice PresidentNovember 30th, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
As we look toward 2025, the CAD industry stands on the brink of transformative change. In this inaugural article of our “2025 Predictions” series, Manish Kumar, CEO of SOLIDWORKS, explores how advancements in technology and methodology are reshaping the design and manufacturing landscape. From the integration of MODSIM (Modeling and Simulation) to the pivotal role of centralized data and the emergence of AI-driven capabilities, Kumar outlines the trends that will redefine how teams collaborate, innovate, and deliver in a rapidly evolving market. Join us as we delve into his expert insights on what’s next for the future of design and the tools driving it. MODSIM, The Future of Design  Manish Kumar By Manish Kumar, SOLIDWORKS CEO and R&D Vice President This transformation will streamline workflows, accelerating time to market and enabling the creation of innovative products that meet evolving customer needs. As designs grow increasingly complex, the 3D modeling and CAD environment will shift from siloed practices to collaborative frameworks, requiring multidisciplinary input to tackle complex design challenges. Centralized Data Will be the Key to Better Decision Making and the End of “Over the Wall” Mentality Centralized access to information will no longer be a luxury but a necessity for seamless data flow, enabling real-time decision-making and seamless cross-disciplinary collaboration. As product designs evolve from basic mechanical structures to complex, integrated systems that combine electronics and software, collaboration across engineering, design, and manufacturing teams will become critical. A unified view of real-time data will break down silos, enabling faster, more informed decisions and driving innovation in product development. Prioritizing centralized access to data will alleviate constraints derived from the outdated “over the wall” mentality, where teams worked in isolation and passed incomplete information between departments. Instead, we will see a unified source of truth for all product data. This shift will allow engineering and manufacturing teams to collaborate from the earliest design stages, streamlining communication and accelerating decision-making. Research has shown that nearly half of manufacturers still struggle with poor decision-making, often due to fragmented and siloed data. We need to dramatically lower that number in 2025. With integrated tools, real-time, centralized data access, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, companies can reduce time-to-market, enhance innovation, and avoid the costly mistakes caused by fragmented information—leading the way in the future of design and manufacturing. Manufacturing and Innovation at the Forefront: Autodesk’s Vision for the FutureOctober 25th, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
As the spotlight illuminated the stage at the 2024 Autodesk University, the air was charged with anticipation. The Design and Manufacturing Keynote, featuring Autodesk leaders Srinath Jonnalagadda, Derrek Cooper, and Stephen Hooper, offered an exclusive look at how Autodesk is not only keeping up with industry trends but setting the pace. In an era where the manufacturing sector is predicted to skyrocket from $1 trillion to $16 trillion by 2028, the keynote emphasized the urgency of embracing digital transformation and technological convergence to stay competitive.  Srinath Jonnalagadda Vice President of Design and Manufacturing Strategy, Srinath Jonnalagadda, led with a compelling overview of the industry’s rapid evolution, citing everyday items as examples of this shift. “Today, even a coffee maker is no longer just a coffee maker,” Jonnalagadda quipped, explaining how this familiar device now functions as a connected smart appliance, blending hardware, software, and sensors to elevate a simple brew. This example mirrored a broader trend in manufacturing: the fusion of various domains—mechanical engineering, electronics, and software—that together enable the creation of intelligent, data-driven products. Fusion 360: A New Era for Manufacturing At the heart of Autodesk’s strategy is Fusion 360, which Jonnalagadda, Cooper, and Hooper described as “not just CAD, CAM, and CAE software,” but a platform that bridges every stage of the product lifecycle. Fusion 360’s latest updates reflect Autodesk’s focus on interoperability, where engineers, designers, and manufacturers can collaborate seamlessly regardless of the software ecosystem they rely on. “Fusion 360 is now the gateway to an end-to-end connected experience,” explained Cooper. “It’s about more than just compatibility; it’s about creating a cohesive platform that integrates each phase of product development with unparalleled fluidity.” This new functionality aligns with Autodesk’s goal to make Fusion the backbone of product lifecycle management (PLM) and manufacturing execution systems (MES) by enhancing its ability to connect, adapt, and scale. Cooper highlighted how Fusion’s performance had increased by 300% over the past year, a boost that has enabled even the most complex industrial assemblies to be handled with ease, allowing large-scale engineering teams to collaborate in real-time. The addition of specific enhancements for Inventor and Alias expands Fusion’s capability to support diverse, sophisticated workflows. For instance, Autodesk has streamlined sheet metal design with a new, intuitive interface, crucial for companies like Masten Brook, a producer of earth-moving machinery that deals with assemblies involving over 300,000 unique parts. These updates aren’t just about speed; they’re about precision and flexibility in a world where design challenges grow more complex by the day. Read the rest of Manufacturing and Innovation at the Forefront: Autodesk’s Vision for the Future Endeavor 3D Secures ITAR Registration, Paving the Way for Defense and Aerospace InnovationSeptember 23rd, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
At the IMTS Conference in Chicago, John Flynn, Vice President of Sales at Endeavor 3D, sat down to discuss a milestone in the company’s journey: achieving International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) registration. With this certification, Endeavor 3D is set to unlock new opportunities in defense, aerospace, and energy infrastructure, providing a critical edge in a rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape.  Endeavor3D Headquarter A New Frontier with ITARFor Endeavor 3D, ITAR registration is more than a formality; it represents an integral step toward becoming a trusted partner for government and defense-related projects. “ITAR registration is incredibly important for us,” Flynn emphasized. “It allows us to support Department of Defense (DoD) programs, energy infrastructure, and other projects requiring compliance with export-controlled regulations.” Flynn made it clear that ITAR registration is just the beginning. The company is now focusing on building the necessary infrastructure—both physical and IT security—to ensure full compliance with stringent government requirements. “We’ve been registered for a couple of months, but to be fully compliant means setting up the right IT and security infrastructure. Now that we have that in place, we’re ready to go,” Flynn said. Razorleaf: Bridging Digital Manufacturing with Seamless IntegrationAugust 22nd, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital manufacturing, Razorleaf Corporation stands out as a pivotal player, driving the seamless integration of complex systems across the product lifecycle. Founded in 2000, Razorleaf has positioned itself as a leading consulting and systems integration firm with a deep focus on Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). The company’s mission is clear: to help manufacturing organizations connect products and processes across the digital enterprise, ensuring that businesses extract maximum value from their innovation processes. Razorleaf’s recent partnerships, notably with Tech Soft 3D and Fuuz, underscore its commitment to enhancing the digital transformation journeys of its clients. These collaborations highlight the company’s strategic approach to integrating cutting-edge technologies and optimizing workflows, ensuring that manufacturers can navigate the complexities of modern industrial operations with greater efficiency and accuracy.
Tech Soft 3D Partnership: A New Era in CAD and PLM Integration On July 30, 2024, Razorleaf announced its partnership with Tech Soft 3D, a leader in engineering software development toolkits. This collaboration positions Razorleaf as a preferred integration service provider for Tech Soft 3D’s HOOPS suite, which includes HOOPS Exchange, Visualize, Communicator, and Publish. The integration of these tools with Razorleaf’s CLOVER technology marks a significant step forward in creating a more cohesive digital enterprise. Read the rest of Razorleaf: Bridging Digital Manufacturing with Seamless Integration Innovating at the Micron Scale: A Conversation with John Kawola, CEO of BMFJuly 19th, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
In an era where miniaturization is at the forefront of technological advancement, companies like Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) are pioneering the future of ultra-high precision 3D printing. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with John Kawola, CEO of BMF, about the company’s latest innovations and their impact across various industries. The Genesis of BMFFounded on the premise that the world is increasingly demanding smaller and more precise components, BMF has positioned itself as a leader in micro 3D printing. Kawola explained, “As things get smaller, they become harder to make, and there aren’t sufficient prototyping tools available to create such small parts. BMF was founded to address this gap.” BMF Biotechnology: Pioneering Lab-on-a-Chip Technology The A10 BioChip One of the most exciting areas of development at BMF is within the biotechnology sector, specifically with their lab-on-a-chip technology. A dedicated team in San Diego is focusing on creating novel structures that can better simulate biological environments, which is crucial for drug testing and reducing the need for animal testing. “Lab-on-a-chip has been an idea for around 15 years, but its effectiveness depends on how well the chip can replicate real biological processes,” Kawola noted. BMF’s chips are designed with capillary-sized structures, around 80 microns in diameter, to mimic the nutrient and waste transport systems in the body. These advancements hold promise for applications in skin, brain, liver, and kidney research. Read the rest of Innovating at the Micron Scale: A Conversation with John Kawola, CEO of BMF InnovMetric’s Strategic Evolution: Harnessing 3D Metrology for Enterprise EfficiencyMay 10th, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
In a recent conversation with Marc Soucy, President of InnovMetric, the transformation of 3D metrology from a niche manufacturing tool into a cornerstone of enterprise operational efficiency was explored. InnovMetric, renowned for its flagship software PolyWorks, has shifted dramatically from a department-specific solution to a comprehensive enterprise suite that integrates all facets of manufacturing and quality control through a singular digital thread. During our interview, Soucy shared insights on the latest updates in PolyWorks 2024, emphasizing substantial improvements aimed at reducing operational costs and enhancing user experience across the board. “The digital interconnection of all teams and systems that produce and consume 3D measurement data has changed the way we plan our development cycles,” he stated. The 2024 version introduces a redesigned user interface, extensive cloud storage options, and deeper integration with industry-standard tools like Excel and PowerBI, facilitating easier access and analysis of data.
Beyond Boundaries: The Dawn of Multimodal AI and Its Implications for IndustryMarch 18th, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
The digital symposium at Altair’s Future.Industry 2024 served as a fertile ground for unveiling the next leaps in artificial intelligence, with Google’s Gregg Mattek at the helm. This presentation, rich in insights and foresight, marked a pivotal moment in understanding the trajectory of generative AI. As industries brace for transformative changes, Mattek’s discourse offers a beacon of what lies ahead.  Gregg Mattek, Entrepreneur, Cloud and AI Leader, Board Member Generative AI: A Paradigm ShiftGenerative AI’s evolution stands as a testament to the ingenuity of modern computational thought. It’s an area that has rapidly transcended its initial novelty, growing into a cornerstone of digital innovation. Google’s contributions, particularly through the Gemini and Gemma models, encapsulate this shift towards more integrated, intuitive, and interactive AI systems. These advancements herald a future where AI’s applicability is only limited by our creativity. The Multimodal Frontier: Gemini UnleashedGemini, Google’s trailblazing model, emerges as a linchpin in this new era. Its multimodal capabilities—processing text, images, and sounds within a singular framework—illustrate a leap towards a more holistic AI understanding and generation of human-like content. The introduction of Gemini 1.5 Pro, with its one million token context window, further underscores the ambition to deepen AI’s comprehension abilities. This feature, likened to processing the entire “Lord of the Rings” trilogy for context, pushes the boundaries of what AI can understand and generate. Greg’s presentation includes a demo that shines a light on the potential applications and transformative capabilities of this technology. The demonstration showcased Gemini 1.5 Pro’s remarkable ability to comprehend and manipulate a vast dataset, specifically over 800,000 tokens from the 3js example code. This is akin to analyzing an extensive library of information and extracting relevant insights or generating content based on this deep contextual understanding. Read the rest of Beyond Boundaries: The Dawn of Multimodal AI and Its Implications for Industry Revolutionizing Urban Deliveries: QARGOS and the Power of SimulationFebruary 20th, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
Amidst the bustling urban landscapes that define our modern cities, a transformative innovation has arrived that reimagines the essence of urban logistics. QARGOS, a pioneering force in the realm of transportation solutions, proudly unveils the QARGOS F9 Scooter Cargo Platform. This launch is not merely the introduction of a new vehicle; it represents a paradigm shift towards sustainable and efficient urban delivery systems, powered by the advanced capabilities of Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
Read the rest of Revolutionizing Urban Deliveries: QARGOS and the Power of Simulation Test Drive the Future of SOLIDWORKS Electrical Systems Design & SOLIDWORKS PCBJune 26th, 2018 by Sandy Ortez
Are you ready to ‘test-drive’ the future of electrical systems design & PCB?With SOLIDWORKS Electrical, we use a purpose-built electrical schematics tool to drive a real-deal SQL database. In turn, it automates our workflow and completely automates report creation. We know it’s not enough to read about or see it in a video – you want to see it for yourself! We have an event for you to come! In addition, you can also join us to learn how to amp up your Printed Circuit Boards designs by driving mechanical constraints earlier in the process, providing real-time collaboration of electromechanical changes and automated engineering change orders while compiling documentation to support the project. Come and get your hands on it, verify that it’ll do what you need it to do for your business at an Electrical and/or PCB Hands-on Test Drive near you.
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