Plus PTC pledged itself to the Alliance for OpenUSD, and more design and simulation software news.
This is Engineering Paper, and here’s the latest design and simulation software news.
PTC has expanded its partnership with Nvidia. The Boston-based developer, which not long ago was rumored to be up for sale, says it will integrate Nvidia Omniverse technologies into Creo and Windchill.
“By connecting Windchill with Omniverse’s real-time, photorealistic simulation development platform, teams will be able to visualize and interact with the most current Creo design data in a shared, immersive environment,” reads PTC’s press release.
PTC has also joined the Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD), a group working to advance the Pixar-created OpenUSD file framework used in Nvidia Omniverse. Nvidia was one of the five founding members of the AOUSD alongside Pixar, Adobe, Apple, and Autodesk. In June, engineering software developer Tech Soft 3D also announced a collaboration with Nvidia and joined the AOUSD.
“By deepening our collaboration with Nvidia and joining the Alliance for OpenUSD, we’re giving our customers the ability to incorporate design and configuration data in a real-time, immersive simulation environment,” said Neil Barua, president and CEO of PTC, in the press release. “The integration of Omniverse technologies within Creo and Windchill will enable teams to accelerate development, improve product quality, and collaborate more effectively across the entire product lifecycle.”
Desktop Metal files for Chapter 11
The story of 3D printing company Desktop Metal has reached Chapter 11.
“Barely more than two years after Stratasys made a $1.8B bid for it and just a few weeks after Nano Dimension acquired it for a fraction of that price, Desktop Metal has filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code,” wrote Engineering.com 3D printing editor Ian Wright in his coverage of the news.
“After much speculation about the fate of the beleaguered metal AM company… this looks like the end of what was once the darling of investors and 3D printing enthusiasts alike,” Ian wrote.
For more details, read the full article on Engineering.com: Desktop Metal files for Chapter 11.
ITC goes dark with IntelliCAD 14.0
The IntelliCAD Technology Consortium announced the release of IntelliCAD 14.0, the latest version of the member-funded CAD development platform.
IntelliCAD 14.0 introduces a dark mode, which in my opinion is an accessibility setting that belongs in every software package (I’m baffled by extremely popular applications that still lack the option—I’m looking at you, Google Docs).
“While dark is now the default, you can also choose from light or gray themes,” according to ITC’s video overview of IntelliCAD 14.0.
The new release also adds faster performance for common functions including copy, break, move, and union, as well as detachable drawing windows, support for Autodesk Revit 2025 files, API enhancements, and more.
“IntelliCAD 14.0 reflects our commitment to listening to real-world feedback from our members and delivering the tools they need most,” said Shawn Lindsay, president of the IntelliCAD Technology Consortium, in the release announcement. “We remain focused on providing an open, dependable platform that developers can build on—and on offering a powerful alternative in the CAD software market.”
One last link
Engineering.com executive editor Jim Anderton’s latest episode of End of the Line discusses the rapidly changing technology of warfare: The war in Ukraine: The end of armor as we know it.
Got news, tips, comments, or complaints? Send them my way: malba@wtwhmedia.com.
