Blom Transforms Traditional Dutch Steel Sailboat Production with Dassault Systèmes Shipbuilding Solutions

Artisan Craftsmanship Combines with Digital Shipbuilding for Quicker Time to Market

AMSTERDAM (METS Boat Show), PARIS –November 13, 2007 – Dassault Systèmes (Nasdaq: DASTY; Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) today announced that traditional Dutch sailboat manufacturer, Blom, has selected its PLM shipbuilding solution to speed production. By capturing Blom’s artisan craftsmanship knowledge in a digital shipbuilding solution, the company is able to deliver boats quicker.

“The complexity of our hull shapes with double curvature and recovery of the plates is the mark of tradition of our boats, but something painful to define manually. Designing a parametric model that is directly transformed into production data is a big step forward for us, allowing us to drastically shorten the manufacturing preparation,” said Mr. Dink Blom, owner of Skipshelling Blom.“It also helps us to significantly improve the accuracy necessary to easily assemble hull steel parts. We think that Dassault Systèmes’ CATIA and its integrated solution for steel manufacturing is our way into the future.”

Blom’s traditional steel sailboats are built from similar structures and designs but that vary in dimensions. To ease design and manufacturing complications, Blom decided to use DS’s solutions to implement a parametric definition of its traditional sailboats and digitally prepare their manufacturing.  They also began using a new steel cutting and marking plasma machine driven by ALMA Act/cut software for nesting and cutting that is seamlessly integrated to DS’s platform, thus eliminating the need for data transfer.

“Blom is a good example of how even smaller shipbuilders can benefit from our digital PLM solutions.  It demonstrates that our shipbuilding solutions are helpful for any size yard, “says François Mathieu, yacht market development leader, Dassault Systèmes.  Many types of shipbuilding companies, such as naval architects, small/large yacht shipyards and suppliers across the globe are benefiting from Dassault Systèmes’ shipbuilding/yacht solutions, which are helping them to transform their business and gain competitive advantages by improving key business parameters in product innovation and customer demand fulfillment.

Dassault Systèmes will be present at the international Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) in Amsterdam on November 13-15 and invites attendees to join them at Booth 04.212.