Dassault Systèmes and System@tic Competitive Cluster Catalyze Innovation with Digital Production

Paris, France, December 8, 2006 - Dassault Systèmes (DS) (Nasdaq: DASTY; Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, today announced its plan to share its technology and digital manufacturing platform with key partners of the DIGITAL PRODUCTION System@tic project.  This research project is funded by the French competitive cluster to jump-start industrial competitiveness through technological innovations.  It leverages DS’s PLM technologies, R&D resources and partners network to provide manufacturing enterprises a single full virtual environment where any physical product can be developed, produced and maintained.  

“An innovation cluster cannot happen without key contributions from industrial partners.   Dassault Systèmes paves the way and demonstrates real commitment for the success of the System@tic cluster, furnishing the scalable virtual simulation environment required for our manufacturers’ competitiveness,” says the French Minister of Industry François Loos.   

The DIGITAL PRODUCTION System@tic project includes industrial partners such as Altis Semiconductor, EADS/Airbus, Dassault Aviation or Renault…, prestigious R&D centers (CEA, INRIA, ENS Cachan, …), as well as technology partners such as Ilog. The DS platform is open to all companies and research centers wanting to leverage the innovative technology.  

“In the semiconductor industry, the production yield and lifecycle are critical for competitiveness, but production processes are particularly tough to master, since it is difficult to technically interfere in the white room during manufacturing,” explains Daniel Bertrand, external programs manager, Altis.  “DS’s DIGITAL PRODUCTION platform will allow us to fine-tune our delicate process, spotting machine defects in real-time and instantly isolating and treating them.”  

“EADS production units stand to reap significant benefits through advanced simulation developments, which optimize our complex manufacturing processes and cycles, as well as our production investments,” says Bernard BOIME, head of programme coordination, EADS corporate research centre France, and DIGITAL PRODUCTION project leader. “Dassault Systèmes is providing the platform to simulate a generative, realistic 3D experience of an Airbus wing central box assembly. Our project commitment as end user ensures that development specifications meet our needs.”

“DS is committed to help improve competitiveness for the manufacturing industry. Together, we can develop and demonstrate innovative approaches to make our joint vision of DIGITAL PRODUCTION a reality for enterprises, technical education and research facilities,” says Bernard Charlès, president & chief executive officer, Dassault Systèmes.  “Within the virtual world, the entire manufacturing process can be rehearsed and therefore significantly improved- starting from customers placing orders, to workers adjusting the production line, to completion of business.  Many real-life projects, such as Dassault Aviation’s Falcon 7X flagship program, have demonstrated that savings through digital manufacturing can largely compensate unfavorable labor costs, accelerate people learning to address higher value tasks and thus improve enterprises’ competitiveness.”  

DIGITAL PRODUCTION is built on top of DS technologies such as DELMIA applications for manufacturing and modeling simulation; DELMIA Automation for manufacturing system modeling, automation, and automatic code generation for manufacturing resources; and Virtools to display the 3D Digital Production experience, as well as technology from several partners.  At today’s Paris-held “1^st Forum of SYSTEM@TIC Paris-Region Competitiveness Cluster,” DS will show the first demos of its breakthrough developments together with its partners of the DIGITAL PRODUCTION System@tic project.