Autodesk acquires T-Spline tech

Autodesk’s buying binge is not over yet for 2011, as the company announced early today that it has acquired “certain technology-related assets from T-Splines Inc., a privately-held surface modeling software company … Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.” SVP, Manufacturing Industry at Autodesk, Buzz Kross said that the technology will broaden the company’s solutions by enabling them to offer “more flexible free-form modeling [that] will help achieve even closer integration between industrial design and engineering workflows.”

You’ve probably heard of or used T-Spline’s software, even if you don’t realize it. The company patented its T-Splines technology, which it characterizes as “a new way of representing geometry that allows designers and engineers to add detail and control 3D models in ways that were previously impossible.” The company’s board includes industry heavy hitters Bob McNeel of Robert McNeel & Associates, makers of Rhino; Keith Mountain of Dassault Systemes’ Spatial; Frank Azzolino, former CEO of Eigner and other PLMish companies; and Dr. Thomas Sederberg, inventor of the T-Splines concept in 2003.

T-Splines plug-ins for SolidWorks and Rhino have been involved in some extremely cool designs from companies as diverse as BMW, Bose, Burton Snowboards, Dell Computer, Mattel and many more — a design gallery is at http://www.tsplines.com/applications.html — with applications in building design, naval architecture and consumer products design. Bringing this technology into the Autodesk family of products can only be good.

A couple of things are still unclear after this announcement: will the SolidWorks and Rhino plug-ins continue to be supported? What remains of T-Splines Inc. after the acquisition? Are any of the key staff joining Autodesk? Once I find out, I’ll update this post.