CAE roll-ups continue, with Siemens and Altair active

CAE roll-ups continue, with Siemens and Altair active

Apr 1, 2019 | Hot Topics

I work with a lot of investors and software companies, and perhaps the most common question I am asked is, what’s left to acquire? It’s rare that an industrial company acquires a simulation provider (as Juul did when it snapped up Envenio); this is usually...
When control systems fail …

When control systems fail …

Mar 28, 2019 | Hot Topics

When control systems fail … We were driving along, quite safely or so I thought. Nothing to see here, just piloting down the middle of our lane, about to merge onto the highway. There were a few cars in the road, but none close when the car started going nuts....
Free SolidWorks for displaced auto workers

Free SolidWorks for displaced auto workers

Mar 26, 2019 | Hot Topics

Free SolidWorks for displaced auto workers Just came across this blog post and thought it deserves wider visibility: “Workers displaced by plant closure can leverage their industry knowledge and secure a brighter future by gaining SOLIDWORKS CAD skills. DASI is...
It’s Pi Day – do some math!

It’s Pi Day – do some math!

Mar 14, 2019 | Hot Topics

Today is 3.14 — shorthand for the mathematical constant π (aka pi), which you may remember as the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. In college, friends could recite pi out to umpteen decimal places; I’m happy with 2. I didn’t...
Quickie: ESI’s revenue up 3% in fiscal 2019

Quickie: ESI’s revenue up 3% in fiscal 2019

Mar 7, 2019 | Hot Topics

ESI just reported revenue for the quarter and year ended 31 January — and the news is good: Total revenue for the year was €139 million, up 3% as reported (up 4% in constant currencies, cc) For the year, license revenue was €110 million, up 4% as reported and...
Maritime slowwlllyyyy enters the 21st century

Maritime slowwlllyyyy enters the 21st century

Mar 7, 2019 | Hot Topics

Many of you may know that I’m a naval architect by training and, despite a career more related to software than ships, I’m still part of a proud seafaring tradition. Building and operating ships is fascinating! And, lately, it’s coming up more and...
CAE roll-ups continue, with Siemens and Altair active

Bentley invests in digital twins for water infrastructure

Mar 1, 2019 | Hot Topics

So much news …. Amidst a lot of earnings comes this, from Bentley Systems: Bentley today said that it has invested an undisclosed amount in Digital Water Works, a company that makes digital twin solutions for “smart wet infrastructure” (my quotes),...
Quickie: ESI’s revenue up 3% in fiscal 2019

DS’ 2018 sets the stage for expansion in 2019

Feb 27, 2019 | Hot Topics

Dassault Systèmes announced results for Q4 and fiscal 2018 just as I was boarding a plane earlier this month, and I only had time to post a very quick recap of the highlights as I saw them then. This week brings us earnings from ANSYS (tonight/tomorrow morning), as...
Career management for CAD types

Career management for CAD types

Feb 25, 2019 | Hot Topics

I absolutely love what Matt Lombard just wrote in his latest blog, https://dezignstuff.com/its-better-to-have-multiple-tools-available/. His main thesis is this: … [T]here also comes a point where you need to diversify a little. That point has to come before you...
CAE roll-ups continue, with Siemens and Altair active

Hexagon adds Thermopylae to its geospatial biz

Feb 25, 2019 | Hot Topics

Another week, another acquisition: Hexagon says it will buy Thermopylae Sciences and Technology, a software provider of geospatial applications, mobile frameworks and cloud computing for enhanced location intelligence, primarily to the US government and other defense...