“CoCreate customers can rest assured that their technology is safe with PTC,” says Jim Heppelmann, executive vice president, Software Solutions and Chief Product Officer at PTC. In a recent 2-day media event, Heppelmann outlined why the company that innovated parametric modeling bought another CAD company—and how everyone wins when once-rival approaches to 3D modeling celebrate their differences.

Parametric versus explicit

CoCreate pioneered the explicit modeling approach to product design, and for much of the past 20 years industry insiders have argued passionately over whether parametric or explicit is best. But recently, analysts have begun to suggest that the winning approach depended entirely on a designer’s circumstances.

PTC soon saw the possibilities, too. In fact, PTC saw a market opportunity. If a vendor offered both parametric and explicit modeling, customers could choose the best fit for their needs. Plus, PTC could provide a powerful growth path with PLM, calculation tools, technical documentation software, and more.

But why CoCreate?
When it comes to explicit modeling, CoCreate is the best in its class. The company not only innovated a more flexible approach to 3D design, it commands 80% the market for non-parametric modelers. With this positive attribute PTC also found, in CoCreate, a company with a very profitable business model.

When explicit modeling is the right choice
During the media event, Uli Mahle, vice president of R&D and Marketing, CoCreate Product Line, introduced press and analysts to scenarios where explicit modeling proves ideal:

• One-off design—Where new development is straight forward and fast, with little pre-planning or upfront investment.

• Exploratory design—Where even major design changes must be adapted at any stage of the process.

• Ad hoc design collaboration—Where lightweight designs can be manipulated by anyone in a straight forward fashion and no understanding of complex design intent is required.

Marc von Amsberg, Mechanical Engineering manager, Okuma Corporation, a longstanding CoCreate customer, provided a real-life example of a company for whom CoCreate Modeling brings the most value.

OKUMA, a market leader in development of computer numeric controls (CNC) and machining, creates custom products for many of its North and South American customers. Design specs change frequently as customers, distributors, and various internal departments each contribute new information that impact the designs throughout development. Yet deadlines and levels of customer satisfaction remain non-negotiable.

PTC grows the CoCreate product family in 2008
In 2008, PTC plans extensions for its CoCreate products. During the media event, Mahle showcased the future of CoCreate Modeling. Plans include a more intuitive and easy-to-use capabilities. The true team design potential of CoCreate Model Manager will be strengthened with improvements to deployment, interaction performance, and usability. In particular, Task Agent users will enjoy powerful extensions.

What the press says
3D CAD users can expect more options now that PTC has acquired CoCreate. But don’t take our word for it. Here’s what the press said after the media event:

Despite its billing as a Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 4.0 Launch, there was lots of buzz at the annual PTC press event was about CoCreate…. "There are 2 types of modelers and we are inventors of both of them," said a proud Jim Heppelmann, executive vice president of PTC.
CAD Insider, Roopinder Tara

PTC … made an aggressive case for both approaches today … it shed light on its strategy behind its acquisition of CoCreate Software. Jim Heppelmann, PTC’s executive vice president and chief product officer, provided some pretty specific guidelines that point to when parametric technology makes sense and when direct or what PTC is calling, “explicit” modeling is the better approach.
As Hepplemann laid out the roadmap, he admitted to the audience of international press and analysts that “he didn’t ever envision standing here saying there was a role for an explicit modeling tool.” But today, he’s convinced there is, in part because of what he learned from CoCreate customers as they pursued the acquisition. PTC Gets Explicit About CAD, Beth Stackpole, Design News

“CoCreate customers now know their technology has found safe haven,” says Heppelmann,” and we’re committed to continuing this product line, now called PTC CoCreate. These customers also now have available to them a PLM suite to wrap around that explicit modeling environment.”

When a company buys a 3D CAD tool, the most basic question is what type modeler to use. PTC says it can now rise above the resulting vendor war of words and recommend based on the merits of the case.

In this view, parametric modeling is most appropriate when product design resembles what is essentially a repeatable recipe. On the other hand, explicit modeling is more appropriate for something like one-off design. “[…], explicit modeling is fundamentally easier, at about one-third the work, because it doesn’t involve parameters and features. The ‘history’ doesn’t get in the way so it’s appropriate for engineering a brand new concept with little connection to previous approaches. It really is a matter of form versus function.” Manufacturing Business Today

Summary

The whole event was a great endorsement to the acquisition of CoCreate. Analysts and media alike could feel the energy and buzz surrounding the future of the CoCreate product family. They could bathe in the motivation that oozed from each presenter. The CoCreate product family has a solid and exciting future.