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Oqton raises over $40 million investment for its digital manufacturing platform

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Oqton, an American-Belgian software company specialising in artificial intelligence-powered solutions for the manufacturing industry, has raised more than $40 million in a Series A financing round, led by Fortino Capital, a leading B2B software investor, by PMV, the regional Flemish investment fund, and by Sandvik, a global engineering group.

The founding team – Samir Hanna and Ben Schrauwen – and several angel investors, including Carl Bass, who is the former CEO Autodesk, Dries Buytaert, of Drupal and Acquia, and Peter Mercelis, of Layerwise, also participated in the round.

The financing will be used to further develop its platform, while expanding its commercial partnerships in multiple domains and verticals, including additive manufacturing, robotic welding, and CNC machining. [Read more…] about Oqton raises over $40 million investment for its digital manufacturing platform

Autodesk University 2018 kicks off in Las Vegas

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10,000 architects, designers, engineers and digital artists have gathered this week in Las Vegas, USA, for Autodesk University (AU), the annual Autodesk, Inc. conference for over four days of learning, networking and knowledge sharing.

In the AU General Session, Autodesk President and CEO Andrew Anagnost will share his perspective on how automation, the convergence of design and make technologies, and the changing nature of work can unlock opportunities to do more, better, with less negative impact on the world.

He will be joined by several guests, including Autodesk CTO Scott Bourdin, Autodesk Director of Robotics Erin Bradner, and author of “Imagine It Forward” and former GE Vice Chair, Beth Comstock.

[Read more…] about Autodesk University 2018 kicks off in Las Vegas

Autodesk showcasing its generative design technology at IMTS

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Autodesk is showcasing a number of products and recent updates that it says are “powering the convergence of design and manufacturing”.

The company has a huge range of software which are used in architecture and construction, and increasingly in the manufacturing industry.

Among the new Autodesk developments on show at IMTS are listed below.  [Read more…] about Autodesk showcasing its generative design technology at IMTS

Autodesk to showcase automation features of its generative design software in India

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Autodesk is preparing to demonstrate the automation features of its design software at an event in India, which includes “generative design” – where the software creates designs by itself.

The company says the fifth edition of its Autodesk University India will “showcase the future of making driven by automation and 3D design technology”.

The event is expected to be attended by 1,200+ professionals from architecture and construction, design and manufacturing, media and entertainment industries.  [Read more…] about Autodesk to showcase automation features of its generative design software in India

Autodesk uses Lego method to develop modular assembly system for real factories

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Software maker Autodesk is using machine learning and lessons learned from Lego to develop robotic systems for modular assembly in the real world. 

Lego, as most people will know, is the company which makes small toy bricks and other objects which can be connected to each other in simple ways to create complex structures, such as toy houses, cars and so on.

Most adults will have played with Lego at some point in their lives, and the companies toys are still popular with today’s kids.

The Lego world has always interested other companies, some of which have copied the to create modular systems in many areas, including large-scale real building construction.  [Read more…] about Autodesk uses Lego method to develop modular assembly system for real factories

Lightweighting: How GM and Autodesk are using generative design for vehicles of the future

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Autodesk and General Motors have been working together to develop new technologies for engineering design, as Bill Danon reports (see video below)

General Motors’ auto engineers have been heavyweights in vehicle lightweighting for years.

Just since 2016, GM has launched 14 new vehicle models with a total mass reduction of over 5000 pounds or more than 350 pounds per vehicle.

The lighter the car, the less fuel it uses, the less carbon it emits and the more money the driver saves. Pretty important stuff.  [Read more…] about Lightweighting: How GM and Autodesk are using generative design for vehicles of the future

Computers on wheels: An insight into how computers are making cars in their own image

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When Robotics and Automation News interviewed Professor Ralf Herrtwich, the boss of autonomous driving technology at Daimler Mercedes-Benz, one of the many interesting insights he gave us was about the nature of car making these days. 

Herrtwich said that, while building cars is still mainly a mechanical process, developing them is overwhelmingly about software.

“Both at OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and suppliers,” said Herrtwich, “software engineering and coding constitute a huge and ever-growing portion of the work.”  [Read more…] about Computers on wheels: An insight into how computers are making cars in their own image

General Motors uses AI-based generative design technology to reduce vehicle weight

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General Motors is using new, advanced software design technology to introduce the next generation of vehicle lightweighting. The technology is key to developing efficient and lighter alternative propulsion and zero emission vehicles.

GM is the first automaker in North America to use new generative design software technology from software company Autodesk.

It uses cloud computing and AI-based algorithms to rapidly explore multiple permutations of a part design, generating hundreds of high-performance, often organic-looking geometric design options based on goals and parameters set by the user, such as weight, strength, material choice, fabrication method, and more. The user then determines the best part design option.

[Read more…] about General Motors uses AI-based generative design technology to reduce vehicle weight

Formlabs integrates with Autodesk’s generative design software, Netfabb

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Formlabs, the designer and manufacturer of 3D printing systems, is to streamline its user integration with Autodesk’s Netfabb Software.

Users in Netfabb will be able to connect directly to PreForm, Formlabs’ print preparation software, create and modify their own support strategy to optimize parts for the Form 2 and easily hollow and add lattice structures and perforation holes to their models to save print time and materials use.

Users of Netfabb within PreForm will be able to use Netfabb mesh repair, and, for the Fuse 1 SLS 3D printer, 2D and 3D packing algorithms will optimally place parts within the build volume.

[Read more…] about Formlabs integrates with Autodesk’s generative design software, Netfabb

Autodesk to bundle Nastran simulation and manufacturing software free with Inventor

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Autodesk is planning to include simulation and computer-aided manufacturing software into its Inventor mechanical design suite of applications, according to a report on Engineering.com. 

Autodesk Inventor is generally used by engineers in mechanical design, and was available for $2,500 a year through the company’s website.

Autodesk’s senior director of manufacturing business strategy, Stephen Hooper, told Engineering.com that the company would now include Nastran and HSMWorks in an Inventor suite.  [Read more…] about Autodesk to bundle Nastran simulation and manufacturing software free with Inventor