Lawrence Tech Students Develop Winning Designs Using Dassault Systèmes’ CATIA

Solutions and Student Projects Being Demonstrated During NAIAS 2012

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., January 9, 2012 --  Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) announced today that Lawrence Technological University (LTU) Transportation Design students have created award-winning designs with the company’s CATIA design authoring solution. Student Colin Bonathan won first place from the Wheels Task Force of the Steel Market Development Institute for his unique steel wheel design developed and analyzed using CATIA and its finite element analysis capabilities.  Bonathan’s design is on display during the North American International Auto Show in the Lawrence Tech booth.

The LTU booth will also feature Dassault Systèmes’ new CATIA Natural Sketch solution, a breakthrough 3D sketching experience that joins together the intuitiveness of creative 2D painting gestures with the power of accurate, realistic 3D modeling. For most designers, sketching is the medium of choice to express their ideas. By making sketching in 3D as intuitive as sketching on paper, CATIA Natural Sketch removes barriers towards 3D creation.

3D sketching was recently introduced to the LTU transportation design students and freshman Greg VanderVoord commented, “We all found CATIA Natural Sketch to be innovative, easy to use and a lot more efficient than the tools being used today. It is awesome to see your 2D sketch transformed into 3D surfaces right before your eyes.”

Keith Nagara, director of Lawrence Tech’s Transportation Design program, said, “Our program offers an environment that cultivates innovation where students quickly recognize the value that new design tools can offer. With CATIA Natural Sketch, the students readily embraced the solution, influencing the instructors on how valuable a tool it is.”

The Lawrence Tech Transportation Design program was initiated in 2007 at the request of automotive industry OEMs who were seeking designers with more technical aptitude. Each class is assigned a vehicle project for the year, which is then championed by an executive designer from each of the sponsoring companies.

CATIA was established as LTU’s premiere design authoring tool with the freshman class of 2010-11.

“We are honored to be a key partner in LTU’s design program,” said Phil Borchard, CATIA Shape and Styling specialist, Dassault Systèmes. “Use of CATIA in its program not only provides students with expanded creative capability, but also delivers the technical skills students will need to make the transition from academia to the private sector, helping them secure employment.”