SPG Company develops licensed apparel and consumer products for manufacturers and product companies, managing design and development through manufacturing and retail distribution. As its portfolio and customer base expanded, the company needed a PLM platform that could support its licensed product business at scale.

Over time, SPG’s legacy PLM system became more complex and customized, which affected performance and scalability. The company faced slow response times, inconsistent data, and workflow bottlenecks that affected downstream teams and extended development timelines. By moving to FlexPLM, SPG plans to improve data accuracy, support cross-functional collaboration, streamline workflows, and shorten product development cycles to better support future growth.

With FlexPLM and the rest of its portfolio, PTC supports its Intelligent Product Lifecycle approach by helping companies build a product data foundation and use that data across the enterprise. With a product data foundation, companies like SPG can also support AI-driven initiatives across their organization. Using product data more broadly can help companies improve product quality, shorten time to market, manage product complexity, and meet regulatory and compliance requirements.

For more information, please visit ptc.com.

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The company said the GX1 delivers 5-10 mm global accuracy for topographic surveying and building and infrastructure construction. Emesent said it can reduce site survey time by as much as 95%, cutting work that previously took weeks to a single day of scanning.

The GX1 is an integrated, all-in-one system that combines lidar, RTK, cameras and software to support a workflow from capture to validated deliverable. It brings SLAM technology used in challenging environments to everyday surveying applications and reduces the tradeoff between mobile scanning speed and survey-grade accuracy for survey firms and the architecture, engineering and construction industry.

Suited for topographic and road surveys, scan-to-BIM workflows, construction progress tracking and other uses, the GX1 is designed to be easy for junior surveyors to learn and deploy within days while meeting the needs of experienced users.

• Accuracy survey firms can trust: Emesent says GX1 is a SLAM-based mobile scanning system that delivers 5 mm to 10 mm global accuracy with rapid scanning. The system combines integrated RTK, a client-focused design and Emesent’s SLAM algorithm to support repeatable results.
• Backed by Emesent’s SLAM algorithm: Emesent says its SLAM technology, also used in the Hovermap product, was developed and validated in GPS-denied environments, including underground locations. The company says it delivers repeatable accuracy indoors and outdoors across a range of environments.
• Flexible georeferencing and deployment: GX1 has four deployment modes: backpack, survey pole, vehicle mount and supported handheld. Emesent says users can georeference with RTK in the field or use ground control points and checkpoints in postprocessing to reduce return visits.

Emesent says the launch comes as survey firms and the AEC industry face a shortage of experienced surveyors and increased demand for faster results without sacrificing quality.

GX1 technical features

• Independently validated 5-10 mm global accuracy
• Integrated RTK georeferencing with real-time quality monitoring
• Four 20-megapixel cameras for 360-degree panoramic imagery
• Emesent SLAM algorithm
• Four deployment modes: backpack, survey pole, vehicle mount, handheld
• Integrated batteries for cable-free operation
• Rapid accuracy validation reports in Aura processing software

To learn more about Emesent, please visit emesent.com.

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Growing demand for high-performance computing, gaming, and AI platforms is driving memory and GPU vendors to adopt GDDR7, but the transition is creating significant validation challenges. GDDR7’s shift from traditional NRZ to pulse amplitude modulation (PAM3) encoding enables higher bandwidth while reducing channel complexity, but it requires new test approaches to ensure signal integrity and interoperability at ultra-high data rates. Keysight’s GDDR7 transmitter test solution addresses this bottleneck, enabling organizations to validate designs while accelerating time-to-market.

The Keysight GDDR7 transmitter test solution consists of D9370GDDC software that runs on Keysight’s UXR oscilloscope series and automates debug and characterization of GDDR7 transmitter designs to ensure compliance with JEDEC JESD239 specifications. When paired with the InfiniiMax Ultra Probe Amplifier, 25 GHz, the solution enables accurate PAM3 signal analysis and timing measurements, allowing engineers to validate and optimize high-speed memory transmitter designs for next-generation GPUs and memory devices.

Key benefits of the Keysight GDDR7 compliance test solution include:

• Validates PAM3 signaling under real-world conditions: Advanced signal-to-noise-and-distortion ratio (SNDR) measurements account for crosstalk, enabling engineers to identify and resolve signal integrity issues.
• Reduces validation time and risk: Automated compliance testing eliminates manual setup and configuration while delivering consistent, repeatable measurements across electrical, timing, jitter, and eye diagrams, helping teams achieve JESD239 compliance faster and with fewer errors.
• Design with confidence at 48 Gbps: A low noise measurement floor enables accurate jitter, electrical, and timing analysis of PAM3 encoding, empowering customers to validate next-generation high-speed interfaces reliably and meet performance targets faster.

The GDDR7 test solution can be paired with Keysight’s UXR oscilloscope and MX0025A InfiniiMax Ultra Probe Amplifier, 25 GHz for system debug, validation, and characterization.

The new solution will be demonstrated at Keysight’s booth (#1039) at DesignCon 2026, Feb. 24-26.

For more information, visit keysight.com.

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This award represents the highest recognition within the global channel partner ecosystem, honoring exceptional performance, growth, and strategic partnership across both software and services.

The recognition caps a landmark year for SimuTech Group, marked by record‑breaking results, successful integration following the SimuTech–Ozen Engineering merger, and continued leadership in delivering simulation‑driven innovation.

A year of global recognition and performance excellence

In addition to being named Worldwide Channel Partner of the Year, SimuTech Group received multiple regional and global honors in 2025 — including awards for Americas Channel Partner of the Year, marketing leadership, new customer acquisition (driven in large part by the legacy Ozen Engineering team), and sales excellence across both regional and worldwide categories.

Together, these recognitions reflect SimuTech Group’s ability to deliver end-to-end value — from enterprise software deployment and advanced simulation consulting to training, enablement, and long-term customer success.

Strategic partnerships powering industry impact

SimuTech Group’s 2025 recognition highlights the company’s role in enabling large‑scale, high‑impact engineering programs through deep collaboration with customers and technology partners. At the global sales conference, SimuTech leadership co‑presented alongside Synopsys executives on strategic partnership initiatives, showcasing customer engagements that represent some of the largest and most complex simulation programs in the global channel ecosystem.

Looking ahead to 2026

With momentum from a record-setting year and multiple top-tier recognitions, SimuTech Group enters 2026 focused on expanding its global reach, advancing digital engineering capabilities, and helping customers solve increasingly complex engineering challenges through simulation-driven innovation.

For more information, visit simutechgroup.com.

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Sivers’ Cloudchaser chipset includes the BLUEWAY1721 receive beamforming IC and the STAMPEDE2731/ STAMPEDE2731LP transmit beamforming ICs. Cloudchaser enables electronically-steered antenna systems for ground terminals with support for two simultaneous beams. Multi-beam support enables ‘make-before-break’ and two simultaneous links across satellites, orbits and networks. The transmit beamforming IC is offered in two variants, supporting high and medium output power levels. This feature helps customers optimize their user terminal size, configuration complexity and energy footprint.

To reduce customer design time, Sivers’ is also making available the Maverick (BFM02701 and BFM02702) Ka-band transmit and receive array panels. The Maverick platform integrates the Cloudchaser chipset with antenna arrays in a compact flat-panel design to simplify development of electronically-steered SATCOM terminals.

Sivers Semiconductors will be showcasing these solutions at MWC Barcelona 2026. Visit us at Hall 5, Stand 5E2.

For more information, visit sivers-semiconductors.com.

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This integration allows operators and service providers to centralize network and service management across multi-network, multi-platform, and multi-vendor environments, including third-party systems. A standardized API layer enables Intuition, alongside ST Engineering iDirect’s other platforms, to interoperate with external OSS/BSS systems and third-party applications, simplifying integration and reducing operational complexity as services scale. Integration with ST Engineering iDirect’s existing platforms will roll out throughout 2026, extending Intuition’s single-pane-of-glass experience across all networks.

ST Engineering iDirect will leverage G&S SatConnect to introduce a service management and OSS/BSS layer within Intuition, bridging network operations with service definition, delivery, and lifecycle management. Through a single interface, customers gain a unified operational and commercial platform for network and service management, enabling seamless network configuration, faster service rollouts, and scalable, differentiated satellite services.

The combined capabilities of Intuition’s unified network and service management and G&S SatConnect deliver measurable efficiency and cost benefits by standardizing workflows across network and service operations. This integration provides cross-platform observability and end-to-end operational control, enabling satellite operators and service providers to reduce migration risks, enhance customer experiences, and respond more quickly to changing market demands while minimizing the need for custom development and integration projects.

For more information, visit idirect.net.

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TrakSYS 14 extends the platform with cloud-connected management, embedded AI-powered insights, and new enterprise solution lifecycle tooling, addressing long-standing challenges manufacturers face as MES environments expand across sites, systems, and teams.

Unlike traditional MES upgrades focused on incremental features, TrakSYS 14 represents a deliberate architectural evolution—one that supports modern IT/OT strategies while preserving the flexibility required on the factory floor.

A platform built for scale, governance, and intelligence

At the core of TrakSYS 14 is deep integration with TrakSYS Cloud, Parsec’s secure SaaS control plane for managing TrakSYS environments. TrakSYS Cloud provides centralized visibility into licenses, system health, and backups—reducing operational overhead while laying the foundation for future cloud-enabled MES capabilities.

TrakSYS 14 also introduces IQ Assistant, the first AI-powered capability embedded directly into the TrakSYS MES experience. IQ Assistant allows users to interact with manufacturing data using natural language—asking questions, investigating performance issues, generating charts and tables, and summarizing findings without navigating complex dashboards or building custom reports.

TrakSYS 14 includes the debut of Solution Studio, enabling manufacturers and system integrators to develop, version, and promote standardized MES solutions across environments while preserving site-specific configuration. This structured approach replaces error-prone copy-and-paste methods with governed lifecycle management—supporting faster rollouts, safer changes, and long-term maintainability.

Additional platform enhancements in TrakSYS 14 include native Sparkplug B over MQTT support for structured IIoT data exchange, containerized services for modern deployment strategies, and cloud-managed repositories that allow teams to reuse containers and AI views across sites.

Enabling the next phase of manufacturing modernization

For Parsec, TrakSYS 14 reinforces a long-term strategy centered on platform scalability, intelligence, and operational resilience.

Availability

TrakSYS 14 is available immediately. New customers deploying TrakSYS 14 receive access to TrakSYS Cloud, with additional capabilities available based on configuration and licensing. Existing customers can upgrade to TrakSYS 14 in accordance with Parsec’s standard release and support policies.

For more information, including detailed release highlights, is available at www.parsec-corp.com/whats-new.

Digital launch event

To provide a deeper look at TrakSYS 14, Parsec will host a live digital launch event on February 25, 2026, at 11:00 AM PST. Registration is available here.

During the event, Parsec’s product and engineering leaders will walk through the key capabilities introduced in TrakSYS 14, including TrakSYS Cloud, TrakSYS IQ Assistant, and new solution lifecycle tooling in TrakSYS Solution Studio. Attendees will see how these capabilities work together to support scalable, governed, and intelligent MES deployments across multi-site manufacturing environments.

For more information, visit parsec-corp.com.

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First, some final updates from 3DExperience World 2026, the Dassault Systèmes user conference that took place earlier this month in Houston, Texas.

We heard (and saw) a lot about AI at the show. You can now read more about the AI features slated for Solidworks in 10 AI tools coming to Solidworks in 2026. There are four bonus AI features in there, too (two may not be ready this year and two are for xDesign).

Here’s one more bonus AI feature, this time for Simulia: Users will be able to set up and run simulations with natural language. Manish Kumar, Solidworks CEO, showed a demo on stage where Leo (one of Dassault’s three virtual companions) was prompted to perform a drop test on a medical device. I’ve been told that capability is targeted for general availability in 2027.

And now let’s say hello to a new engineering software startup, with a very special gimmick: it has nothing to do with AI (yet).

Hello HelloTriangle

“Hello World” is the quintessential output for those learning a programming language. HelloTriangle riffs on that cliché for its Python-based 3D modeling and meshing platform.

“You run easy Python code in your browser, and that combines both the parametric geometry immediately with the mesh generation that you need for physics-based simulations,” Peter Mortier, founder and CEO of HelloTriangle, told me.

Mortier previously co-founded a med tech simulation company called FEops, and he was frustrated with what he saw as two bottlenecks in simulation: the repetitive and tedious nature of preparing and processing data, and the inability to share results effectively.

HelloTriange aims to address both. Unlike a typical 3D modeling program with a graphical user interface, HelloTriangle generates mesh geometry purely with Python code. For example, this is the code that generates a triangle:

points = [[0.0, 0.0, 0.0],

          [1.0, 0.0, 0.0],

          [0.0, 1.0, 0.0]]

elements = [[0, 1, 2]]

triangle_mesh = Mesh(points, elements)

draw(triangle_mesh, name=‘triangle’)

Naturally, HelloTriangle can also generate more interesting objects, like this example of a hexahedral mesh for a laser cut stent (Mortier’s med tech background pokes through in many of his examples). The Python code for the stent (see link) is readily adjustable, making it easy to change parameters for both the geometry and mesh density.

“What we do here is we combine geometry creation with meshing in one go,” Mortier said. “So you don’t create your geometry in Solidworks and then go to another meshing tool.”

HelloTriangle doesn’t offer its own simulation solvers, but aims to be solver agnostic, according to Mortier.

“We want to work together with the big solvers, the commonly used ones, LS-Dyna, Ansys, Dassault Systèmes Abaqus, and then when the results are ready, we want to bring them back,” Mortier said. “We are initially focused more on Abaqus, but soon we’ll expand to others.”

Once simulation results come back, HelloTriangle users can easily share them. It’s as simple as sending a link. Recipients can view the interactive 3D geometry and simulation results directly in their browser, no login or subscription required. The Python code is hidden. In the future, HelloTriangle plans to add additional collaboration features like comments, annotations and shared scripts.

“You can now just render in the browser and then share with anyone,” Mortier said. No more screenshots and slide decks.

And now to the AI of it all. You may have already put two and two together on this one—HelloTriangle is a geometry programming language and AI is adept at generating code. Guess what comes next.

“We will soon add an AI copilot on top of it, so you can just write with a human language prompt what you want to do,” Mortier said. “That doesn’t generate the 3D model, it generates the piece of Python code that you still have full control [of] as an engineer.”

Though it’s early days for the startup, Mortier says HelloTriangle already has a handful of customers and has received positive feedback so far. It’s currently priced at €468/year (~US$554/year). If you’re interested in checking it out, there’s a 14-day free trial.

Quick hits

• A couple weeks ago I mentioned a survey from Revolution in Simulation (aka Rev-Sim) on AI-based generative design. Rev-Sim since reached out to tell me they had inadvertently gated the survey, but now it’s wide open. You can participate here.
• CoreTechnologie has released the latest version of its CAD data converter, 3D_Evolution 4.9. The release adds the ability to convert and compare product manufacturing information across CAD formats.
• Never a dull day at Autodesk. The developer is suing Google over the name Flow, which Autodesk uses for its media and entertainment industry cloud and Google uses for its AI video generator.

One last link

From Engineering.com senior editor Ian Wright: Is additive good for defense or is it the other way around?

Got news, tips, comments, or complaints? Send them my way: malba@wtwhmedia.com.

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There’s no question that the two biggest industries for additive manufacturing (AM) are medical devices and aerospace. At this point, the reasons for this are well understood: you can basically sum them up as the platitude that AM works best in high-mix, low-volume applications.

Setting these industries aside, the next most fecund ground for 3D printing technology is found in defense—not just as a subset of aerospace, but as its own sector. Defense applications for AM include naval ships, armored fighting vehicles (AFVs), and small arms, as well as the usual aerospace lot (e.g., drones).

What’s interesting (at least to me) is that many of the above examples are not quite as high-mix, low-volume as one might expect from a typical AM use case. Sure, we’re not building hundreds or even dozens of naval vessels—at least, not yet—but, compared to your average medical or aerospace AM part, the variety is considerably lower. Then there are the applications involving AFVs or firearms, where volumes are significantly higher than in AM’s two primary sectors.

What is it about defense that makes it such a seemingly ripe market for AM growth? 3D Systems recently announced that its aerospace and defense (A&D) business grew over 15% in 2025 and forecasts that this growth will accelerate to over 20% this year.

“Recent U.S. policy developments, including NDAA provisions, provide an additional tailwind that aligns closely with our ongoing domestic investments,” said Jeffrey Graves, president and CEO of 3D Systems, in the press release. That’s at the end of a rather long quote, and it almost sounds like an afterthought, but I suspect that it’s actually the most important part.

2026 NDAA blocks AM machine procurement from select countries

In case you hadn’t heard: Section 880 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for this year prohibits the Department of Defense from operating, procuring, or contracting with companies using “foreign-made additive manufacturing machines.” This prohibition includes software and post-processing equipment, and the countries identified as “foreign” for the purposes of this prohibition are China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

Now, to my own (admittedly limited) knowledge, three of those four countries are not home to any major players in the AM industry. That suggests it’s reasonable to conclude that the real target of this provision is China, which has seen prolific growth in 3D printing (technology) and additive manufacturing (industry) in recent years. While the biggest Chinese AM success stories come from desktop makers, such as Bambu Lab and Creality, companies focusing on industrial markets, such as BLT and Farsoon, have also been making considerable headway.

It’s worth noting that there are caveats that allow for the operation and procurement for “foreign” (i.e., Chinese) AM machines, such as “testing, analysis, and training related to intelligence, electronic warfare, and information warfare” as well as the option for the Secretary of Defense to waive the prohibitions on a case-by-case basis when such operations or procurement are “required in the national interest of the United States.”

Nevertheless, the 2026 NDAA decisively sides against the Chinese AM industry when it comes to the biggest defense sector spender in the world. This would appear to vindicate a hypothesis I’ve been entertaining since last year: the growth in additive manufacturing for defense isn’t because additive is good for the defense sector, but rather because the defense sector is good for the (Western) AM industry.

To put it another way, if you’re an AM supplier based in Europe or North America (or Israel), you might naturally be concerned with how quickly your Chinese competitors are gaining on you, both in terms of market share and technological capabilities.

What better place to concentrate your efforts than in a sector that those competitors are legally barred from entering?

Defense for additive manufacturing

As much enthusiasm as I have for technology, I also tend toward cynicism when it comes to the business side of things. With that in mind, I wanted to get a sanity check on this idea that the growth of AM in defense has more to do with business prospects than technological fit. I sat down with Steve McKee, technical fellow for advanced manufacturing and repair for defense at Wohlers Associates and former director of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

I asked whether he believes AM adoption in defense is being driven by the technology’s capabilities domestically or competition with China, and he said, “I really believe that it’s a combination of both. I think what we’ll continue to see is an acceleration of the evolution of those capabilities in terms of throughput, speed, and material properties across different types of 3D printers and other advanced manufacturing techniques.”

McKee’s mention of other advanced manufacturing techniques reminded me of a point Tali Rosman made in her webinar on additive manufacturing for defense last year about the loss of domestic casting and forging capacity since the turn of the century. That’s obviously had a significant impact on the defense industrial base, but the question is whether AM can fill that void.

“Maybe we need to reimagine the platform and not be so beholden to casting and forging,” McKee said in response. “There may be an alternative approach, and if you look at the current events and conflicts out there, the opportunity that additive manufacturing offers is the idea of reimagining some of our weapon systems.”

More specifically, there’s the question of how a technology as nuanced as 3D printing—especially metal 3D printing—can integrate into military supply chains, particularly when it comes to the necessary technical skills to utilize AM effectively in field deployments.

“You can’t just train somebody by saying, ‘Okay, I want you to hit the green button and print,’ on a 3D printer downrange,” McKee noted. “It’s a lot more complicated than that, and it requires a lot of change management: What are the policies? What’s the doctrine? Where do I position these assets?”

Despite enthusiasm within the industry and its growth within the defense sector, 3D printing as a technology is not a panacea for the manufacturing and supply chain challenges the sector is currently facing. By a similar token, defense ought not to be taken as the easiest or best path forward for the AM industry’s growth. When I asked McKee about the biggest challenges for AM in defense, he cited the importance of cross-border collaboration, something that seems increasingly difficult to achieve these days.

“The timelines and the linear nature by which we’ve set many of these processes up can absolutely be collapsed or flipped on their heads with additive solutions,” he said. “So, we are seeing an acceleration, but the biggest challenge is we’re going to have to become much more imaginative as we look at employing these platforms.

“How can we understand the qualification of some of these parts, as all of the starting materials and equipment and everything else changes? There will be a continued acceleration, and figuring out how to orchestrate that across national boundaries is critically important, because no one’s cornered the market, nor will they on all of that knowledge.”

Whether AM is good for defense or vice versa, it seems likely that the majority of the Western industry’s growth will continue to come from that sector, at least in the near term. What interests me now is whether that means that Western AM suppliers will double down on their efforts to grow in this sector—potentially at the expense of focus on other areas, such as energy or automotive—and whether we’ll see the major Chinese players shift their emphasis to those more open areas, as well as defense applications outside the United States, in response.

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Industrial operators face market shifts, cyber security risks, regulatory requirements and workforce changes. ABB says the program is intended to help add advanced analytics and IoT integration while limiting disruption to production and supporting a range of user skill levels.

Operators can continue using ABB systems such as ABB Ability System 800xA, ABB Ability Symphony Plus and ABB Freelance while introducing new technologies in stages without interrupting operations. This approach supports a structured transition to updated capabilities while maintaining ongoing production.

The Automation Extended program is implemented through an open, modular environment designed to support interoperability, scalability and integration across industrial domains. Based on separation of concerns principles, the automation ecosystem includes two distinct yet securely interconnected environments:

• The control environment, a software-defined domain that delivers deterministic control for critical processes.
• The digital environment, securely connected to the control layer, that supports advanced applications, edge intelligence and real time analytics. This environment uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for decision support without changing established control structures.

A single automation service approach is applied for lifecycle management and ongoing maintenance across both environments.

By integrating technologies such as an OPC UA backbone and a cloud-native architecture for managing both environments using containerization, orchestration and modular services the ecosystem supports functions including detection of process anomalies, condition-based monitoring of critical assets and modular engineering methods that can be deployed across different hardware platforms. Access to Automation Extended will be enabled through the next releases of ABB Ability System 800xA, ABB Ability Symphony Plus and ABB Freelance process automation systems.

For more information, visit abb.com.

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