Welcoming Altair to 3MF
In the ever-evolving landscape of additive manufacturing and data-driven design, the 3MF Consortium is proud to welcome Altair as its newest Steering Member. Altair’s rich history, dating back to its founding, has consistently positioned them at the forefront of innovation in engineering, with a strong emphasis on simulation-driven design and topology optimization. This strategic alliance marks a significant milestone in the ongoing journey to enhance how 3MF is utilized to communicate critical additive manufacturing data.
A Legacy of Innovation: Altair's Genesis
Altair’s journey began in 1985, at a time when the engineering industry was just beginning to grasp the potential of simulation-driven design. From its inception, Altair recognized the power of leveraging data to inform engineering decisions. They became pioneers in introducing simulation as a core element of the design process, setting the stage for an industry-wide paradigm shift.
Altair’s relentless commitment to pushing the boundaries of engineering was further exemplified through their pioneering work in topology optimization. Long before the term became a buzzword, Altair was applying cutting-edge algorithms to optimize designs for weight, strength, and material usage. Their innovations laid the foundation for a new era of efficient, data-driven design.
With Altair’s extensive background in data-driven design and simulation, their partnership with the 3MF Consortium couldn’t be more fitting. The 3MF format has rapidly become an industry standard for conveying critical additive manufacturing information, bridging the gap between design and production.
Altair’s expertise in simulation-driven design adds an exciting dimension to this collaboration.
Altair’s rich history of harnessing data for engineering excellence will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in advancing the capabilities of the 3MF format. As a Steering Member, they bring a wealth of knowledge in data management and optimization that can be applied to how we think about incorporating more metadata into the 3MF format. This enhanced data-rich format will enable engineers to make more informed decisions throughout the additive manufacturing process.
Beyond Engineering: Altair's Non-Engineering Data Products
It’s important to note that Altair’s influence extends beyond traditional engineering. They have ventured into non-engineering data products, further showcasing their commitment to data-driven decision-making. This expansion into diverse data domains aligns perfectly with the evolving landscape of additive manufacturing, where data from various sources converges to optimize processes and outcomes.
Altair’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Analytics Solutions for collecting and preparing data for AI applications are poised to make a significant impact. As design and engineering increasingly intersects with AI and machine learning with their DesignAI Software, Altair’s expertise in data preparation will help shape the future of how we leverage AI-driven insights in the additive manufacturing ecosystem.
Altair & 3MF Empowering Partners and Customers Alike
For Altair’s partners and customers, this strategic alliance translates into tangible benefits.
With Altair’s new Implicit Modeling technology customers can expect streamlined workflows, reduced design iteration cycles, and enhanced precision in their additive manufacturing processes. The implicit technology’s ability to create designs with a deep understanding of data will enable partners to push the envelope of innovation while maintaining a competitive edge.
The Volumetric Extension’s adoption by an extensive network of 3MF Consortium members opens up new avenues for collaboration and interoperability. Altair’s expertise in data-driven design, combined with the Consortium’s vision, will empower partners and customers to leverage complex, data-informed designs across a diverse ecosystem of industry leaders and 3MF members including Autodesk, Oqton, Materialise, nTop, EOS and others adopting the 3MF Volumetric Implicit specification.
“We join 3MF with a vision: to advance data-driven design in additive manufacturing. Altair's expertise in simulation and our cutting-edge implicit technology aim to empower partners and customers, making complex designs seamlessly communicable. Together with 3MF, we're advancing the way in which we gather data, design and manufacture the most valuable engineered products.”
Ken WelchChief Engineer of Design, Altair
Altair’s pivotal role as a Steering Member in the 3MF Consortium not only cements their status as a valuable partner but also holds the promise of an exceptionally bright future for additive manufacturing data. The fusion of Altair’s implicit technology with the forthcoming Volumetric Extension signifies a paradigm shift in how partners and customers approach additive manufacturing.
As we continue to push the boundaries of data-driven design and engineering excellence, stay tuned for updates on the transformative impact this collaboration will have on the industry.
Altair’s commitment to innovation, coupled with the 3MF Consortium’s vision, ensures that the additive manufacturing landscape will be forever changed for the better.
