I'm doing a little research before flying to Baltimore later this week for a press event with
Nemetschek North America (NNA), developers of the VectorWorks product line. And I've decided it is quite likely the big news to come will be more than just a new version of VectorWorks, but that NNA has decided to switch its 3D modeling kernel from Solids++ to Siemens PLM's
Parasolid.
The signs are subtle, but I've seen these kinds of things before. For a few minutes last week, the web-based agenda for the press event listed two Siemens PLM employees, whom I know represent Parasolid. Somebody at NNA must have realized they let something slip, because that information is no longer listed. Also, Siemens PLM in June released a version of Parasolid for the 64-bit Mac "Leopard" environment, a must-have for NNA, which sells VectorWorks in both Windows and Macintosh versions. A 64-bit Parasolid-based version of
VectorWorks Architect on the Mac would arguably be the most powerful BIM creation tool on the market. I have other reasons to think this is happening, but I need to keep those sources of information close to the chest.
3D CAD modelers in AEC are anemic compared to their MCAD-specific cousins such as the mid-range SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor, or the high-end NX or CATIA. The world's largest architecture firms are always looking at MCAD products, seeking a competitive edge. Quite a few architects use
Rhino on a regular basis, and a few firms have incorporated the AEC version of CATIA,
Digital Project from Gehry Technologies. A Parasolid-powered VectorWorks would raise the stakes in the BIM marketing wars, something Nemetschek North America is obviously doing by holding their first-ever press event and paying for a variety of writers (including myself) to come to Baltimore for meetings. Right now among AEC-specific 3D CAD tools, only Bentley's
MicroStation uses Parasolid as its 3D kernel.
The meetings are Thursday; I'll let you know then if I'm right.
--RSN