Up 3D

SAP Pumps Up 3D Product Visualization
After the accumulation of "many" joint customers and a multiyear product collaboration, the enterprise software giant SAP finally legalized its partnership withRight Hemisphere, buying the maker of enterprise 3D visualization software for an undisclosed sum. A number of Right Hemisphere products essentially unify product information from a range of keybusiness systems, including CAD, PLM, ERP, and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). The products also make the data available in a highly visual 3D format and in a role- and workflow-dependent fashionto individuals throughout the extended enterprise, whether they sit in the engineering or marketing support department.

When applied to SAP's ERP or PLM platforms, Right Hemisphere's software --particularly its Deep Exploration offering -- can be used to deliver animated views of products to development, manufacturing, or service professionals. This in turn can help various groups design,assemble, and service complex products more intuitively.
In the press release announcing the acquisition, SAP elaborated a bit on its vision, saying it will "apply Right Hemisphere's technology to SAP'sBusiness Suite ERP applications, providing manufacturing or service workers with animated renderings of products or intuitive visual access to part and stock lists."
My guess is the same integrationstrategy is planned for SAP's PLM offering. Though not generally thought of in the same company as the major PLM offerings from CAD vendors, this product is definitely a key option for manufacturersalready firmly rooted in SAP's enterprise business software platforms.
Customers have long been able to integrate 3D CAD software into SAP environments. The Right Hemisphere acquisition is another stepin SAP's commitment to push 3D product data out further into the enterprise.
"The addition of 3D visualization and publishing technologies will enable intuitive navigation of an entire product and...