All-
this press release about Bits2parts.com, the new web site for streamline the
RFQ and bid process for the RP industry, went out yesterday.
Regards
Rachael Dalton-Taggart
PLANETCAD ENTERS CLOSED BETA TESTING WITH ITS BITS2PARTS.COM RFQ SERVICE
David Tait Appointed General Manager of Custom Manufacturing for PlanetCAD
BOULDER, Colo., May 31, 2000 - Spatial Inc. (AMEX-STY), the world's leading
developer of Web-hosted engineering application services, e-frastructure,
interoperability solutions and open, component 3D modeling technology, today
announced that its PlanetCAD.com Internet division has commenced closed beta
testing of its Bits2Parts.com(tm) online request for quote (RFQ) service for
the rapid prototyping (RP) industry.
Bits2Parts.com (www.bits2parts.com) is a Web-based service focused on
streamlining the quotation, communication and data flow between
manufacturers and RP service providers. This latest service will join
existing Web-based application services from Spatial's PlanetCAD division,
including the highly successful 3Dshare.com(tm) and the recently launched
3Dpublish.com(tm). Bits2Parts.com has already gathered the support of major
industry players as Anchor Members (early adopters), including Caterpillar
Inc., Cummins Engine Co., General Pattern, Express Pattern, Eagle Design &
Technology Inc., ARRK Product Development Group, Prototech Engineering,
Soligen, Materialise and Accelerated Technologies Inc.
During closed beta testing, Spatial will solicit feedback about the service
from a limited number of initial customers, including the Anchor Members.
Parties interested in joining the closed beta test should contact Spatial at
contact@bits2parts.com. Spatial will invite additional companies to join the
beta test based on relevant experience, capability and system availability.
Spatial expects to begin an open beta testing period of Bits2Parts.com early
in the third quarter 2000.
Spatial also announced that it has appointed David Tait as general manager
of custom manufacturing of its PlanetCAD division. Tait significantly
enhances the Spatial management team with more than 20 years of
manufacturing experience, including 12 years innovating and supplying
prototyping services for the digital manufacturing supply industry. A leader
in the rapid prototyping (RP) industry, Tait introduced the RP process of
stereolithography to General Motors and implemented various RP systems at
the company in 1988. He will oversee Bits2Parts.com.
"David Tait brings the deep industry experience needed for the complex
Web-based custom manufacturing brokerage services that we are developing,"
said Isaac Kato, vice president and general manager of Spatial's PlanetCAD
Division. "David brings an unparalleled comprehension of custom
manufacturing processes and an unsurpassed industry Rolodex. His industry
experience, knowledge and contacts, combined with our developers' expertise
in designing and developing infrastructure systems, are already resulting in
a set of services for custom manufacturers. These services yield tremendous
efficiency and remove significant pain from their daily RFQ and
bid-generation activity."
Bob Truxell, chairman of Rich Coast Inc. and a former corporate officer at
General Motors Corp. and General Dynamics said, "David Tait's profound
experience and reputation in the automotive product design and prototype
industry make him an ideal candidate to be leading an innovation such as
Bits2Parts.com. I have worked alongside him for eight years and hold a deep
respect and regard for his abilities."
"I've known and worked closely with Dave for more than a decade," said Terry
Wohlers, president of Wohlers Associates Inc. "Dave developed an enormous
level of respect among his friends, colleagues, employees and clients. As a
founder of the Rapid Prototyping Association of the Society of Manufacturing
Engineers and frequent speaker at major industry events, Dave has helped
give shape to the RP industry as we know it today. It is the integrity of
people like Dave that give this industry credibility and importance."
Tait's career spans more than 20 years in large manufacturing organizations.
He was a manager at
General Motors Advanced Vehicle Engineering Division, cofounder and
president of LaserForm Inc., co-founder and executive vice president of P2
Holdings Corp., and a regional manager for ARRK Product Development. Tait is
an active figure in national organizations and is an advisory board member
in the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME). He holds a Bachelor of
Science degree from Central Michigan University.
About Spatial Inc.
Spatial is the world's leading provider of Web-based services,
e-frastructure and advanced engineering technology solutions to streamline
the digital manufacturing supply chain and set global standards for product
engineers, designers, software developers and manufacturing professionals.
Spatial is headquartered in Boulder, Colo., and has offices in California,
Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Spatial's
Web site at http://www.spatial.com or call (303) 544-2900.
About PlanetCAD.com
Spatial's PlanetCAD division develops and delivers Web-hosted application
services, e-commerce sites and portals that are the premier online
destinations for manufacturing and design engineers needing to streamline
the digital manufacturing supply chain. PlanetCAD's application services
include: 3Dshare.com (http://www.3dshare.com), the successor to
3Dmodelserver.com, which provides online translation and repair of 3D CAD
models to streamline the flow of engineering data between organizations
regardless of the installed CAD systems; 3Dpublish.com,
(http://www.3dpublish.com) an application service for the online, automated
capture of high resolution 2D graphics from 3D CAD models; and
Bits2Parts.com, (http://www.bits2parts.com) an e-commerce service that
streamlines the communication and data transmission process between
manufacturers and rapid prototyping service bureaus across the Web.
###
Statements made in this news release that are not historical facts may be
forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those
projected in any forward-looking statement, and any projections related to
3Dshare.com and PlanetCAD.com may be significantly different than those
predicted by the Company. There are a number of important factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by any
forward-looking information. A description of risks and uncertainties
attendant to Spatial Technology Inc. and its industry, and other factors
which could affect the Company's financial results, are included in the
Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not
limited to the Company's annual report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended
December 31, 1999.
Spatial Technology Inc., 3Dshare.com, 3Dpublish.com, Bits2Parts.com, ACIS 3D
Toolkit, SAT and PlanetCAD are trademarks. ACIS and IntraVISION are
registered trademarks of Spatial Technology Inc. All other products are
trademarks of their respective owners.
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
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