Key initiatives for 3D design space in India soon: Dassault Systemes CEO

Reaffirming its commitment to India, 3D experience major Dassault Systemes has said that it will soon announce key initiatives to increase its presence in the growing 3D design and research and development space in the country.

"India today is on the path towards digital transformation. Dassault Systemes has always been committed to bolstering its presence in the country and you will hear some exciting news on this front very soon," Bernard Charles, Vice Chairman and CEO, Dassault Systemes, told IANS on Wednesday.

Charles was in India in September last year when the company announced it will provide integrated digital solutions to VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd (VECV), a joint venture of the Volvo Group and Eicher Motors in India.

The Dassault Systemes CEO said he will visit India again later this year for the annual "3DEXPERIENCE Forum".

At the annual "SOLIDWORKS World 2018" conference here that witnessed the gathering of over 5,000 manufacturers, engineers and partners, Charles said Dassault Systemes wants Solidworks to be the Amazon for the engineers' community as the company strives to make the "Industrial Renaissance" real.

In the fourth quarter that ended on December 31, 2017, Dassault Systemes' revenue stood at 910.4 million euros, with a profit of 204.6 million euros.

On the Cloud front, Dassault Systemes and Chinese tech major Huawei in September signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enable Dassault's "3DEXPERIENCE" platform to run on Huawei Cloud.

The collaboration will offer integrated enterprise design, verification and manufacturing solutions to customers across a range of industries

When it comes to opening its first data centre in India, Olivier Ribet, Vice President, Industry, at Dassault Systemes said that it will happen soon.

"We are working with key global Cloud providers and aiming to forge strategic local partnerships. When we have significant customers and business activities in India, we will have an announcement. We are committed towards the Cloud availability for our 3DEXPERIENCE customer base in the country," Ribet told IANS.

"Currently, we are looking into aspects like the technical know-how, security and compliance and will deliver soon on this front," he added.

Dassault Systemes has a full-fledged R&D centre in Pune which plays a key role in guiding the company which employs over 2,000 people in India.

"Dassault Systemes has invested heavily into R&D. We have more than 54 R&D labs globally and all are using the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to communicate and develop applications for our customers," Ribet noted.

In 2018, Dassault Systemes is aiming to emphasis more on simulation, manufacturing and supply chain, and invest more in the 3DExperience platform.

The 3DExperience platform features virtual design, simulation, manufacturing and collaboration applications in a digital environment that integrate products, processes and supply chains, and offer a federated view of a manufacturer's business in real time.

The 3D design industry has gone through massive change in the past four-five years and to keep innovating is the key to staying ahead in the race.

When it comes to the Indian 3D printing market, the young start-up community is helping the market grow at 20 per cent annually -- serving sectors such as the local automotive industry, electronics, healthcare, aerospace and defence.

"After aviation, defence, transport and mobility, and high-tech, we are now focusing on segments like start-ups, smart cities, life sciences, architecture and financial business services. Other than these streams, autonomous cars and drones will propel growth for the 3D design industry," Ribet said.

When it comes to Internet of Things (IoT) devices, three Cs -- connectivity, context and continuity -- will only make these devices successful and ready for mass adoption, he added.