By Beth Stackpole – While composite materials deliver superior aerodynamic qualities, they introduce complexities into the design, particularly around blending surfaces between two adjacent parts and in accurately determining the thickness of component parts. Prior to using CATIA and the integrated Composites Design tool, the Pipistrel team struggled with blending a surface such as a sharp wing structure with a round surface like that associated with a fuselage. Traditionally, in an example like that, the team would produce the wings and fuselage separately and then join them together by hand. Because the process was so complex and nearly impossible to replicate in a drawing, designers were stuck with more of a trial-and-error process, which was time consuming and often didn’t produce the desired results. “The fact that we can define the outside aerodynamic shape on the computer versus describing what we want technically to build a part has tremendous benefits,” Tomazic explains. “There’s no more problems with fitting – if parts fit on the computer, they fit in real life.” more> http://tinyurl.com/25dwutj
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By Beth Stackpole – At the heart of the latest release of the NX CAD system is new HD-PLM technology, a framework Siemens PLM Software says will transform the existing PLM paradigm into a high-definition, decision-support system that proactively guides users through the collaborative design process.
By Heidi N. Moore – Holders of commercial mortgage-backed securities — which are bundles of loans on hotels, office buildings, malls and apartment buildings — have found that unlike other asset classes, there are and were investors willing to buy and sell their holdings, essentially because they needed to, for returns or liquidity. 
