CIMCAD3D PM

This page focuses on the Product Management aspects of the CIMLINC period.

CIMCAD3D was CIMLINC's first 3D CAD program. It seamlessly provided wireframe, surfaces and solid modeling at a time when most systems forced you to move from one program to another.
CIMCAD3D had an innovative 2D -> 3D user interface that simplified 3D modeling. It was the first CAD program to use Object Oriented approaches, requiring original computational algorithms.
CIMCAD3D allowed CIMLINC to win key accounts such as Boeing, and several automotive company vendors.

Vision

	Catapult CIMLINC to the lead in the market for 3D CAD systems with the first truly usable 3D CAD program for traditional CAD and non-CAD designers
	Provide an extensible platform for future 3D systems, such as Assembly Modeler, Manufacturing (CAM), Analysis (CAI).
	Provide a smooth upgrade path for existing CIMLINC customers using CIMCAD (2D) systems.

Experience

	CIMCAD3D was widely accepted by current and new CIMLINC customers, it paid for the development costs in 9 months.
	CIMCAD3D provided the platform for future CIMLINC products, such as an NC module.
	The product was delivered on time and was reliable enough to be put into production at Boeing within months of its introduction (rare at the time).

CIMLINC, 1985 - 88

Project Manager and co-Developer of CIMCAD3D

Product Management related accomplishments:

Positioned the Product within the Company as well as within key large customers

Project lead for CIMCAD3D - 3D CAD Software for Mechanical Design & Drafting.

Co-Developed Marketing Materials.

Team:

This was one of my most satisfying jobs, the team was clearly ahead of its time
and I learned so much from them.

Dr. Martin Newell (was VP of R & D, now VP of Advanced Products at Adobe)

Dr. Dan Fitzpatrick (was Dir of R & D, now principal at Big Tree Software)

Eric Mueller (was Senior Developer, now Principal Engineer at MacroMedia)

Interface of CIMCAD3D.

This followed CIMCAD's UI metaphors which were ahead of the field by 4 years. In 1982, CIMLINC showed at Autofact Unix workstation implementing Windows, Pop Ups, Icons and Stroke recognition all networked via Ethernet. Some of that technology is still not available today in mainstream systems.

CIMCAD3D took the successful parts of CIMCAD and implemented them in 3D. I designed a Working Plane metaphor and developed the Snap-to-Object feature which allowed the user to work in either a 2D projected mode similar to what they knew or full 3D mode.

The User Interface also had sophisticated Selection capabilities which provided the User with graphical ways to handle the complex CAD drawings generated in Mechanical Design.

Cover for CIMLINC using CIMCAD3D, 1986. This was actually done with the prototype software I was developing, prior to the release of CIMCAD3D. It provided valuable press coverage for CIMLINC. I learned the importance of managing the Press. The cover is actually a wireframe image of a boolean operation done on 4 Solid Model Objects. Eric Mueller wrote the Solid Modeler.

Data Sheet CIMCAD3D.

Items taken from it:

Graphical User Interface with Programmable
Capabilities

Working Planes allowing easy 2D to 3D transition

Object Oriented Database

3D NURB Surfaces

SOLID Models with Boolean Operations

Running on both SUN and CIMLINC workstations.

CIMCAD3D is a trademark/copyright of CIMLINC.

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This site was last updated 10/31/01