Tecnomatix Technologies Ltd and UGS PLM Solutions, the product lifecycle management (PLM) subsidiary of EDS, have announced significantly enhanced interoperability between Tecnomatix's eM-Plant production and logistics visualization tool, and Factory CAD, the 3D factory layout software solution from UGS PLM Solutions.

The interoperability merges logistics analysis with 3D factory layout to provide manufacturers a single solution for designing factories and maximizing their productivity. Companies can use it to simultaneously visualize a 3D layout of their factories and optimize material flow through "what-if" simulation analysis.

The integrated solution is based on SDX, the standard for data exchange between 3D factory design and simulation. The collaborative approach allows manufacturers to generate a simulation model from 3D layout data automatically, then visualize, evaluate and optimize the production system. This new collaboration will enable companies to reduce factory planning time and associated redesign costs by verifying system layout, feasibility, and performance throughout the entire design process.

"Customers are the clear beneficiaries of this strategic relationship and are being rewarded with a level of interoperability between solutions previously unmatched in the industry," said Robert Nierman, executive vice president, UGS PLM Solutions Business Strategy and Marketing. "This will translate into tangible costs savings and dramatic reductions in the planning process."

"Factory CAD customers can now run extensive simulation and analysis on their factory models, while Tecnomatix eM-Plant users will be able to create even more detailed plant layouts," said Harel Beit-On, chairman and chief executive officer of Tecnomatix. "Working together, UGS PLM Solutions and Tecnomatix are helping manufacturers reduce planning time and increase quality."