SensAble Technologies
15 Constitution Way
Woburn, MA 01801
T: 781-939-7495
F: 781-937-8325
media@sensable.com
Woburn, MA, February 26, 2002 - SensAble Technologies, Inc, announced today that Japan-based toy giant Bandai, along with international suppliers MIC and Hermon Industries, have integrated the FreeForm modeling system as the key tool in a totally digital toy production process. The FreeForm modeling system is used by the production partners for end-to-end toy production, from concept to mold creation. Rapidly gaining prominence in the toy industry, this new digital process significantly cuts time-to-market, slashes production costs and improves communication among manufacturing partners.
Bandai's latest success with the digital pipeline includes the recent production of the "AsoBook," a Japanese picture book that comes with a collection of magnetic toy characters. Bandai suppliers MIC and Hermon Industries produced a line of 54 different characters in only two months, a task that would take 4 or 5 months with traditional physical tools. Using the FreeForm modeling system, MIC designed the highly organic character models with the flexibility and expressiveness of physical modeling, yet gained all the productivity advantages of a digital tool. MIC delivered the 3D data via digital FreeForm files to Bandai and Hermon for early tooling decisions to ensure design and manufacturing integrity. As simultaneous reviews took place, MIC was able to quickly incorporate feedback into their digital models and receive rapid licensor approval. The final FreeForm models were delivered electronically to Hermon Industries to begin final tooling work using the STL files exported from the FreeForm system. As a result of the fully digital production process, Bandai shrunk their total time-to-market for the AsoBook character models by 50% using the FreeForm modeling system and decreased costs by more than a half.
Masaya Sasano, Managing Director of MIC states, "With the success of the production of the AsoBook, we recognized the importance and value of creating a fully digital workflow based on the FreeForm modeling system. The FreeForm based digital workflow allowed us to quickly communicate with our remote production partners and receive rapid approval on the digital models. With traditional production methods we would never have been able to meet the tight production deadlines or cost restrictions for the AsoBook project."
Alex Lau, President and Managing Director of Hermon Industries, values what a digital workflow based on the FreeForm modeling system can deliver. "We quickly saw the significance of adopting FreeForm modeling as a key application for our digital process. It is our critical tool for saving time and preserving the quality of designs."
"FreeForm modeling allowed the entire design and production process to be handled digitally," says Tom Ellery, General Manager, SensAble Technologies. "Bandai and suppliers were able to rapidly move a traditional toy product line through a digital production pipeline without sacrificing product craftsmanship."
About FreeForm Modeling
SensAble's FreeForm modeling system provides an analog interface to a digital tool, a revolutionary combination for product design. FreeForm tools use familiar physical metaphors such as sculpting, wire cutting, shaping and deforming. These work in a direct and obvious manner to deliver the flexibility and expressiveness of physical media like the clay and blue foam designers have loved for years. Controlling these tools through touch gives users an unprecedented connection to their model. The flow of design intent-no longer choked off at the user/computer interface-allows users to faithfully capture any nuances and difficult to describe subtleties in digital form. Sophisticated modeling techniques help designers to hold design criteria and optimize form with function, while direct model interaction and familiar methods help eliminate the months-long learning curve typically needed to master traditional 3-D modeling software.
About SensAble Technologies
SensAble Technologies is transforming the way people use computers in the 21st century. Our groundbreaking technology allows you to fully interact with your computer via your sense of touch. Two dimensions-sight and sound-become three, sight, sound and now touch. And that gives you the freedom to work in a more natural, intuitive way. SensAble and its products have won more than a dozen awards and have been featured in publications worldwide, including The Wall Street Journal, Business Week and Fortune. FreeForm modeling, SensAble's first end-user application, was given the first ever Grand Innovation Award from Computer Graphics World. The company has over 500 customers in 30 countries, including adidas-Salomon, Boeing, Disney, Ford, General Electric, Honda, Hasbro, Motorola and leading universities worldwide. For more information, visit www.sensable.com.
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SensAble, PHANTOM and FreeForm are trademarks or registered trademarks of SensAble Technologies, Inc. All other companies and products referenced herein have trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
SensAble Technologies, Inc., 15 Constitution Way, Woburn, MA 01801. Tel: 781-937-8315, Fax: 781-937-8325, Web: www.sensable.com, Email: info@sensable.com.
