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Jeff Grossman
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VISTAGY, Inc.
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Bombardier Aerospace to Transform its Fastener Management Process with VISTAGY’s SyncroFIT® Software

SyncroFIT’s systems-based design methodology enables engineers to understand the impact of changes throughout the airframe development process

WALTHAM, Mass., (USA), August 31, 2010 — VISTAGY, Inc., a leading provider of industry-specific engineering software and services, today announced that Bombardier Aerospace (Toronto Stock Exchange: BBD) has purchased SyncroFIT® software to compress the time and improve the accuracy of assembly development for its commercial aircraft programs, beginning with the wing of the CSeries* jetliner. Bombardier will use SyncroFIT to fully define and manage joints and interfaces between parts within complex assemblies, automate tedious calculations (such as fastener grip lengths), validate design rules and produce bills of materials (BOMs).

Managing the engineering definition of complex airframe assemblies involves interrelated data for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of fasteners. Traditionally, this process has been handled manually, making it costly and difficult, especially when design changes are required. By automating this labor-intensive process, SyncroFIT substantially mitigates the time and cost inherent in manual processes.

In an initial test, Bombardier engineers were able to cut the time to define holes and fasteners on a complex composite wing subassembly by approximately 75 percent compared to the manual process previously used. The assembly consisted of 26 parts, 1,300 fasteners and four fastener base families with 336 different diameter and length combinations, as well as a variety of washers and collars. SyncroFIT is now being used in the detail design phase of the CSeries aircraft wing, in which Bombardier expects to see similar results.

The purchase of SyncroFIT follows closely on Bombardier’s decision to standardize on VISTAGY’s FiberSIM® composites engineering software for all its aircraft programs. Defining holes and fasteners is an especially critical issue for organizations that are developing composite aircraft because the variation in skin thickness drives the need for a wide array of fasteners and adds complexity to the design.

SyncroFIT enables airframe manufacturers to save time and create best-in-class products by providing a systems-based design approach that empowers engineers to better understand the impact of design decisions and engineering changes throughout the entire airframe development process. As a result, airframe manufacturers are able to focus on optimizing part designs while being confident that assembly definitions will be rapidly updated and design rule violations will be flagged immediately during times of continuous change.

“VISTAGY’s expertise in the aerospace industry is reflected in the capabilities of SyncroFIT,” said Nick Perkins, director of Advanced Product Development at Bombardier Aerospace. “SyncroFIT allows us to capture and leverage design information more completely, thereby contributing to efficiency throughout the entire aircraft development process.”

“We’re pleased to have the opportunity to broaden our relationship with one of the world’s cutting edge aerospace firms,” said Steve Peck, director of product and market strategy for aerostructures at VISTAGY. “With the adoption of SyncroFIT at Bombardier for the wing package of the CSeries aircraft program, we’re taking another step towards establishing an industry standard for managing assembly interfaces, joints, fasteners and holes for airframe assemblies.”

About VISTAGY
VISTAGY, Inc. is a leading global provider of engineering software and consulting services that optimize product development processes by enhancing the functionality of commercial 3D CAD systems. For almost 20 years, VISTAGY has been a pioneer in providing industry-specific solutions that capture complete virtual product definitions and facilitate automatic reuse and efficient exchange of engineering information across the enterprise and supply chain. VISTAGY solutions help customers deliver robust products on time and on budget by increasing productivity, improving communication throughout the product lifecycle and enabling better-informed decision-making early in the design process. The company's customers include over 200 of the world's leading manufacturers in the aerospace, automotive, transportation interiors and wind energy industries. VISTAGY is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA and can be reached at +1.781.250.6800 or by visiting www.vistagy.com.

“VISTAGY. Engineer success.”™
VISTAGY, the VISTAGY logo, SyncroFIT, FiberSIM and Engineer Success are registered trademarks or trademarks of VISTAGY, Inc., in the United States and in other countries. All other companies and products referenced herein have trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

* CSeries is a trademark of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.