University of Bath: Bath 3D printing spinout Gen3D acquired by Altair
Gen3D, a spinout technology company started at the University of Bath that specialises in software to assist in the design of complex parts to be 3D printed (additive manufactured), has been acquired by Altair (Nasdaq: ALTR), a global leader in computational science and artificial intelligence (AI).
Gen3D offers design software and consultancy to help engineers rapidly create complex components for the additive manufacturing process. It was founded in 2018 by three staff in the University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering – Dr Vimal Dhokia, Dr Wesley Essink, and Dr Joseph Flynn. Dr Steven Goguelin and Charles Bailey, alumni of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, were also instrumental in the success of Gen3D.
Following the acquisition, the technology will be integrated into Altair Inspire, an intuitive and powerful family of software products that enables simulation-driven design throughout the entire product development lifecycle, from concept to reality.
The software offered by Gen3D can be used to create parts including manifolds, filters, heat transfer surfaces, cooling systems and even medical implants, for use in diverse settings including the medical, aerospace, automotive, manufacturing and energy industries.
The company’s software has highly automated design features which makes it easy to explore multiple concepts and optimise components easily. The proprietary manufacturing checks and compensation tools exploit the benefits of additive manufacturing and reduce the risk of costly failures.
James R. Scapa, founder and chief executive officer, Altair, said, “In addition to a powerful technology that helps organizations navigate the challenges of design for additive manufacturing, the Gen3D team brings deep industry knowledge and experience in advanced additive design techniques such as generative design, topology optimization, and lattice structure generation.”
Dr. Vimal Dhokia, Co-founder of Gen3D, said “It’s been an amazing journey and I look back with fondness to how this all began in a university laboratory. We started with a research idea, grew this into an amazing product and along the way worked with some brilliant people. Now the journey will continue with integration of the Gen3D technology into a world leading technology provider.”