Applicon
Encyclopedia
Applicon, Incorporated was one of the first vendors of Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems. It was founded in 1969 in Bedford, Massachusetts
. During the 1970s and early 1980s, the company had its headquarters and R&D facility in Burlington, MA, while their manufacturing facility was in Billerica, MA. In 1986, Applicon moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan
, following their acquisition by Manufacturing Data Systems, Inc. (MDSI). Their main product was called Bravo CAD/CAM. The founder was Fontaine Richardson who earned a Ph.D.
in computer science from the University of Illinois
in 1968. He left in 1980 when the company was sold to Schlumberger
. At the time, it had revenues of over $100 million per year.
Applicon was acquired in 1999 by UGS Corp., a 1996 spin-off of Electronic Data Systems
,, which was later acquired by Siemens AG
.
mini-computers. Applicon modified the DEC operating system
, which was then a single-user OS, to one of the world's first multi-user operating systems. DEC's first multi-user OS was created with help from Applicon.
Another Applicon innovation was the ability to input commands using drawn character recognition. (See Patent 4560830
)Early CAD provided a stylus and tablet
instead of a mouse for a user interface. The tablet was mapped to the screen i.e. the top-left and bottom right of the screen and the tablet were mapped to the same points. Applicon provided the ability to train the system to interpret characters drawn on the tablet and to associate them with commands to the system. For example drawing the symbol for alpha could mean "execute". Commands could consist of more than one symbol for example two dots could be interpreted as "move relative" which would move the currently selected items by the distance between points p1 and p2 where the dots indicate the location of the points. The character recognition worked very well (was very consistent) which is particularly amazing considering the small memory foot print that it used.
At this time, Applicon's software was written entirely in DEC's assembler language. A four workstation system had typically only about 64K words of memory. A word was 16 bits long. Program code was swapped in and out of memory using what was then called memory overlay techniques. Magnetic core memory
was used until around 1979. Work stations used storage tube displays. Hard drives used removable platters and were as large as washing machines. A four workstation system cost about $400,000 in 1970s dollars including a pen plotter which cost about $60,000 (Xynetics plotter). At this time, only large companies could afford to use CAD machines and they had to man the workstations three shifts a day because of the cost.
In the mid to late '70's, Applicon systems were used to design LSIs (large scale integrated circuits) and later VLSI
(very large scale integrated circuits) the precursors of today's dense computer chips. It was also used for mechanical and electrical diagrams for various kinds of engineering projects e.g. power plant design.
Bravo could have had the first integrated PDM
system which was called the "Librarian". Files were stored in the library and could be checked out and referenced into assemblies. Once placed back into the library, assemblies that referenced parts would be updated.
The end of Applicon came in 1989 when they partnered with PTC
and sold a product called Mechanical Design Assistant . Some of Applicon's biggest customers like Otis elevator
and StorageTek used this software (which later became Pro/Engineer
); they became some of PTC's biggest customers.
Bedford, Massachusetts
Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is within the Greater Boston area, north-west of the city of Boston. The population of Bedford was 13,320 at the 2010 census.- History :...
. During the 1970s and early 1980s, the company had its headquarters and R&D facility in Burlington, MA, while their manufacturing facility was in Billerica, MA. In 1986, Applicon moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
, following their acquisition by Manufacturing Data Systems, Inc. (MDSI). Their main product was called Bravo CAD/CAM. The founder was Fontaine Richardson who earned a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in computer science from the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
in 1968. He left in 1980 when the company was sold to Schlumberger
Schlumberger
Schlumberger Limited is the world's largest oilfield services company. Schlumberger employs over 110,000 people of more than 140 nationalities working in approximately 80 countries...
. At the time, it had revenues of over $100 million per year.
Applicon was acquired in 1999 by UGS Corp., a 1996 spin-off of Electronic Data Systems
Electronic Data Systems
HP Enterprise Services is the global business and technology services division of Hewlett Packard's HP Enterprise Business strategic business unit. It was formed by the combination of HP's legacy services consulting and outsourcing business and the integration of acquired Electronic Data Systems,...
,, which was later acquired by Siemens AG
Siemens AG
Siemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
.
Early Applicon Systems
Early Applicon products (circa 1970s) ran on DEC PDP-11PDP-11
The PDP-11 was a series of 16-bit minicomputers sold by Digital Equipment Corporation from 1970 into the 1990s, one of a succession of products in the PDP series. The PDP-11 replaced the PDP-8 in many real-time applications, although both product lines lived in parallel for more than 10 years...
mini-computers. Applicon modified the DEC operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
, which was then a single-user OS, to one of the world's first multi-user operating systems. DEC's first multi-user OS was created with help from Applicon.
Another Applicon innovation was the ability to input commands using drawn character recognition. (See Patent 4560830
)Early CAD provided a stylus and tablet
Graphics tablet
A graphics tablet is a computer input device that enables a user to hand-draw images and graphics, similar to the way a person draws images with a pencil and paper. These tablets may also be used to capture data or handwritten signatures...
instead of a mouse for a user interface. The tablet was mapped to the screen i.e. the top-left and bottom right of the screen and the tablet were mapped to the same points. Applicon provided the ability to train the system to interpret characters drawn on the tablet and to associate them with commands to the system. For example drawing the symbol for alpha could mean "execute". Commands could consist of more than one symbol for example two dots could be interpreted as "move relative" which would move the currently selected items by the distance between points p1 and p2 where the dots indicate the location of the points. The character recognition worked very well (was very consistent) which is particularly amazing considering the small memory foot print that it used.
At this time, Applicon's software was written entirely in DEC's assembler language. A four workstation system had typically only about 64K words of memory. A word was 16 bits long. Program code was swapped in and out of memory using what was then called memory overlay techniques. Magnetic core memory
Magnetic core memory
Magnetic-core memory was the predominant form of random-access computer memory for 20 years . It uses tiny magnetic toroids , the cores, through which wires are threaded to write and read information. Each core represents one bit of information...
was used until around 1979. Work stations used storage tube displays. Hard drives used removable platters and were as large as washing machines. A four workstation system cost about $400,000 in 1970s dollars including a pen plotter which cost about $60,000 (Xynetics plotter). At this time, only large companies could afford to use CAD machines and they had to man the workstations three shifts a day because of the cost.
In the mid to late '70's, Applicon systems were used to design LSIs (large scale integrated circuits) and later VLSI
Very-large-scale integration
Very-large-scale integration is the process of creating integrated circuits by combining thousands of transistors into a single chip. VLSI began in the 1970s when complex semiconductor and communication technologies were being developed. The microprocessor is a VLSI device.The first semiconductor...
(very large scale integrated circuits) the precursors of today's dense computer chips. It was also used for mechanical and electrical diagrams for various kinds of engineering projects e.g. power plant design.
Bravo could have had the first integrated PDM
Product Data Management
Product data management is the business function often within product lifecycle management that is responsible for the creation, management and publication of product data...
system which was called the "Librarian". Files were stored in the library and could be checked out and referenced into assemblies. Once placed back into the library, assemblies that referenced parts would be updated.
The end of Applicon came in 1989 when they partnered with PTC
Parametric Technology Corporation
Parametric Technology Corporation is a U.S.-based company that develops, markets and supports software for product development. Its main products are for CAD/CAM, engineering calculations, and product lifecycle management. Its customers include companies in manufacturing, publishing, services,...
and sold a product called Mechanical Design Assistant . Some of Applicon's biggest customers like Otis elevator
Otis Elevator Company
The Otis Elevator Company is the world's largest manufacturer of vertical transportation systems today, principally focusing on elevators and escalators...
and StorageTek used this software (which later became Pro/Engineer
Pro/ENGINEER
Creo Elements/Pro, a product formerly known as Pro/ENGINEER is a parametric, integrated 3D CAD/CAM/CAE solution created by Parametric Technology Corporation . It was the first to market with parametric, feature-based, associative solid modeling software...
); they became some of PTC's biggest customers.