BOSTON – Dec. 20, 2022 – PTC (NASDAQ: PTC) today announced that Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) used its Creo computer-aided design (CAD) and Windchill® product lifecycle management (PLM) technology throughout the development of the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The NIF recently achieved the breakthrough nuclear fusion reaction that generated more energy than it consumed. With more than 3.5 million components comprised of 750,000 unique part designs, the highly engineered NIF “system of systems” machine is the largest Creo and Windchill assembly ever created. Furthermore, it may be the largest assembly ever modeled in 3D CAD. This was all with the help of PTC solutions.
The NIF represents an incredible feat of engineering whose breakthrough could ultimately transform access to clean energy, and the use of PTC software solutions throughout its development demonstrates the tremendous power of our technology
“We are thankful for the collaborative relationship we have enjoyed over the years with LLNL and the US Department of Energy (DOE) broadly, and we’re proud of the role that our technology played in the development of the NIF.” said Jim Heppelmann, President and CEO, PTC.
Heppelmann has published a blog reflecting on the longstanding relationship with LLNL that led to the recent fusion developments at the NIF. In his piece, “Fusion Ignition Breakthrough: Designing the Ultimate Clean Energy Source,” Heppelmann reflects on PTC’s decades-long commitment to the NIF project. Furthermore, he covers the use of PTC’s Creo and Windchill software for the modeling and design management of the NIF and PTC’s broader commitment to sustainability, writing:
NIF achieved a breakthrough nuclear fusion reaction
Created the largest assembly ever modeled in 3D CAD
Engineering that transform access to clean energy
PTC Solutions and NIF
“PTC has been supporting the NIF engineering team at LLNL as a close partner for over 25 years. When I joined PTC back in 1998, the NIF had already selected our Pro/ENGINEER® CAD software. Which of course is now known as Creo. A few years later, the NIF team added Windchill to the solution as their data management needs grew and grew. Over the years, PTC product teams have had many collaborative discussions with the LLNL and broader DOE representatives. These groups have always challenged PTC, pushing the envelope for what our software must do to enable their highly advanced projects.”
To read Heppelmann’s full perspective piece, please click here: Fusion Ignition Breakthrough: Designing the Ultimate Clean Energy Source.
About PTC (NASDAQ: PTC)
PTC enables global manufacturers to realize double-digit impact with software solutions. These solutions enable them to accelerate product and service innovation, improve operational efficiency, and increase workforce productivity. In combination with an extensive partner network, PTC provides customers flexibility in how its technology is deployed to drive digital transformation – on premises, in the cloud, or via its pure SaaS platform. At PTC, we don’t just imagine a better world, we enable it.
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