Jul 29 - Surfware Celebrates 20th Anniversary

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Surfware Celebrates 20th Anniversary

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CAMARILLO, CA, July 29, 2008 - Surfware, Inc. is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2008, based on 58 years of machining experience and innovation.

In 1950, Victor Diehl opened a mold shop in Southern California for machine tooling medical products. Victor and his son Alan pioneered numerous innovations in the industry and in1988, Alan, along with his sons Larry and Bryan Diehl, formed the software company Surfware.

Today, Surfware is among the top ten fastest-growing CAD/CAM software companies in the world. Surfware strives to be the world leader in machining software by setting the standard for speed, flexibility, ease of use, innovation and value. SURFCAM is used worldwide for mechanical design, surface modeling, solid modeling, reverse engineering, prototyping, mold-making, pattern-making and production machining.

Surfware’s flagship product, SURFCAM Velocity, supports product design and NC programming of 2-, 3-, 4, and 5-axis machines. In addition, its patent-pending TrueMill technology has been established as the world’s only toolpath that intelligently manages tool load to dramatically increase productivity and tool life for all materials.

Some history

Throughout the 1950s, Victor Diehl supported his family through his focus on precision mold products for the medical industry. In the 1960s, Victor and son Alan invested in NC (Numerical Control) machines to expedite tooling of components for aircraft manufacturing. Ten years later, Alan and his brother-in-law Jack Epps, a physicist, built a smart NC machine powered by a mini-computer.

In 1980, Bryan and Larry Diehl, Alan’s sons, greatly influenced by the mathematical skills of their uncle Jack, joined the machining firm and wrote a UNIX program for surface modeling and machining. In 1988, Surfware, Inc. was formed by Alan, Larry and Bryan, and SURFCAM was launched -- the first PC-based modeling and NC programming software to be offered commercially to the industry.

Over the next decade, SURFCAM’s features advanced along with the capabilities of the PC. Every release brought new firsts and functionality: first NURBS surface technology on a PC ; first PC-based four-axis simultaneous machining; first CAM system for 32-bit enhanced-mode Microsoft Windows, first PC CAM system with automatic rendering of blended surfaces; first to deploy new features in 2- and 3-axis rest machining.

In early 2000, Pat Patterson (Uncle Pat), assisted by Alan, began work on what would become the ground-breaking TrueMill technology, a completely new toolpath strategy that controls the load on the tool to significantly increase productivity (in some cases over 100%) and extend tool life for all materials, including aluminum, steels, titanium, Inconel and other exotics.

SURFCAM Velocity powered by TrueMill was launched in 2005, with internal instructions on how to limit the maximum stepover to cut optimally everywhere along the toolpath on any part geometry. The software was the 2005 winner of Industry Week’s Technology Innovation Award. Since that time, in live demos and on customer sites, SURFCAM powered by TrueMill has continued to excel.

In 2008, Stephen Diehl, Alan’s eldest son, became President and CEO of the company. According to Stephen, “I am honored and happy to announce our 20th anniversary. For almost six decades, my family and the Surfware team have focused on creating innovative, high-quality products that enhance the industries we serve. I am constantly amazed by the many beneficial uses that our customers have found for Surfcam and TrueMill. As the sole provider of the TrueMill technology that manages tool engagement to create superior toolpaths, we are committed to helping our customers become more efficient, profitable and successful.”

SURFCAM is sold through an international network of dealers as well as through Surfware itself. “Many of our dealers have been with us since the beginning,” says Stephen. “We are deeply grateful for their contributions, hard work and loyalty over the years. Dealers like Programming Plus in Wisconsin; Tangent Concepts Inc. in San Jose; CAMcad Technologies in Florida; Applied CIM Technology in Minnesota; CIM Solutions in Michigan; Online Resources in Indiana; DM Solutions in New Hampshire; Design & Software in Ohio; 3D Concepts GMBH in Germany; 3E Praha in the Czech Republic; Data Design in Japan and Remsi Finland/Oy Digima in Finland, to name just a few, have all been major contributors to Surfware’s success.”

“We were one of the earliest SURFCAM dealers,” says Don McKillop, President of CAMcad Technologies. “When we started selling SURFCAM, Surfware’s focus was on high-performance 3-D surface machining on a PC. Surfware, the CAM industry, and CAMcad have matured significantly since then, and Surfware has consistently been on the cutting edge of innovation, particularly with their TrueMill technology. We have customers who view SURFCAM and TrueMill as their secret weapon. We wish Surfware the best on their 20th Anniversary and continued success in the future.”

Camarillo, California-based Surfware will present the newest release of its flagship software, Surfcam Velocity 4, at IMTS (International Manufacturing Trade Show) in September in Chicago. Velocity 4 is a major release with significant new features in 3-axis, 4/5-axis and TrueMill technology

About Surfware, Inc.

Surfware, Inc., the developer of SURFCAM Velocity CAD/CAM systems, provides optimal solutions for today’s manufacturing challenges. Surfware, Inc. traces its roots back to three generations of Diehl family members involved in machining. Surfware’s current president, Stephen Diehl, is the oldest of the third generation Diehl brothers and is personally involved in the development and creation of new ideas to improve SURFCAM Velocity. Stephen’s extensive background in Wall Street technology and physics is a great addition to his family’s long history of expertise in machining.

For more information, visit www.surfware.com.

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