VISIARC MAKES DOCUMENT ARCHIVES MOBILE

VISIARC offers mobile access and viewing of documents stored in one of the world�s most common archive formats

Stockholm, September 1, 2003 - VISIARC AB (a private joint stock corporation) today announced the availability of a new version of the VISIARC System that now also handles document and technical construction drawings in the CALS Type 1 file format. The CALS file format is one component of the CALS, `Continuous Acquisition and Lifecycle Support�, which is a strategy and an initiative that originates from the US Department of Defense. The strategy has been adopted globally, also in the commercial business sector, and has become a cornerstone in electronic business. At present it is gaining prominence as a key enabling strategy to reduce the costs related with various business processes. It is about paperless and digital information resource management as a means to shorten lead times, timeliness and interoperability for improved bottom-line results and maintained competitiveness.

The VISIARC System offers immediate access and viewing of drawings on mobile phones and in web browsers on any computer. Now also supporting documents and drawings in raster the CALS Type 1 format, the technology becomes viable for all companies and organizations that manage large amounts of documents and drawings. The system is an add-on and can be integrated atop existing archives and document management systems and allows secure encrypted mobile access. VISIARC�s solution makes it possible for anyone with the right permission to access documents and drawings anywhere, anytime. For instance an engineer out of the office can answer questions based on a complex technical drawing, or in the field a service repair man can fix a broken down machine faster with the right informaqtion at hand.

"Support for viewing raster drawings is crucial for document management and in particular reagarding technical construction drawings, since we now can offer our customers a compete solution, including both the history and the future," says Per Ranch, VP Sales, VISIARC. "With the support for drawings in both raster and vector format the next natural step is to make it possible for our system to efficiently manage regular office documents as well and display such on mobile phones."

The CALS file format is open and its use is widespread globally thanks to its capability to compress well and being future proof. Older drawings typically exist only on microfilm and when such are scanned and digitized, most often these are saved in the CALS format. Even if CAD drawings dominate today�s new production of drawings, CALS drawings are a legacy that has to be managed. In general in facilities management systems for instance, CALS drawings account for more than 90% of all drawings. The share of companies that are digitizing their drawing assets is steadily growing. The trend is also valid for other industries whose corporate history goes back before CAD was established in the construction departments and architects� offices.

About CALS

CALS stands for `Continuous Acquisition and Lifecycle Support� and is a strategy. The initiative traces its roots to US Department of defense in 1985 with the intent of streamlining business processes and standardizing interfaces to its industrial partners and suppliers. CALS facilitates and secures information management, which is particularly important when dealing with technical information. The reasons are shorter lead times, timeliness and interoperability. CALS has now expanded to be relevant to international industry, in both civil and military sectors as a means to realize a paperless and efficient way of managing information across company boundaries. The results are straightforward; improved efficiency and maintained competitiveness. Automation and integration of systems along the entire business process makes it possible to manage products over its entire lifecycle.

The CALS Type 1 raster file format is a component of the initiative. Raster images are built up of pixels and can be described as a fax but in a larger format. In contrast, CAD drawings are built up of mathematically defined vectors. Vector graphics has the advantage to compress well and yet makes it possible to zoom in on details without loss of resolution. Some companies goes further and vectorize their raster images to CAD documents.

About VISIARC System 1

The VISIARC System 1 comprises two types of key components; client-side drawing viewers and a server-side drawing archive, the 'Interaction Server'.
The VISIARC Wireless Viewer is the client that enables users to access and view drawings on their wireless phone. The viewer has an intuitive user interface not only to navigate and find the right drawing in the archive, but also to zoom and pan when viewing downloaded drawings. The Wireless Viewer saves the latest downloads locally to ensure that drawing details can be viewed where there is no network coverage, such as in an underground elevator shaft. To guarantee that the user has latest drawing and that no-one has published a later drawing revision, there is a built-in function for wireless syncing, which is automatically engaged every time a connection is established to the server. The Wireless Viewer is today generally available for the Sony Ericsson P800 mobile phone, Nokia Communicator 9210, 9210i and 9290, as well as Nokia 7650 and 3650 imaging phones. Additional versions are under development to be throughout this year. The WebViewer is the other version of design drawing viewer, but is intended for ordinary computers. The stationary WebViewer enables access and viewing of drawings on any Internet connected computer with no other software installed than a regular web browser. In the field and on the move the Wireless Viewer is used and in the office the WebViewer is used.

The VISIARC Interaction Server constitutes the actual CAD design drawing archive and includes also the user database containing all user permissions. To publish and administrate the contents of the server there is an easy-to-use web browser based client, the Server Manager, which enables fast and easy publishing of drawings and latest revisions for both the wireless and stationary users. To have all drawings stored in one centralized location, it importantly ensures that all users have access to the very same and latest drawings.

The Interaction Server supports all industry leading design drawing vector formats suitable for digital distribution; AutoCAD DWF, Microstation SVF and HP-GL (generic so-called plot format) and now CALS Type 1 (general open raster format) as well.

Availability

The VISIARC System is generally available for purchase for companies. For small and medium-sized companies a subscription based hosted portal service is offered, MyVISIARC, based on the System technology. MyVISIARC is also released today. Customers can also subscribe to the MyVISIARC digital drawing archive service that is hosted by VISIARC.

The VISIARC System is available in English and Swedish. Upon request the system will be made available in French, German, Italian, Spanish or any other language. Both the VISIARC System (to be in-house hosted by customers) and MyVISIARC (as by VISIARC hosted service) are available from VISIARC AB. 

About VISIARC

VISIARC AB, a private joint stock corporation, aims to become the global leader in system, software and services based on Internet technologies for management and use of digital design drawings on wireless phones, personal digital assistants and ultra-thin clients. Founded in 2002, the company is a vendor and developer of systems, software and services to empower professionals and help companies become more efficient through intuitive and intelligible software - the right information to the right people anywhere, anytime and on any device.

www.visiarc.com

 

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