Digital Materials for Accurate Simulation of GE Advanced Materials, Plastics' Range in LightWorks-based CAD Applications

Visualfx* resins for digital prototyping downloadable in the LWA format

SHEFFIELD, UK (26 July 2005) - LightWork Design, the world's leading supplier of rendering solutions for developers of advanced 3D computer graphics software, today announced the release of a set of digital materials for accurately visualizing the Visualfx range of resins from GE Advanced Materials, Plastics. These new digital material libraries - downloadable from www.lightworks-user.com - give users of CAD applications the power to accurately select, render and specify materials from the Visualfx resin range.

"The Visualfx resin portfolio contains 34+ different special effects for various resins which create colourful and exceptionally rich looking parts to aesthetically differentiate the applications in the market, as well as the potential benefits of system cost out and functional enhancement of the products," says Paola Babka, product manger for Cycloloy*, Visualfx and Geloy* PC resins GE Advanced Materials, Plastics, Europe. The ability to accurately visualise the Visualfx resin portfolio using digital prototyping will help industrial product designers to improve the quality of design decisions, increase productivity and to significantly help reduce their prototyping costs. The unique technology contained in the LightWorks rendering solution allows the digital materials to be accurately visualised both in high-quality software rendering and interactively in real-time rendering.

"The ability to accurately simulate resins from our Visualfx portfolio will make it really easy for designers to select and specify innovative materials that bring their designs to life," commented Yvette Bogaert, Aesthetic Products and Services Leader at GE Advanced Materials, Plastics Europe, adding, "the physical accuracy of the LightWorks renderings are amazing!"

The selected effects of the Visualfx resins portfolio currently available in the digital materials includes the following ranges:

Marble: Marble resins incorporating flakes to create a soft, earthy patina. Speckle: By using contrasting or similar flecks in a coloured base resin, Speckle effects can help generate an almost unlimited array of combinations to create color-on-color effects that range from subtle and natural to wild and energetic. Select from a wide variety of background colours. Flame: Flame effects feature strong, bright colours that add a fun, contemporary feel to any product. Choose from a palette of 12 brilliant fluorescent colours.

Additional effects of the Visualfx portfolio will be added continuously to reflect the resin's portfolio status and its capabilities.

The LWA format is a secure digital format, for use in LWA-Enabled applications, which allows manufacturers and material suppliers to accurately encode the visual and physical characteristics of their products, which enables designers to accurately select, visualize and specify these products during the design, modelling and styling processes.

The new LWA materials are available for immediate download from the LightWorks- User website www.lightworks-user.com

About LightWork Design 

LightWork Design is the world's leading supplier of rendering solutions for developers of advanced 3D computer graphics software. Established in 1989, LightWork Design has continually developed LightWorks to provide customers with innovative and market-focused solutions for the creation of powerful and easy-to- use rendering applications. Renowned for its physically accurate visualization of real-world objects and environments, LightWorks is the ideal choice for applications targeted at the AEC, Automotive, Industrial and Graphics markets. LightWorks is supplied as a complete solution which includes the SDK, support, training and consultancy services, to give customers fast and efficient access to leading-edge rendering technology, resulting in shorter development cycles, faster time-to-market for new products, and lower software development costs.

LightWorks is embedded in over 80 software applications and used by more than 1 million users worldwide, far more than any other renderer. Applications that incorporate LightWorks include: 3cad from In.tres srl, Alibre Design from Alibre, ArchiCAD from Graphisoft, ARCHline.XP from CadLine, ArchiTrend from Fukui Computer, Cobalt from Ashlar, Configura and InstantPlanner from Configura Sverige AB, form.Z from auto.des.sys, ICEM Surf from ICEM, Lumen Designer from Lighting Technologies; Madric from CPU, MSC.visualNastran from MSC Software, NX from UGS, Presenter 3D from Digital Immersion, PowerShape from Delcam, Pro/CONCEPT, Pro/DESKTOP and Pro/ ENGINEER Wildfire from PTC, Solid Edge from UGS, solidThinking from solidThinking Ltd., ThinkReal from Think3, trueSpace from Caligari, VectorWorks from Nemetschek NA and products from many other major CAD vendors.

About GE Advanced Materials 

GE Advanced Materials ( www.geadvancedmaterials.com.) is a world leader in providing high-technology material solutions. Headquartered in Pittsfield, Mass., its businesses include Plastics, Silicones, Quarts, Automotive, Specialty Film & Sheet, Polymershapes, and Sealants and Adhesives.

GE (NYSE:GE) is Imagination at Work - a diversified technology, media and financial services company focused on solving some of the world's toughest promlems. With products and services ranging from aircraft engines, power generation, water processing and secutrity technology to medical imagin, business and consumer financing, media content and advanced materials, GE serves customers in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

www.lightworkdesign.com

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