History of CATIA

                 

Regarding history of CATIA I feel  you should two personality named as Francis Bernard ‘Father of CATIA’ and Marcel Dassault ‘founder of Dassault Aviation’. He is the founder of French based aircraft company Avions Marcel Dassaults which is further known as new name as Dassaults Aviation. In 1967 he hired a young engineer named Francis Bernard .

Marcel dassault left and Francis bernard far right.

first logo of CATIA

Between 1960’s and 1970’s Dassault Aviation designed and built incredible military airplane for Air Force like Mirage III, Mirage IV, Mirage V, Alphajet etc. Also Dassault Aviation developed advanced business jet like Falcon 10, Falco 20, Mercure. Francis Bernard After completion of his graduation from French Aerospace University he joined the one of the most big airplane industry named Dassaults Aviation. Here he passionate about to make more efficient and lowest cost airplane. He realized that it would be only possible with the help of computers. Due to that he headed a team in early 70’s to generate numerically controlled systems which capable for designing shape of airplane, stress application and aerodynamics behavior of airplane.

Then his team developed the first Numerical Control Machines and installed in the manufacturing lab of Dassault Aviation. This system is capable of defining path of the tool for doing specific task on thick sheet of Aluminium. It was the birth of CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing). It was the first time when same design was used for analysis, simulation and manufacturing become possible with the help of Francis Bernard developed system. Therefore we can say that it was the first application of CAD/CAM in the world. By using this system Dassault Aviation developed Alphajet (a military trainer airplane) and Mercure (a commercial business jet plane). Now I want to tell you that it was the first step toward the origin of the CATIA. In 1977 Francis Bernard decided to launch new computer software tool which have capabilities of fully graphics, interactive, 3D and easy to use by non-technical skilled computer specialist. He named this software CATI which means in French language as well as Computer Aided Tri – dimensional Interactive. And after further discussion with his team Francis Bernard changed his software tool from CATI to CATIA which Computer Aided Tri- dimensional Interactive Application. Now it become very easy to design any curve or shape of airplane and can rotate it view to see it in all angle. In Dassault Aviation there was a great evolution of technology had been born since early 1980’s. Then in 1980 the company founder Marcel Dassault called Francis Bernard to use CATIA first time by himself. After the appreciation of Marcel Dassault , Francis Bernard decided to sell this software to outside the company and developed new software company. But it was the big risk for him as well as Dassault Aviation company because that this benefit will also be helpful to the another aircraft company which was the competitor Dassault Aviation.

Mercure commercial plane designed in CATIA

Also another problem rises for Francis Bernard that in 1980’s another software company had been developed their own 3D software tool like CADAM, CALMA, APLICON etc. which was approximate similar to CATIA. But luckily Dassault Aviation was the one of the biggest French client of IBM Company. He dealed with IBM to sold CATIA product with their operating system. At this time Francis Bernard gave his new company name as Dassault Systemes and designed first logo. Finally in September 1981 Francis Bernard launched his own company named DASSAULT SYSTEMES with 20 engineers moved from DASSAULT AVIATION. Within few days Dassault Systemes got first costumers that were Honda in Japan, Mercedes and BMW in Germany. In 1986 Dassault Systemes achieve great success after Boeing Decided to use CATIA and that was the big focus for world toward CATIA. In 1984 Francis Bernard hired a young engineer named Bernard Charles who worked in R&D department in Dassault Systemes . Now both Francis and Charles worked together for CATIA in several countries like India, China, Russia, and Africa etc. Francis Bernard retired in 2006 and Bernard Charles becomes new director till present. Now CATIA is used by severals companies like NOKIA, Audi, Bentley Motors ,Volvo, Daimler Chrysler, Fiat, Hyundai , Skoda, tesla Motors, Tata Motors, Goodyears, General Dynamics Electric Boat etc.