An Industrial Renaissance

Speaking at the group’s Solidworks World Event in Dallas, Texas, Gian Paolo Bassi, CEO of Dassault Systemes’ CEO Solidworks harked back to the 15th century and the invention of the printing press. He did this to illustrate just how fundamental the changes taking place in industry currently are and the consequent need for a completely new paradigm to cope with that.

These changes, he felt, were so complete as to need a new way of thinking and he termed the “very deep and lasting transition” that industry is currently experiencing “The Industrial Renaissance”.

Quite how extreme the changes possible within this ‘renaissance’ may be were illustrated in other areas, with one of the more striking being highlighted by president and chief executive officer of Dassault Systèmes Bernard Charlès. This was an initiative by Ecco Shoes to create – in conjunction with Solidworks – bespoke shoes for customers on a mass scale within a two-hour turnaround time.

The technological challenges of such undertakings – and their potential implications for the future of industry and design – are profound. However, we are in a demand-led culture and it is this level of flexibility and adaptability that are going to shape the future for many of us.