SMC Delivers 1,000,000th CAD Model
Customers Download Over 30,000 Models per Month from the Industry-Leading E-Tech Web Site

Indianapolis, IN, September 27, 2005 - SMC Corporation of America, the world's largest manufacturer of pneumatic components, announced the download of the millionth CAD model from its E-Tech Web site. The number of registered users and monthly downloads from the E-Tech site have grown more than 50% since last year.

Making it Easy to Specify Complex Products

Based on TechniCon's CustomCommerce platform, SMC's E-Tech site provides a guided sales system that allows customers to quickly find and specify pneumatic products from nearly 9000 basic products with millions of variations.

As customers configure products, the system offers downloadable 2D and 3D CAD models in all major formats. Using these dimensionally-accurate CAD models, engineers can design SMC's products into their assembly drawings. SMC's market research indicates 80% of these design-ins turn into orders.

Configuration data is passed to Solidworks' 3D PartStream.NET service to generate the CAD models. TechniCon integrates CustomCommerce with services such as 3D PartStream so manufacturers can include comprehensive CAD solutions as part of their e-commerce systems.

"When engineers are deciding between similar components from different suppliers, they're going to select the product that makes their job easier," explains Steve Hoffer, Group Leader for the E-Tech Web site. "Our customers are finding they can create detailed solutions and specifications for their pneumatic needs in minutes."

SMC used to spend $30,000 each month to build 1000 custom CAD models for their customers.  Today, SMC's customers generate and download over 30,000 CAD files a month from the E-Tech Web site at a fraction of that cost.

"In the past, generating CAD models for our customers could take our internal staff hours, and in many cases we'd require more time to review drawings once they were done. Worse, we couldn't leverage this work since every customer's configuration was unique.".

"Now, we can introduce a new product or option on the system in about the same time it used to take for us to create a custom CAD model. Once we've added the product, the system can generate models for the huge number of configurations and assemblies we offer."

Mark Keenan, CEO of TechniCon, adds, "Customers are looking for more convenient ways to find product information and select products. With CustomCommerce, manufacturers can offer Web-based self-service systems that replicate the expertise of their best salesperson and deliver accurate CAD models."

About SMC Corporation of America

SMC Corporation of America is a subsidiary of the SMC Corporation, one of the world's largest and most progressive manufacturers of pneumatic and other factory automation components. Since its establishment in 1959, SMC has been a leader in pneumatic technology, providing industry with technology and products to support automation based on the guiding principle of "contributing to automation labor savings in industry."

SMC offers technology accumulated through the years, engineers that bring it to life in new products, production capacity which can deliver a variety of products in a short time, and an extensive sales network in the US and throughout the world. SMC Corporation of America (www.smcusa.com) is headquartered in Indianapolis, IN.

About TechniCon

Founded in 1987, TechniCon is a leading provider of e-commerce solutions for complex products. Combining over a decade of experience developing product specification and sales automation software with leading-edge Internet and visualization technology, TechniCon has developed interactive sales and build-to-order systems for a wide range of manufacturers, including DaimlerChrysler, Motorola, and Steelcase.

TechniCon (www.technicon.com) is headquartered in Emeryville, CA with additional offices in St. Louis, MO.

TechniCon is a service mark of TechniCon Corporation.

SolidWorks and 3D PartStream.NET are registered trademarks of SolidWorks Corporation.