Seemage

Seemage, founded in 2002, specialized in software that enabled enterprises to create product documentation directly from 3D Computer-Aided Design (CAD) data. The company was established in Sophia Antipolis, France, with offices in the USA, and was led by CEO Chris Williams.

The company developed a suite of products that allowed users, including non-engineers, to repurpose 3D design data for various business purposes. Its main offering, which later became known as 3DVIA Composer, allowed for the creation of animations, technical illustrations, and interactive service and maintenance procedures from CAD models. The product line included tools such as Seemage Viz, Mockup, and Publisher, alongside a freely distributable Player. The system was built on an open, XML-based architecture, which allowed for integration with multiple enterprise systems like PLM, ERP, and CRM, and supported various CAD file formats including CATIA, SolidWorks, and Pro/ENGINEER. Seemage's business model targeted industries like aerospace, automotive, and industrial manufacturing, serving clients such as PSA Peugeot Citroën, John Deere, and Delphi.

Seemage secured $9.4M in funding from investors including 123 Investment Managers and Smalt Capital. In September 2007, just after announcing a strategic partnership, Seemage was acquired by Dassault Systèmes for $35.2M to integrate its technology into Dassault's 3DVIA brand. Following the acquisition, the Seemage product line was rebranded as 3DVIA Composer.

Keywords: 3D product documentation, CAD data reuse, technical illustration software, interactive 3D content, service procedure authoring, digital mockup, visualization software, XML-based architecture, PLM integration, automotive industry solutions, aerospace documentation, Dassault Systèmes acquisition, 3DVIA Composer, content authoring system, SolidWorks partner, CATIA integration, product lifecycle management, technical publications, assembly animation, maintenance manuals