HP Announces HP PE/DDS-C 5.0, HP's CAD/CAE Software for Control-System Design


PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 12, 1996 -- Hewlett-Packard Company today announced the release of Version 5.0 of HP Precision Engineering/Design and Drafting System for Cabling (HP PE/DDS-C). This version significantly enhances user productivity and ease of use, as well as adding full support for Windows 95 and Windows NT.

HP PE/DDS-C is a CAD/CAE software solution used by electrical engineers and designers to create control-system schematic designs and control-panel layout and wiring. It is used in, among other things, machine-tool, power-generation, automotive and process-plant industries. In addition to the more than 50 enhancements included with this latest release, Version 5.0 of HP PE/DDS-C provides users with a significant increase in functionality and productivity because it can use different methods to create and modify schematics. These new capabilities allow the user to create designs using either symbol- or component-oriented methodologies while maintaining the applicable on-line design-rule checks currently provided by HP PE/DDS-C.

HP PE/DDS-C uses the principles of concurrent engineering -- incorporating companywide or project-related design databases -- as well as a component library to ensure maximum re-use of component data. Based on a modular format, HP PE/DDS-C includes the following functionality:

  • creation of control schematics and power-circuit diagrams with on-line cross referencing, user definable parts lists, connectivity lists and reference lists, as well as terminal layouts and cable plans;

  • transfer of logical data from the schematic diagram into the physical layyout and wiring of electrical panels;

  • object-oriented "pop-up" command menus;

  • ability to dynamically "jump to" referenced components throughout multisheet schematics;

  • ability to create pneumatic and hydraulic-schematic diagrams;

  • ability to create complete documentation according to customer requirements; and

  • support for UNIX(R) systems, Windows 3.11, Windows 95 and Windows NT.

HP PE/DDS-C employs a similar interface to and is tightly integrated within HP's mechanical CAD and engineering data- and process-management (EDM) solutions, including HP WorkManager.

HP PE/DDS-C has been used extensively in the United States and Europe for more than 10 years and is part of HP's Precision Engineering strategy to supply leading hardware-independent CAD software. HP currently offers its CAD and EDM products on a wide range of platforms, including HP, SUN, Silicon Graphics, IBM, Windows, Windows 95 and Windows NT.

HP PE/DDS-C is designed to provide significant quality and productivity benefits to its many users and is supplied solely in the United States by Cadtek, Inc.

Cadtek was founded in 1988 and is a prominent HP CAD supplier in the UK and the sole distributor for HP PE/DDS-C in the UK, the United States and Canada. Cadtek's facilities in the US provide sales and support coverage for HP PE/DDS-C for both the US and Canada. Cadtek's installed base includes over 250 customers.

HP's Mechanical Design Division develops 2-D and 3-D mechanical computer-aided design and product-data-management software. The software solutions, called HP Precision Engineering systems, are known for their quality, ease of use, customization capability and support of industry standards. HP engineering solutions are available in 10 languages and are installed on more than 80,000 systems in design, engineering and manufacturing organizations worldwide.

HP is the second-largest computer supplier in the United States with computer-related revenue of $25.3 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 108,300 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.

Information about MDD and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com/mdd.


UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open(tm) Company Limited.

X/Open is a trademark of X/Open Company Limited in the UK and other countries.

Windows is a U.S. registered trademark of Microsoft Corp.



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