Computervision
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Marty Allen, Philippe Villers |
| Defunct | December 12, 1998 |
| Fate | Acquired by Parametric Technology Corporation |
| Headquarters | Bedford, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | CADDS series, MEDUSA, CAD/CAM software and hardware |
| Parent | Prime Computer (1988–1998), then Parametric Technology Corporation (from 1998) |
Computervision, Inc. (CV) was a trailblazer in the field of Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM). Established in 1969 by entrepreneurs Marty Allen and Philippe Villers, the company was based in Bedford, Massachusetts. Its earliest offerings operated on the Data General Nova system. By approximately 1975, Computervision engineered its proprietary "CGP" (Computervision Graphics Processor), a 16-bit computer compatible with Nova, specifically designed for graphics tasks and running the exclusive Computervision Graphic Operating System (CGOS). During the 1980s, the firm migrated its software solutions to platforms based on Unix.
In 1988, Prime Computer acquired Computervision for $434 million and subsequently adopted the Computervision brand name. Later, on December 12, 1998, Parametric Technology Corporation completed the acquisition of the company.
CADDS product history
The company's first offering, CADDS-1 (Computervision Automated Design and Drafting System), was aimed at the markets for printed circuit board layout and two-dimensional drafting, featuring a large drafting table equipped with a digitizer and plotter.
CADDS-2 broadened its scope to support integrated circuit layout, incorporating a dedicated operating system and a 16-bit graphics database. To overcome resolution constraints associated with VLSI, the late 1970s saw the introduction of CADDS-2/VLSI, which featured a 32-bit database, a new operating system, and user programmability through ICPL—a BASIC variant licensed from Fairchild Semiconductor. CADDS-2 operated on Data General Nova 1200 machines, while CADDS-2/VLSI utilized customized hardware and software derived from modified Data General Nova systems.
Launched in the late 1970s, CADDS3 functioned on CGP80 and CGP100 platforms that employed Tektronix storage tube vector displays alongside graphics tablets featuring menu-driven input. Developed in Fortran, it included software acquired from S3 Corporation created by Patrick Hanratty. The 1975 enhancements introduced an upgraded database supporting multiple data types, a B-spline module, and improved screen refresh rates—features that attracted prominent clients such as Boeing for their 757/767 aircraft projects.
During the early 1980s, CADDS4 brought forth advanced three-dimensional design capabilities on the CGP200 platform, shifting from storage tube to raster graphics displays and unveiling a dedicated Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). Specialized packages catered to CAD drafting, CAM (computer-aided manufacturing), three-dimensional modeling, piping and plant design, printed circuit board layout, as well as instrument panel design. Additionally, Computervision participated in establishing the IGES standard for CAD/CAM data interchange alongside competitors like Applicon.
A major development occurred with CADDS4X on CGP200X running CGOS200X, which improved memory handling and increased program capacity. In 1984, the Computervision Distributed System (CDS) 4000 combined clusters of CGP200X units with the proprietary 32-bit Analytic Processing Unit (APU), resulting in enhanced performance.
The CADDS product line continued production into the twenty-first century; as of 2019, CADDS5 was still offered as a specialized CAD/CAM solution tailored for shipbuilding applications.
MEDUSA product history
In 1983, Computervision acquired Cambridge Interactive Systems (CIS), a company founded by British computer scientist Dr. Dick Newell and Tom Sancha, to obtain the advanced MEDUSA CAD technology developed by CIS. CIS had a collaboration with Prime Computer, which maintained an option on the MEDUSA source code. Initially, MEDUSA operated on 32-bit super mini computers, particularly those from Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) using their VAX hardware, as well as Prime Computer systems.
In 1984, Prime exercised its option to independently develop MEDUSA, resulting in two distinct versions: CIS MEDUSA (owned by Computervision and running on Prime, Sun, and VAX workstations) and Prime MEDUSA (originally for Prime machines, later ported to SunOS as version 5.0). These two branches featured unique file formats and separate development trajectories. The division ended when Prime Computers acquired Computervision, ensuring customers using VAX and Sun platforms would not be required to change their hardware.
Prime organized itself into two segments: Prime Hardware, responsible for proprietary computer hardware production, and Prime Computervision, dedicated to CAD/CAM software products including MEDUSA and CADDS. As hardware sales diminished, Prime discontinued manufacturing PRIMOS computers and outsourced their support to concentrate exclusively on CAD/CAM software development, renaming Prime Computervision as Computervision (CV).
Hardware
In 1980, Computervision engineered a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) capable of handling hierarchical display lists. By 1983, they introduced a Display Control Unit (DCU) equipped with a large color raster display alongside a rendering engine designed for user interface functions.
The year 1985 saw CV release the IBM 4361-based CDS5000 mainframe to support Product Data Manager (PDM), which managed extensive product data files rather than graphical content. The CDS5000 connected with CDS4000 and CGP200X systems via serial links. Subsequently, PDM evolved into a platform-independent solution compatible with IBM, DEC/VMS, and Sun/Unix environments—allowing CADDS workstations to integrate with various host systems for comprehensive product data management including revision control and backup.
Computervision was instrumental in the growth of Sun Microsystems as one of its earliest significant Unix workstation customers. The CDS3000 series were essentially Sun-2 machines enhanced by CV’s graphics hardware. By 1987, CV shifted from CGP systems to CADDStations based on Sun-3 platforms featuring a VME bus GPU.
Following its 1988 merger with Prime Computer and acquisition of competitor GE Calma in 1989, Computervision broadened its presence in microelectronic CAD markets. In 1998, it was acquired by Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC), which maintains CADDS5 as a specialized CAD/CAM offering for shipbuilding. In 2001, PTC transferred the rights to MEDUSA and MPDS Plant Design System to CAD Schroer, who have since released fourth-generation versions of these products.
Customers
Among ComputerVision’s earliest major UK clients was construction firm John Laing PLC, which in 1975 invested in a ComputerVision CADDS3 system to investigate CAD applications within construction engineering. Laing Design Partners, a John Laing division that had supported initial CAD research at Imperial College London, led the adoption of the ComputerVision platform. This made John Laing the first civil engineering and construction company in the UK to utilize CAD technology, significantly advancing computer adoption in the sector.
Mervyn Richards spearheaded this initiative at Laing and became a leading authority on CAD, modeling, and construction IT. His collaboration with ComputerVision and expertise in CADDS3 contributed to developing software tools that sustained the platform’s success through the era of CADDS5.
Prominent projects utilizing ComputerVision systems included John Laing’s design work for Queen Alia Airport. In academia, the State University of New York College of Technology at Alfred acquired a CADDS3 system in 1979 through an NSF grant combined with employee contributions. Alfred State’s program produced graduates with strong employment outcomes and pioneered three-dimensional CAD applications for highway and bridge design in partnership with the New York State Department of Transportation.
In 1981, ComputerVision secured a $63 million indefinite delivery contract from the U.S. Navy for Designer V hardware along with CADDS4 software, services, and training. By 1985, CADDS had been widely adopted across Navy shipyards and the Naval Sea Systems Command for ship design purposes. As of 2013, CADDS5 continued to be offered as a specialized CAD/CAM solution tailored for shipbuilding industries.
See also
External links
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