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Michael Finocchiaro

Michael Finocchiaro

Chapter 7 - The Computational Alchemy: How Graphics Mathematics Forged the AI Age

I have been at pains to prove that all this MCAD history is relevant to us today because the problems it solved were found to be analogous to those required for advancing artificial intelligence. The full mathematical story below.

Chapter 6 - From Parametric Roots to Direct Evolution: The Rise of Hybrid Modeling in CAD Kernels

At the beginning there was only direct modeling on solids. PTC changed the game with parametric modeling when they launched Pro/ENGINEER, but then CATIA V5 was the first to achieve the best of both worlds. What follows in an explanation of what these terms mean and where the MCAD industry is headed.

Chapter 5 - Cautionary Tales in CAD: When Tech Isn’t Enough

Sometimes vendors approached the market haphazardly or did not see a technological shift, and sometimes they were too lazy to fix their bugs. This is the story of three dead ends in the history of MCAD.

Chapter 4 - Solid Edge versus SolidWorks: Two Different (but similar) Paths to Parasolid

At the advent of Microsoft Windows stood Jim Meadlock of Intergraph and Jon Hirschtick of Winchester Design (later SolidWorks) that saw the writing on the wall for the death of UNIX workstations. This is the story of how they got there and their very different fates afterwards.

Chapter 3 - Proprietary versus Licensed Kernels

Development of graphics kernels is pretty hard are we'll see a little later, so not everyone could afford to build their own. This is the story of a few that were modular and usable by other applications and some that stayed proprietary to their original company.

Chapter 3 - The Cambridge Connection: Foundations of Modern CAD

The origins of modern CAD technology come from the laboratories of computer science at the University of Cambridge. Let's explore the story.

Chapter 1: Graphics Kernel Anatomy 101

A graphics kernel is the unsung hero of CAD systems, managing the rendering and manipulation of graphical elements. This chapter explains the DNA of MCAD applications.

Fino Post Index for SharePLMSummit 2025

inaugural #SharePLMSummit in the superb Bodegas Fundador in (very) sunny Jerez, Spain. It is hard to do a final post, but here is a helpful index listed chronologically according to the agenda

The Great PLM Murder Mystery by Rob Ferrone's Shakespearean Players

How Agentic AI and Model Context Protocol Are Uniting the Digital Enterprise

Despite decades of digital transformation, most organizations still struggle to connect their Systems of Engagement (where people interact), Systems of Record (where data is stored), and Systems of Insight (where intelligence is created).