New York, NY – January 7, 2008. Lectra, the world leader in integrated technology solutions dedicated to the soft goods industries, will present its complete, integrated range dedicated to footwear, luggage and leather goods markets at the Materials at WSA Expo & Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada from February 19-21, 2008. The latest versions of Romans CAD Software – state-of-the-art 3D solution which allows for real-time modification, validation and collaboration, will be on display. Learn more about the new generation of automated cutters, combining power with intelligence.

"In a world where globalization dominates local markets, the footwear, luggage and leather goods sector has to overcome new challenges, with consumers being increasingly demanding in terms of style and price,"  explains Pierre Bonnet, director of the footwear, luggage and leather goods market for Lectra. "For manufacturers to build strong brands, constantly renew their styles and modernize production, innovative technologies and comprehensive solutions are vital."

The only PDM software genuinely dedicated to footwear currently on the market

Romans CAD Software Data Management is the only PDM software dedicated to footwear currently available on the market. It significantly accelerates the collection creation process through real-time sharing between decision-makers, designers, suppliers and customers of all data generated during the design phase of new products. This information may be in the form of technical documents but may also be highly realistic 3D simulations. The integration of Romans CAD Software Data Management with other applications throughout the product design chain can more than halve the time needed to design a new collection and drastically cut costs by reducing production time and the number of prototypes needed. Those involved in the process receive and share unique, customized information in real time, regardless of whether they are working on site or remotely.

Pierre Bonnet explains, "With traditional processes, a company with multiple sites needs a certain amount of time to develop a model from the first sketch to design approval. With the tools Lectra is offering, the time needed to develop and approve a virtual product and produce the only physical prototype necessary for final validation is significantly reduced."

Dedicated 2D/3D software giving even better performance

Integrating the know-how of designers with the power and ease-of-use of the Romans CAD Software has made designing on a 3D digital last more creative and given better simulation of models and a significantly reduced development process. Romans CAD Software 3D design combines traditional know how from the trade with the latest technological innovations to increase the number of virtual models on the one hand and reduce the number of samples and associated costs on the other. Applying methodologies tailored to the needs of the footwear sector makes it possible to focus on added value during the industrialization phase, and cuts out the repetitive tasks involved in development.

New cutter range for all materials

Learn more about Lectra’s new cutter range, highlighting Prospin in particular. With each new generation of cutters, Lectra offers improved power, speed, precision, productivity and quality. The new generation of Vectors also provides better communication, is smarter and can diagnose failure risks, call the support center, request a parameter change and deliver performance reports.

The Lumière solution is a key element in optimizing leather cutting for prototypes and small runs. It can be disconnected from the production machines if necessary, and optimizes cutting times by allowing the combination of manual and automatic nesting of specific pieces, guaranteeing maximum process flexibility.

Used with Romans CAD Software Data Management, this complete, integrated range means manufacturers can guarantee the quality of production data, improve the communication of information, gain in performance and significantly reduce material consumption.

The Romans CAD Software range consists of Romans CAD Software 3D Design, Romans CAD Software 2D Pattern, Romans CAD Software Last Maker, Romans CAD Software SL, Romans CAD Software Sole, Romans CAD Software Bag, Romans CAD Software Lumiere and Romans CAD Software Data Management.