VISUALIZATION

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa -- Mechdyne Corporation, of Marshalltown, Iowa -- in alliance with SGI, of Mountain View, California -- has won a contract to build an immersive visualization system for John Deere (Deere & Company). As the second Mechdyne and SGI(R) visualization solution for Deere, the system will be used primarily for design analysis and virtual prototyping applications. A unique design developed and marketed by Mechdyne as an MD Flex(TM), the system will consist of three large vertical screens and a central floor surface. One person can easily reconfigure the system as one giant flat screen, an interactive theater with angled side panels, or a "U-shaped" immersive room. The system will feature several of Mechdyne's exclusive technological advancements, including a low-maintenance DuraFloor(TM) projection surface and industry-leading Seamless Corners(TM) for optimal image fidelity. The system will be powered by an SGI(R) Onyx(R) 3000 series supercomputer with InfiniteReality3(TM) graphics technology. Additional system features will include a multi-channel audio system and a tracking device to adjust projected images to correspond with a user's movement and point of view. "We have seen success using the Mechdyne system at the Technology Center, as well as other virtual reality equipment in Waterloo, in our engineering and manufacturing departments," said Mike Ryken, Lead Engineer for Virtual Reality. "The Mechdyne system being installed at the Product Engineering Center will provide fast, efficient design-sharing between engineering and manufacturing." "We are pleased to offer the many benefits of industry-leading immersive visualization to the world's leading producer of agricultural equipment," said John Bethel, Mechdyne's Director of Business Development. "We are confident the advantages offered through the use of this Mechdyne solution will help John Deere enjoy continued competitive success." "John Deere is an excellent example of how companies are realizing true immersive collaboration between departments and across the enterprise," said Knut Korsell, vice president of industry marketing, SGI. "We're pleased to team with Mechdyne to bring a second advanced visualization system powered by SGI InfiniteReality series technology to this valued customer."