Siemens (www.siemens.com) has agreed to acquire Sheffield-based Lightwork Design — a computer software and technology licensing company specialising in 3-D rendering software development and virtual reality (VR).

As a result, Siemens PLM (product lifecycle management) software will give customers enhanced 3-D data visualisation, high-end rendering and VR capabilities.

In addition, the acquisition expands Siemens’ ‘open business’ strategy with a commitment to continue to provide software tool-kits for 3-D data pre-processing for visualisation, rendering and virtual reality, and to continue licensing Siemens technology to independent software vendors.

The offerings of Lightwork Design will be combined with Siemens’ existing PLM-components business, which includes Parasolid software, D-Cubed software and Kineo software.

Currently, more than 240 companies integrate Siemens PLM software technology into 350 commercial applications for the benefit of six million end users.

This latest acquisition builds upon previous investments in software offerings that connect virtual product development and production planning with the real production environment and lifecycle support.

Lightwork Design capabilities are already embedded in NX software, Siemens’ 3-D design application; they will also be added to other offerings across the Siemens portfolio.

Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Digital Factory division, is a global provider of software solutions to drive the digital transformation of industry. It has its headquarters in Plano, Texas, and over 140,000 customers world-wide.