SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Report on Form 6-K dated May 25, 2004
Commission File No. 0-28578
DASSAULT SYSTEMES S.A.
(Name of Registrant)
9, Quai Marcel Dassault, B.P. 310, 92156 Suresnes Cedex, France
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F
Form 20-F X Form 40-F __
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in
paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):
Yes __ No X
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in
paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):
Yes __ No X
Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained
in this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the
information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:
Yes __ No X
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant
in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-___________
ENCLOSURES:
Dassault Systemes S.A. (the "Company") is furnishing under cover of Form 6-K a
press release dated May 24, 2004, announcing that the Company and Dassault
Aviation have together developed the Falcon 7X jet, the first aircraft
entirely developed on a virtual platform.
Dassault Aviation and Dassault Systemes Make Industry History -- Falcon 7X
Jet Becomes First Aircraft Entirely Developed on Virtual Platform
Pioneering aircraft manufacturer cuts assembly time of high-end business jet
by 50% with V5 PLM solutions from Dassault Systemes
Paris, France - May 24, 2004 - Just one year after implementing a revolutionary
virtual product development platform - the "Virtual Plateau" - based on Dassault
Systemes (Nasdaq: DASTY: Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) Product Lifecycle
Management (PLM) Solutions, Dassault Aviation has halved the time required to
assemble its new Falcon 7X business jet.
The Falcon 7X becomes the first aircraft in industry history to be entirely
developed in a virtual environment, from design to manufacturing to maintenance.
The single, integrated PLM environment, based on Dassault Systemes' CATIA,
ENOVIA, and DELMIA Solutions, enables Dassault Aviation and its 27 partners in
seven countries to work on a common, collaborative, 3D virtual platform. In
addition, SMARTEAM was used to manage and track airplane systems.
Every one of the jet's 30,000 parts was designed with CATIA. Through ENOVIA,
more than 1,000 engineers manage, exchange, and work in real-time on up-to-date
designs, including interface data for partner-designed sections. With DELMIA and
its human modeling modules, specialists analyze and optimize the design of the
Falcon 7X for crucially important aircraft maintenance and repair procedures.
The dramatic gains in assembly time and part quality stem from the precision
attainable on the virtual platform. The digital mockup of the Falcon 7X is so
accurate that fittings, supports, and tubing developed virtually fit perfectly
when the aircraft parts are assembled in the physical world. Not only has the
need for traditional assembly tools dropped dramatically, but Dassault Aviation
will also not produce a physical prototype of the Falcon 7X. The first jet,
scheduled for delivery in March 2005, will immediately be used for
certification.
"We made a big gamble when we said we were going with ENOVIA," said Jean-Claude
Hironde, deputy senior vice-president, Research, Design and Engineering,
Dassault Aviation. "Initially, we had to convince our partners of the benefits
of a virtual platform, of sharing data, and working in context. But today, with
data updated overnight, as opposed to the former two-month modification cycle,
there simply is no comparison."
"The virtual platform has fundamentally changed the way we view building
airplanes," said Jacques Pellas, CIO, Dassault Aviation. "Adopting PLM means
improving the circulation of information in a company, redefining its processes,
and reorganizing company structures. We are just at the beginning of a new
industrial revolution."
"By becoming the first aerospace manufacturer to implement a "virtual plateau",
Dassault Aviation has proven once again to be a pioneer in the industry," said
Philippe Forestier, executive vice-president, Dassault Systemes. "All users of
this virtual plateau--from suppliers to Dassault Aviation's own engineers--are
establishing new frontiers in aircraft development and demonstrating the value
of the PLM business transformation."
###
About Dassault Aviation
In the past sixty years, Dassault Aviation has delivered more than 7,500 civil
and military aircraft to 75 countries, logging some 20 million hours in flight
to date. This vast experience has allowed Dassault Aviation to build up
considerable expertise in the design, development, production, sales and support
military aircraft (for example, Rafale, Mirage, and Atlantic), Falcon Business
Jets and Multi-Role Falcon. Dassault Aviation has staked out a solid reputation
as industrial architect for complex airborne systems. Several key assets
underpin this global success: expertise in emerging and strategic technologies;
an in-depth understanding of the customer's technical, operational and financial
requirements; and a comprehensive systems approach to meet cost, deadline and
performance goals. Dassault Aviation is one of the largest Military Aircraft
European Exporters and is the World Leader for Top End Business Jets. Additional
information about Dassault Aviation is available at
http://www.dassault-aviation.com
About Dassault Systemes
As world leader in PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) solutions, the Dassault
Systemes group brings value to more than 70,000 customers in 80 countries. A
pioneer in the 3D software market since 1981, Dassault Systemes develops and
markets PLM application software and services that support industrial processes
and provide a 3D vision of the entire life cycle of products from conception to
maintenance. Its offering includes integrated PLM solutions for product
development (CATIA(R), DELMIA(R), ENOVIA(R), SMARTEAM(R)), mainstream product
design tools (SolidWorks(R)), and 3D components (ACIS(R)) from Spatial Corp.
Dassault Systemes is listed on the Nasdaq (DASTY) and Euronext Paris (#13065,
DSY.PA) stock exchanges. *CAA (Component Application Architecture) Version 5 is
Dassault Systemes' comprehensive and open development platform. For more
information, visit http://www.3ds.com
Dassault Aviation Press Contact: Dassault Systemes Press Contacts:
Gerard David Anthony Marechal
+33 1 47 11 86 90 +33 1 55 49 84 21
gerard.david@dassault-aviation.fr anthony_marechal@ds-fr.com
Ralph Aceti (US) Derek Lane (Americas)
+ 1 201 541 45 85 +1 818 673 2243
Ralph.aceti@falconjet.com derek_lane@ds-us.com
Dassault Systemes Investor Contact:
Harriet Keen
Financial Dynamics
+44 207 831 3113
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
DASSAULT SYSTEMES S.A.
Date: May 25, 2004 By: /s/ Thibault de Tersant
-----------------------
Name: Thibault de Tersant
Title:Executive Vice President,
Finance and Administration