POWER DRIVE

New Delhi, April 14: French software company Dassault Systemes today signed a memorandum of understanding with Argentum Engineering Design. The two will offer powertrain solutions to Indian auto companies.

Dassault Systemes will licence its 3D design and product lifestyle management software to Argentum Engineering’s centre of excellence in Greater Noida.

The software, built on the computer-aided design concept, provides a 3D vision of the lifecycle of a product from conception to maintenance and recycling. “We are defining the next level of solutions in which the media of communication will be 3D. This will enable testing a car’s ergonomics before it is built,” said Christian Nardin, president of Dassault Systemes Asia.

“In the changing global economy, India is a major player in the auto industry,” he said, adding, “the country can become the engineering centre of the world”.

Argentum Engineering has another centre in Pune. The company is part of the Argentum group that includes Argentum Motors.

Argentum was set up by B.V.R. Subbu, former president of Hyundai Motors India, Ajay Singh, promoter of SpiceJet, and broadband entrepreneur Ashish Deora.

Argentum Motors had acquired Daewoo Motors’ manufacturing facility at Surajpur for Rs 765 crore last year.

The company is capable of producing 4 lakh engines, 4 lakh gearboxes and 35,000 aluminium die-casting divisions per annum.