S1 Ep 1 - Mike Payne, Sailing from PTC to SolidWorks and Beyond

Mike Payne, the celebrated serial founder behind PTC, SolidWorks and SpaceClaim, shares his journey through the evolution of computer-aided design from punch cards to cloud computing. His candid insights reveal how identifying technological shifts and understanding real engineering needs led to revolutionary CAD innovations that democratized design tools.• Started career studying physics when computers were rare in undergraduate education• Learned programming by necessity for a microwave concrete curing project• First encountered CAD through PDMS at Prime Computer in the early 1980s• Co-founded PTC with Sam Geisberg, pioneering parametric modeling using "feature recipes"• Recognized the potential of Windows NT to disrupt workstation-based CAD• Founded SolidWorks to bring affordable 3D CAD to Windows platforms• Made key decision to license Parasolid geometry kernel after ACIS proved inadequate• Developed SpaceClaim for direct modeling, enabling analysts to modify designs• Created Kenesto to solve cloud-based CAD document management challenges• Advocates hiring engineers and teaching them programming rather than vice versa• Believes in evolution rather than revolution in technology development• Maintains that cloud and desktop software should interoperate seamlesslyIf you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the History of CAD podcast where we explore the untold stories behind the tools that shape modern engineering and design.