LAKE MARY, FL-Faro Technologies Inc., manufacturer of a complete line of portable 3-D coordinate measurement systems for the computer-aided measuring market, launches a new level of its open architecture software partner program called the Software Diversity Program (SDP) and names Delcam as its first SDP partner.

Delcam's cross-hardware platform interoperability is suited to Faro's customer base and product line. The company's PowerInspect software, for example, is a 3-D inspection tool that allows multiple types of measurement devices to function on one software platform.

"The Software Diversity Program and partnership with Delcam show our commitment to becoming the single-source solution for the computer-aided measuring market," Jay Freeland, president and chief operating officer at Faro, says. "It gives our customers more software choices...we invite other software providers to consider participating, as well."

More than 60 software platforms have joined the first general level, Open Architecture Partnership, which began at the inception of Faro's industrial product line nearly 13 years ago. The new SDP expands on that by allowing approved third-party software partners to enter into a more integrated arrangement with Faro if they meet certain criteria, including a worldwide or strong regional user base, diverse applications and global support channels.

SDP partners benefit from integration and joint selling through Faro's worldwide sales force, as well as having access to Faro's development teams in order to improve interfaces, make the integration seamless, and achieve a higher level of coordination with its hardware and software products. They also can work with Faro's global marketing teams to co-market to specific industries or territories.