MBE Workshop
Thank You for Joining Us for the Elysium MBE Workshop
The MBE Workshop is designed to be interactive and provide attendees with real-world MBE examples, best practices and show you how to apply MBE to your organization.
Presenters & Instructors

Dr. Nathan Hartman
Dauch Family Professor of Advanced Manufacturing and Department Head, Computer Graphics Technology at Purdue University
Purdue University | Digital Enterprise Center
Nathan Hartman is the Dauch Family Professor of Advanced Manufacturing and Department Head of the Department of Computer Graphics Technology at Purdue University, and Director of the Purdue University Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Center. Dr. Hartman is also Co-Executive Director of the Indiana Next-generation Manufacturing Competitiveness Center (IN-MaC). In 2011, Professor Hartman was designated a University Faculty Scholar.
Professor Hartman’s research areas focus on the process and methodology for creating model-based definitions; examining the use of the model-based definition in the product lifecycle; developing the model-based enterprise; geometry automation; and data interoperability and re-use. He has been awarded over $9,000,000 in research funding to support his work, primarily from industrial and manufacturing corporations. Professor Hartman’s industry research partners include Rolls Royce, Cummins, Boeing, GM, Rockwell Collins, Textron, Gulfstream, Procter & Gamble, GM, Honda, and others. He has also done funded research work through NSF, DMDII, and NIST programs.
Professor Hartman currently teaches courses in 3D modeling, 3D data interoperability, and graphics standards and data exchange. Professor Hartman also leads a team in the development and delivery of online PLM and MBD professional education certificate programs for Purdue’s various industry partners. Professor Hartman holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Purdue University and a Doctorate from North Carolina State University. Dr. Hartman spent over seven years working in the industry for Fairfield Manufacturing Company, Caterpillar, and Rand Worldwide.
Specialties: computer-aided design; model-based enterprise; model-based definition; visualization; product lifecycle management; corporate training

Rich Eckenrode
MBE and Manufacturing Strategist
Elysium Inc.
Rich Eckenrode is currently the MBE and Manufacturing Strategist at Elysium Inc. In this position Rich works to assist and train Elysium Inc.’s application engineers and developers in all things related to MBE, MBD including Manufacturing and Design.
- Technical Lead for U.S. Army MANTECH, MBE Research Program (While at BAE Systems)
- Project Lead for U.S. Army MBE Transition into production at Red River and Letterkenny Army Depots
- Sub-Contractor to NIST, developed the first set of MBD Models in NX, CATIA, Creo and SOLIDWORKS (While at RECON Services)
- Worked as a sub-contractor on various U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, DARPA, and DMDII MBE/MBD research projects
- All this tasking was in development and implementation of MBE/MBD technology

Jesse Zahner
Technical Project Specialist
Elysium Inc.
Jesse Zahner graduated from the Purdue University’s prestigious Digital Enterprise Center (formerly Product Lifecycle Management Center of Excellence) with a focus in Model-Based Definition and conducted research projects with the Dean of the Digital Enterprise Center, Dr. Nathan Hartman and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
At Elysium, Jesse is the primary MBE deployment specialist for Elysium customers, assisting them with the use of Elysium solutions to accomplish their MBE goals. Jesse is currently working with several aerospace OEMs and suppliers on MBE initiatives.

Annalise Suzuki
Director of Technology & Engagement
Elysium Inc.
Annalise is responsible for influencing the technology direction to support MBE needs of the Americas Market. She also leads and oversees the customer engagement activity, with a depth of experience in successful foundational strategies to support model-based workflows in aerospace, high-tech, and automotive industries—ranging from CAD data quality checking, healing, validation/comparison, translation, packaging, and more.
She is active among industry initiatives by serving in the following committees/organizations:
- GPDIS (Global Product Data Interoperability Summit) Executive Council Member
- JT Open community TRB (Technical Review Board) Member
- AIAG Member, TDP Project chairperson
- 3D PDF Consortium member
- DMSC (Digital Metrology Standards Consortium) Member
- ProSTEP/PDES Inc./LOTAR/CAx-IF member and participant