Deneb VIS launches Deneb ASSEMBLY in UK

Citation

(1999), "Deneb VIS launches Deneb ASSEMBLY in UK", Assembly Automation, Vol. 19 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.1999.03319aaf.003

Deneb VIS launches Deneb ASSEMBLY in UK

Deneb VIS launches Deneb/ASSEMBLY in UK

Keywords Assembly, Simulation

Today's technologies in engineering and manufacturing are advancing rapidly and are increasing in complexity. Shorter market response time, improved quality and flexible manufacturing facilities are driving forces in today's industries. Deneb's IGRIP and ENVISION simulation systems help companies meet these demands by providing a user friendly virtual prototyping environment for digital manufacturing.

This latest addition to the Deneb stable is an optional module within IGRIP and ENVISION. It is a powerful, interactive 3D simulation tool which has been specifically designed for use in developing visualising, validating and documenting assembly and disassembly processes. With Deneb/ASSEMBLY, engineers can study and optimise multiple assembly and disassembly process scenarios early in the design stage. By linking product and process design, improvements are made during the design phase, reducing time to market and costs by enabling concurrent engineering (see Plate 2).

Deneb/ASSEMBLY acts as a design for assembly tool, facilitating the development of multilevel assemblies, sequences, part paths and process documentation. Deneb/ ASSEMBLY makes it easy for engineers to analyse various scenarios and determine the best assembly process for product maintenance. This simulation is then recorded and serves as shopfloor instructions, maintenance instructions and training.

Plate 2Deneb VIS's ASSEMBLY

Deneb/ASSEMBLY's simple graphical programming interface allows the user to specify instructions for each part in the Gantt chart without having to memorise special language syntax, enabling task synchronisation between assemblies, tools, robots and human models.

Sophisticated interference checking allows the user to specify how close the various parts should be allowed to get to one another. Part collisions and clearances are detected and displayed in real time. If parts collide, a cue is automatically generated and the data can be sent to the design for updating. Deneb/ASSEMBLY also automatically generates collision-free part paths for the most challenging assembly tasks.

By deploying dynamic cross-sectioning, a flat plane can be moved through 3D space and cut through an assembled part to allow inspection of internal details. Deneb/ ASSEMBLY automatically generates a "swept volume" so that clearances can be visualised. This generated swept volume is saved as a part, allowing it to be measured, exported to CAD and used in collision clearance evaluation.

Cables and wire harnesses are easily incorporated into a Deneb/ASSEMBLY simulation. Users can then be certain that cables will not obstruct part paths or be subjected to too much tension.

Simon Cheetam, a manufacturing engineer at BAe's Manufacturing and Assembly Technology Department, explained: "We first tried ASSEMBLY in April and we are impressed by how easy it is to use, especially how quick it is to build up assembly sequences early in the design stage. ASSEMBLY helps make concurrent engineering less of a concept and more of a reality. In particular, we found the visualisation and fly-through manipulation to be intuitive and much faster and more life-like than CAD. Typical assemblies can be made up of several hundred parts, so the building for devices part of ASSEMBLY is crucial to us. ASSEMBLY will prove invaluable for communicating ideas on international collaborative projects in the future."

For further information contact: Deneb Visual Interactive Systems Ltd, Masters House, Bexton Road, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 0BU. Tel: +44 (0) 1565 751121. Fax: +44 (0) 1565 751123; E-mail: uk@denebcom; www: www.deneb.com