Working with Siemens to develop virtual process engineering

Citation

(1999), "Working with Siemens to develop virtual process engineering", Assembly Automation, Vol. 19 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.1999.03319dab.012

Working with Siemens to develop virtual process engineering

Keywords CAD, VR

Tecnomatix Technologies and Siemens Automation and Drives Group are to work together to create an integrated 3D virtual environment for use by production engineers in optimising the design of manufacturing engineering processes. The cooperation agreement brings together the expertise of two industry leaders in a joint project aimed at achieving a seamless path from process design to shop floor automation.

Key objectives are to reduce the time taken to modify or design and install new production lines. These can be realised by transferring many crucial and time consuming activities to a computer simulation within a "virtual" manufacturing cell. As well as proving the new process, the virtual cell provides the means for off-line programming of the process controllers. This saves time by allowing programs to be produced in advance and without causing any disruption to existing production facilities.

The first product of the co-operation ROBCAD/PLC (programmable logic controller) is due to be released shortly. A natural development of the Tecnomatix range of computer-aided production engineering (CAPE) products, ROBCAD/PLC provides a single integrated environment with facilities to design manufacturing processes, create programs to run PLCs, robots and machines, and validate and optimise the processes and programs by means of simulation. Once the system has been approved and signed-off all of the programs can then be downloaded directly to the machines on the shopfloor.

BMW has initiated the joint project between Siemens and Tecnomatix, both of which are key suppliers for automation and simulation technology used in automotive production. In commenting on the development, PLC program manager Alfons Kiermeieer said: "The main requirement for the automotive industry is to achieve high product quality at minimal costs. Moreover, a fast product launch can be a decisive factor for the success of a new product."

"We need to know exactly how the production lines will perform early in the engineering phase. This information can now be predicted by generating automatically the PLC programs concurrently with the design process, and then using these programs to simulate the production lines in a virtual environment."

Commenting on the agreement Tecnomatix general manager for Northern Europe Gareth Watts said: "It fits our strategy for developing new products by partnering with best-in-class vendors. The Siemens-Tecnomatix solution will expand the capabilities of our Digital Factory offering to include shop-floor controllers as well as product/process/resource definitions.

"After our customers have met the challenge of robotic off-line programming with ROBCAD - which is already standard practice at many manufacturers - programming of PLCs on the shopfloor is the next step for compressing the start-up times for new lines."

"From our experience, programming in the virtual environment can save five to ten weeks lead-time of a new product launch. This translates into significant incremental profits to our customers."

The Siemens Automation and Drives Group (A&D), Nurembergl/Erlangen, Germany, supplies automation and drive solutions for the manufacturing and process industry as well as electrical installation technology. A&D's activities cover industrial applications and installation engineering, with solutions for machine tools, high capacity packaging machines and the automation of entire automobile factories or refineries.

For further information contact: Gareth Watts, General Manager Northern Europe Tecnomatix Technologies, 5 The Priory, Old London Road, Canwell, Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire B75 5SH, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 121 323 1300; Fax: +44 (0) 121 323 1333.