Why should SMEs consider tailor made configuration?

Why should SMEs consider tailor made configuration?

12 Jul 2023 | CAD/CAM

In the collective imagination, cost-effective production means standardization to mass-produce at a low cost. However, the constant production of new products and consumers’ desire for hyper-personalization challenge this idea. To address these challenges, custom configuration proves to be a significant solution for small and medium-sized industrial entities. This meets both the consumer’s desire for personalization with the company’s economic viability. Here’s how it works.

Customized configuration is a key component of digital engineering

With the integration of digital technologies and the automation of information systems, engineering 4.0 (or digital engineering) has revolutionized object design, manufacturing, and production processes. This is how tailor-made configuration has emerged. Digital tools empower users to hyper-personalize their products by playing with various combinations. For that, the customer can adjust his modifications on a 3D simulation to achieve the desired result. In an increasingly competitive production environment, hyper-personalized configuration answers to the growing trend towards mass customization. It is also a solution to the consumers’ desire for personalization and the resulting need for production flexibility. Nowadays, industries wishing to remain competitive must be able to rapidly modify their production lines without losing quality. Therefore, it is essential for them to invest in a high-performance tool capable of multiplying configurations.  

Hyper-personalized configuration: a tool beneficial to all levels of a business

Hyper-personalized configuration is primarily seen as a sales support tool, but its benefits go way beyond the sales department alone – particularly in industry. Customized configuration provides numerous advantages at various levels of the business, including:

  • A tenfold increase in production reliability: 3D visualization and details of modifications, made by the design office, during the design phase, enable the manufacturing of error-free complex products.
  • Offering consistent prices with real-time updates: with customized configuration, you can monitor real-time price adjustments based on changes made during the design phase. This allows you to sell and produce at the best price without reducing profit margins.
  • Expanding your market reach: the number of configurations enables access to a broader customer base. Moreover, customized configurations create a seamless connection between the design and the final product. Consequently, the production begins only after an order is place by the customer.
  • Empowering customers: as decision-makers from start to finish of the design process, users can hyper-personalize their products. Customized configuration reduces the discussions between the customer and the design office and significantly reduces the time spent on the project by the latter.
  • Improving the competitiveness of all businesses: large corporations, SMEs, SMIs… This technology is accessible to all types of industry. Indeed, in the context of a mass production strategy, small businesses may struggle to remain profitable if they are unable to expand to produce more. Thanks to customized configuration, small and medium-sized businesses can get more profitable without significantly increasing their production.

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Top Solid’Design: custom configuration for manufacturers

TopSolid’Design is CAD software designed to optimize the work of the design office at every stage of the design process. With this in mind the Product Configuration module enables designers to propose customized configurations. The process is straightforward: parts are configured from the 3D model and its possible variants. Everything is designed using native design office data. With just a few clicks, users can customize the product’s appearance to match their wishes and budget, with real-time adaptability. At the end of the configuration process, the design office takes the reconfigured file, makes the modifications required by the user, and sends it to manufacturing. Our Product Configuration module is suitable for both B2B (for industrial customers, resellers, or partners) and B2C. This module meets the user’s demand for customization while streamlining the design office’s workflow. As a modular solution, TopSolid’Design is compatible with most market formats, including our TopSolid’Cam manufacturing software – without any loss of data. Our flexible solution is adapted to the needs of industry designers. It offers:

  • full traceability throughout the design process,
  • time-saving benefits for the design office through collaborative work,
  • sharing of native CAD files,
  • …and robust data security and access control.

Try TopSolid’Design: Contact us now!

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CAD/CAM for grinding on your machine tools

CAD/CAM for grinding on your machine tools

12 Jul 2023 | CAD/CAM

More precise than traditional machining operations, grinding enables the surface of a product to be finely modified thanks to the abrasive machining technique. Nevertheless, investing in the right machine tools to perform this type of operation represents a significant cost for companies, more so as their piloting can prove difficult for programmers. To facilitate grinding on these machine tools, some manufacturers are exploring the possibilities offered by CAD/CAM. But what additional advantages does CAD/CAM offer this activity? Here’s how.

The challenges of rectification

By employing the principle of abrasive machining, grinding achieves exceptionally high dimensional accuracy on parts, enabling us to meet customer requirements better. Whereas traditional machining operations involve the removal of a swarf, grinding acts more finely on the material, polishing it with a grinding wheel.

While the effectiveness of this method is not in doubt, it nevertheless represents a significant investment for companies: they must purchase the machine tools required for these operations. The challenge for organizations is to measure the profitability of the proposed solutions. To carry out grinding operations, they can:

  • Either invest in grinding machines dedicated exclusively to honing.
  • Or to invest in combined machines for both machining and grinding.

The limits of “foot-in-the-machine” programming

In the first case, i.e., with a solution that combines machining and grinding, companies can adapt and create grinding programs for the machine.

The disadvantages of this approach are manifold:

  • Lack of flexibility: unlike CAM, this programming does not allow machine simulation and collision checks.
  • High cost: this type of programming requires the purchase of a grinding machine in addition to the machine tool, plus handling costs.
  • Risk of inaccuracy: Moving parts from the machine tool to the grinding machine amplifies the risk of inaccuracy.
  • Considerable programming time: programming machine tools and setting up grinding machines can be time-consuming for the teams in charge.

The range of CAD, CAM, ERP and PDM TopSolid solutions

CAD/CAM to optimize grinding on machine tools

Faced with these limitations, some manufacturers have developed combined machines which, thanks to CAD/CAM, allow:

  • First, machine a part by milling and turning.
  • Grind the same part in a second step.

The part does not need to be moved, as all handling is done on the same machine. This eliminates repositioning errors caused by moving the part from the machining center to the grinding machine and saves valuable handling time.

Point of attention: the need for a dedicated grinding CAD/CAM tool

For companies equipped with machines that combine machining and grinding, choosing the right CAD/CAM software is crucial. Only some CAD/CAM solutions contain dedicated grinding operations; some propose diverting machining operations into grinding operations. This is not a very relevant approach, as the method used to pilot a grinding wheel differs significantly from that used in milling or turning.

This type of solution offers no added value to the programmer, who is forced to manually adjust the ISO code to obtain the correct surface finish on the part. This is why companies are strongly advised to opt for a CAD/CAM tool that has specifically designed the grinding operation.

 

TopSolid’Cam: a software designed to optimize grinding on machine tools

TopSolid’Cam is a complete, high-performance CAD/CAM software package that supports and facilitates the design work of programmers thanks to:

  • Easy and complete solution integration.
  • Interoperability with all CAD software.
  • A self-managed working environment.
  • Production optimization thanks to a duplication process.
  • Different simulation levels.
  • Change management and tracking.
  • An answer to a wide range of milling and machining needs.

More specifically, TopSolid’Cam’s “grinding on machining center” functionality enables customers equipped with machine tools to combine machining and grinding to optimize the management of this operation. Indeed, the solution offers the possibility of programming the grinding process directly from the software, even before the part is mounted on the machine. Designed explicitly for on-machine grinding, this functionality adapts to the characteristics of each operation and facilitates the programmer’s work.

Would you like to learn more about TopSolid’s machining center grinding functionality? Ask our team for a demonstration.

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Success Story: TopSolid by Rabumeca

Success Story: TopSolid by Rabumeca

20 Mar 2023 | CAD/CAM

Based in the Ain region of France, Rabumeca designs and manufactures welded assemblies in steel, stainless steel, and aluminum for various sectors. Founded in 1989, the company boasts many years of experience in its field, which earned it the “quality, cost, delivery” award from ArcelorMittal in 2013. Since 2020, Rabumeca has been integrating TopSolid’Design software into its design process—interview with Sébastien Bridet, Rabumeca’s Managing Director.

Experience, know-how, and commitment: the recipe for a successful company

Backed by over twenty years of experience, Rabumeca has gradually expanded into the food, pharmaceutical, steel, and environmental sectors. Today, it employs 20 people and expects sales of 2.7 million euros in 2021. At the heart of the company’s project is the determination to offer quality services within set deadlines and the desire to establish a relationship of trust with its customers and business partners.

Rabumeca’s deployment in various industrial sectors has enabled the company’s employees to develop a wide range of technical skills. Over the years, the company managed by Sébastien Bridet has also expanded its expertise through a policy of investment aimed at improving equipment reliability and performance. The collaboration with TOPSOLID came naturally.

Rabumeca and TOPSOLID: A Recent History

In need of new CAD software to boost productivity, Rabumeca launched a call for tenders in 2020. For the company, the choice of TOPSOLID was obvious: “We chose TopSolid because they were the only ones who understood us and listened to our needs. The people we spoke to were experts in their field, and they knew how to adapt their design software to our manufacturing process“, says Sébastien Bridet.

In application, employees use TopSolid’Design to launch manufacturing and design products for special machines. Nicolas Laibe, project manager at Rabumeca, describes the process in detail: “I use TopSolid’Design to retrieve 3D files from customers and provide the technical information required for the project. I use the sheet metal and tube recognition modules to obtain the documents required for manufacturing. In this way, the software enables him to construct “everything from laser flattening to bending sheets, assembly drawings for sub-assemblies, and assembly drawings with all the corresponding bills of materials.”

TopSolid’Design supports Rabumeca’s development.

Specialized CAD/CAM software, TopSolid’Design efficiently supports Rabumeca’s projects. An accurate productivity tool, the teams particularly appreciate its ease of use.

Support throughout the entire process

In TOPSOLID, Rabumeca found a pedagogical partner who was able to guide the company’s employees through the software: “We had a 6-day TopSolid’Design training course at TOPSOLID headquarters, and we had a specific training course on our premises, adapted to our needs“, explains Sébastien Bridget. In his opinion, the quality of the support staff made the difference: “We found people who were able to respond to our needs and questions daily and who were able to support us throughout the implementation of the software.

Ease of use

For project managers, TopSolid’Design represents an added value to design, mainly ease of use. Nicolas Laibe explains: “I find TopSolid’Design very easy to use; it helps us have the right documents. It’s logical and clear, with the right icons and functions. It’s very similar to what we use in the workshop.

Productivity gains

More generally, TopSolid’Design has given the company a real boost in productivity. With over a year’s hindsight, Rabumeca’s managing director comments: “TopSolid has enabled us to automate all the tasks we used to do manually. The working documents saved us enormous time when we launched our processes. According to him, the productivity gains achieved by the company thanks to the software are far from negligible: “We estimate that we have gained around 30% in productivity in the methods department“, he asserts.

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Development prospects are closely linked to TOPSOLID.

Rabumeca’s objective for the near future is to develop its functionalities to meet its customers’ needs even more effectively. Sébastien Bridget wishes to integrate TopSolid’s quotation module into his organization. By setting up facilitating systems, this module makes obtaining a result close to workshop reality possible via a 2D or 3D part drawing. Proud of their achievements, TOPSOLID will again be delighted to support them in this process!

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Mechanical engineering: making a successful digital transition today to better meet tomorrow’s productivity objectives [WHITE PAPER]

Mechanical engineering: making a successful digital transition today to better meet tomorrow’s productivity objectives [WHITE PAPER]

6 Jul 2022 | CAD/CAM, ERP, PDM

Industry 4.0, through the digital transition and the adoption of new technologies, is the main challenge for mechanical industries. Robotization, implementation of management systems, simulation, digital twins, production management, workshop management, Cloud computing… In the coming decade, all companies in the sector will have to implement one or more of these technologies. However, for these technologies to be truly effective, they must communicate.

Computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, manufacturing execution system (MES), product lifecycle management (PLM) software, workshop management systems, etc. Once equipped, the challenge for companies will be to make all these systems interoperable to ensure digital continuity, from design to production.

How is the digital transition changing the world of industry? What are the requirements for a communicating CAD/CAM and management software? What are the advantages of an integrated digital solution for the mechanical industry?

This white paper aims to help you adopt the right strategy for integrating CAD/CAM, ERP, MES, PLM tools, etc., to make your company’s digital transition successful. 

Follow the guide!

Making tool management simple – Is it possible?

Making tool management simple – Is it possible?

7 Apr 2022 | CAD, CAD/CAM, CAM, CAD

If producing machined parts for your manufacturing tools is a complex process, should the system that is supposed to make it more efficient be a “necessary evil”? Considering the cost of stopping production because a part is missing from the tool magazine, the necessity of a good tool management system seems obvious, but it does not have to be complicated as it should be designed to make your processes more efficient and safer. Here is how.

1) “Tool Management”: what do we mean by that?

Tool management encompasses physical tool management in a workshop as well as all the technical data attached to each tool and component used in your manufacturing process. This is usually handled by a dedicated software designed to assist machine parts manufacturing by automatically loading technical data into the CAD/CAM system as well as managing tools’ and components’ physical inventory.

Tool management becomes even more important when considering next-generation CAD/CAM software. Based on 3D modeling, machine kinematics, advanced simulation and many other tools needed to create high-precision machined parts, a lot of data is generated to ensure that the products coming off your assembly lines are of the highest quality.

This data needs to be accurate, up-to-date, available, and ready to be retrieved. This way, you avoid inaccuracies and save time and money in the overall process, which also means improving profits.

2) Challenges that come with tool management

Since tools and components for manufacturing processes are a very large and complex topic, one of the biggest challenges is the interface to get the 3D data into the CAD/CAM application. Indeed, in addition to the 3D graphic, a tool also contains many parameters and functions in space that form the basis of the toolpath algorithm in CAM. If there is a single faulty parameter, the operation in CAM is invalid and cannot be generated.

Another challenge is that most of the available solutions on the market only work by pure database application, which means that you only get a graphic view (and not a 3D visualization) of the part to be produced. This makes it confusing and complicated to use, especially for occasional users. Most of these solutions do not facilitate 3D data management or even offer a functional interface for CAM applications.

3) The benefits of a good tool management solution

If all the data for each tool and component are centrally managed, any information can be retrieved at any time and from anywhere in the company. In addition, good tool management ensures that all references and back references are stored, not only for transmission to the CAM system, but also for all existing NC programs. This allows you to better plan for new programs as well as improve change management.

A good tool management solution also provides you with a real time picture of your tool magazine on the shop floor, allowing you to directly synchronize your machine magazine with your CAM environment. Therefore, by centralizing production data, you can optimize your workshop organization and increase overall productivity by:

·       Reducing machine set-up lead time

·       Improving traceability of program modifications

·       Providing precise tool location

·       Monitoring the use and wear of tools

4) Advice for beginners

If you are thinking about implementing a tool management system, you should look for a solution that will help you to efficiently manage your tool components, your assembled tools, their life cycle, and is running on a single data source that is always easily and readily accessible. But above all, it should be adapted to your activity!

The tool management solution you consider should be able to adapt to your existing processes, workflows, and growth strategy by being completely modular and scalable. Think big in order to be able to implement additional modules in the future!

You should also be able to build on your existing NC data. As you are not starting from scratch, your tool management solution should automatically take into account your existing data in an intelligent way. Indeed, you cannot afford to stop production while you fill in and set up the database. The system must be able to connect existing data, learn and expand while using it, and integrate it step by step.

5) Why TopSolid’ShopFloor can answer your needs in terms of tool management

What makes TopSolid really unique on the market is that there is no interface between the tool management system and the CAM application. TopSolid’ShopFloor is a product that is completely based on TopSolid’PDM as are all TopSolid solutions. Thus, components and tools are controlled by revision, oriented towards properties and BOMs like a “standard” part or assembly and are fully associable with all modules available in TopSolid (CAM, Design, Draft, …).

To easily create components and assemblies, TopSolid provides libraries to create your own components from fully parameterized ISO 13399 models. Of course, you can also import and use supplier data. TopSolid’ShopFloor supports all data, even data from other tool management systems.

Searching for components and creating assemblies are simple and can be managed via TopSolid’ShopFloor Tool Manager. The fully graphical drag and drop assembly process is very user friendly and is a great help in daily activities.

In other words, a system that:

  • has no interface
  • does not translate or transform any data to create the toolpath
  • builds the data source on the TopSolid core

We can 100% guarantee that a tool defined in the TopSolid environment is functional throughout the process, from CAM to presetting and machining.

TOPSOLID is a leading CAD/CAM software company in the world. With more than 35 years of experience, we are able to offer fully integrated CAD/CAM solutions adapted to your industry, whether it is in mechanics (machines, tools, etc.), sheet metal or wood industry. Wherever a machine interacts with the material to be machined, whether to shape or produce a part, we have an adapted, innovative, and unique solution. To learn more, contact us!

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Industry 4.0: Challenges and perspectives for the factory of the future and intelligent machining

Industry 4.0: Challenges and perspectives for the factory of the future and intelligent machining

19 Jan 2022 | CAD/CAM, CAM, General, Machining

In a context of fierce competition where globalization is omnipresent and consumer habits are changing, companies have no choice but to change their manufacturing methods.

The factory of the future will have to be agile and connected in order to ensure its competitiveness and productivity. It will have to handle the diversification and changing needs, producing in shorter time frames, while being environmentally conscious thanks to its energy efficiency. We have been talking about Industry 4.0 for several years. What are the challenges for companies? What does the “factory of the future” mean?

​

What is Industry 4.0?

 

Concept and origin of Industry 4.0

A concept first highlighted at the Industrial Technology Fair in Hanover, Germany, in 2011, Industry 4.0 is a reference to the first three industrial revolutions.

The first industrial revolution took place in the 18th century after the invention of steam engines, allowing mechanized production. The arrival of the electricity grid led to the rise of the second industrial revolution at the end of the 18th century. Finally, the automation of production in the 20th century led to the third revolution.

The idea behind Industry 4.0 is to reverse the trend of globalization to the advantage of European industries by encouraging factories to acquire the latest technological tools, all connected via the Internet and the Cloud.

In the new factory, the idea is to put the factory at the service of the operator, not the operator at the service of the factory. Since people are the central factor in this plan, every effort is made to improve the ergonomics, productivity and safety of each workstation. As the evolution of production methods has led the operator to carry out more and more procedures, the objective of the ultra-connected factory is to dematerialize all these phases, so that people are focused on tasks with high added value. To do this, each machine will be connected and communicate with the network, and the information will be transversal to be distributed between the different departments. Information will be disseminated smoothly and efficiently from the customer’s purchase order, through all stages of the manufacturing process, to the shipment of the finished product.

 

Industry 4.0 components: What are they?

The connected factory, or factory of the future, is not going to revolutionize everything. It will use existing equipment, improve it, and then place it at the heart of a network where all the information can be shared.

For this purpose, certain tools are essential to support the change:

  • The Internet of Things will allow the development of newly manufactured products, therefore opening up new market opportunities.
  • 3D printing opens up new production possibilities, able to adapt to the competitive production of small series.
  • Collaborative robots (Cobots): as operator assistance, the cobot will improve the productivity, safety and efficiency of some workstations.
  • Augmented reality: By juxtaposing information related to certain procedures (notably maintenance) to the individual’s visual field, augmented reality will allow you to rapidly intervene by following the displayed procedures.
  • Cyber-physical systems (CPS): They allow new features to be added to physical elements for the purpose of process control and management. It becomes a key element in the information chain.
  • Industrial big data: The gigantic database of the factory of tomorrow will evolve into “Smart data” with the introduction of artificial intelligence. It will notably improve predictive maintenance.

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Challenges and perspectives for the factory of the future

 The challenge of the 4.0 factory will be to increase productivity while adapting to a new way of consuming. Today’s consumer is buying more and more and tends to focus on customizing objects. So one of the main challenges of the factory of the future will be to combine productivity with mass customization and reduced series.

To do this, it will be necessary to facilitate the use of programming software to save time, so that the individual can use them very quickly. One of the objectives will be to process the information in a very short time, while maintaining flexibility in the parameters.

The machining of the future will require the implementation of an intelligent system, capable of self-assessment and correction. The goal of Industry 4.0 is to create “intelligent machining”: the collection of know-how and process data, combined with artificial intelligence, for the benefit of production.

 

How does TopSolid fit into Industry 4.0?

Although the concept of “Industry 4.0” appeared only a few years ago, TopSolid did not wait for the fourth industrial revolution to follow this logic of the factory of the future.

TopSolid has been offering a fully integrated digital chain for years via its suite of CAD/CAM software suite, therefore providing total interconnectivity from design to construction.

 

TopSolid continues its evolution towards the CAD/CAM of the future, which involves:

  • Intelligent design: in addition to 3D models already well recovered at the geometric level, the recovery of machining information (PMI) and tolerances, as well as taking into account milling and turning operations.
  • More automation: predictive calculations: vibration calculations, deformation of parts due to clamping; refined tool life management (with calculated cutting conditions); families of similar parts (adapting to customized mass production); automatic range generation.
  • Using the cloud: collecting the company’s BigData, deporting greedy calculations, constantly updating the software.
  • Putting people at the heart of the 4th industrial revolution: change management, setting up certified training courses for the mutual benefit of companies and their employees.

 

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