PLM speeds garden tool production

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Sep 17, 2007

Husqvarna uses V5 PLM for marketing, purchasing and servicing as well as in mould-making and passing design data to contractors.

Dassault Systemes' V5 PLM is making Husqvarna's production of garden tools faster and more efficient.

The company was an early DS V5 PLM adopter, using PLM methodologies centred on 3D Catia models to populate image-based parts lists, technical publications and repair and service information.

The V5 PLM system is finding applications in other parts of the business.

Systems Controller Trevor Barkley said "PLM is built on a foundation of company experience and it has become a vehicle for increasing amounts of data - often visual".

"That means it can be used by more people within and beyond the Husqvarna enterprise".

Visual 3D data is applied in marketing, purchasing and servicing as well as in mould-making and passing design data to contractors.

"PLM offers choices", according to Barkley "It is possible to use 3D data in so many ways that we have introduced a strategic methodology to deal with its implementation".

"The benefits are easy to see, and demand for 3D data is growing exponentially as more people realise the productivity benefits and conveniences that it enables".

"One of the main benefits of using V5 PLM data is that it speeds our work".

"This is especially so at the design stage where generative shape design software (GSD) is used to iterate forms in compliance with corporate aesthetic parameters".

"In conjunction with rapid prototyping, we produce scale models that can be scanned, measured and tested while the design is still 'digital'".

"This methodology gives us new ways of thinking about the design to manufacturing process, and often produces advantages to us in both areas".

"We also use Kinematics both to develop and to verify mechanisms".

"Noise and vibration is an important measure of quality for the Flymo user and PLM is a very useful engineering tool to aid reduction of both".

The gardening public starts buying electric garden equipment in Spring and Summer and Husqvarna experiences its highest sales period of the year.

The company bulk manufactures from January and must judge which products will be the best sellers.

New products that the company launches each year must also be introduced.

One trend that Husqvarna must accommodate is for smaller equipment.

Barkley said "Garden spaces are getting smaller and so must the equipment that owners use in them".

"Two more trends are for better cable management and advanced lawn clipping compression".

"We lead in both of these areas and are able to manage the design and PLM data that is generated through these innovations".

"A very useful tool in this respect is Catias ability to provide weight and, subsequently, balance information for components and assemblies which, when applied with clash detection and kinematics, allows the company to take days out of the design to manufacture process while producing better products as a result".

The ability to make well-balanced, easy to use, and highly efficient equipment, within ever-smaller design envelopes is further eased by introducing laboratory data related to heat distribution.

These and other such test results are incorporated into the V5 PLM system and held in Enovia SmarTeam databases to help designers further improve future products.

As the company develops its PLM provision, the benefits are increasing.

"Tolerances are maintained, accuracy is absolute and quality is improving daily"., "V5 PLM is producing positive and measurable metrics at Husqvarna while the availability of 3D data across the enterprise is delivering many improvements that generate business benefits by driving down cost while helping to advance products and productivity".