Product category:
Simulation, modelling and validation software
News Release from: Delmia | Subject: Envision and Quest
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 14 February 2003
Virtual visual assembly cuts development
cycles
Sumitomo Wiring Systems has reduced product development cycles by using Delmia's Envision and Quest solutions to simulate the manual assembly of its products.
Sumitomo Wiring Systems has reduced product development cycles by using Delmia's Envision and Quest solutions to simulate the manual assembly of its products By implementing Delmia's digital manufacturing solutions and increasing collaboration with car manufacturers, SWS has decreased its overall development time by 67%
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 8 Feb 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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In 1998, SWS launched its virtual Visual Assembling System (VAS), with Delmia's Envision and Quest at the core of the system, to facilitate concurrent engineering among design, production engineering, and manufacturing divisions.
A car's wire harness consists of approximately 4000 parts, the assembly of which is done manually and difficult to optimise.
In the past, SWS used a physical mock up methodology to define, validate, and optimise the assembly process.
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However, due to time and cost constraints, it was difficult to cover the entire production operation and integrate all design and production change requirements.
Today, the Virtual Assembly System at SWS helps the company condense development cycles, detect early assembly problems during development, and accelerate production ramp-up times.
VAS Development Group also conducts many virtual iterations of the company's wire harness development, including design, assembly, and production flow.
The SWS production engineering department uses Envision to check interferences between jigs and wires, validate wire harness assembly layouts while considering operators' workability, and check twists and lengths of wires where harnesses are built into vehicles.
Moreover, with Quest, SWS optimises line development by modelling the layout of the entire factory, and virtually simulating the production flow before the factory is built.
"Through several development projects using VAS Development Group, we clearly see the effectiveness of Delmia's digital manufacturing solutions", said Koichi Sakakura, project leader for VAS Development Group in SWS's production, engineering, and development department.
"SWS intends to expand its concurrent engineering efforts by heavily using 3D data and strengthening collaboration between the design and production departments.
Moreover, this system enables employees to share and utilise knowledge more efficiently, and reinforces our strong relationships with car manufacturers".
"The successful deployment of Delmia Envision and Quest at SWS is a meaningful case study", said Bertrand Saint-Martin, President of Delmia Japan.
"Since wire harnesses at SWS are assembled manually, this process was not simulated with digital manufacturing tools.
This success story proves that Delmia's solutions can now address a wider range of processes, enabling our customers to further decrease development cycles".
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