The Culmination of Configuration in Machine Building
CIDEON Conify lets machine builders who use a product configurator automatically create mechanical construction data and bills of materials – directly from the configurator itself. At the SPS trade fair, a new ECAD connection to Conify is being presented that also includes the EPLAN electrical engineering platform, considerably simplifying engineering for customer-specific orders. The system can also create a mechatronic bill of materials at the same time.
Nuremberg/Gräfelfing/Monheim, Germany, 14 November 2023 – Product configurators are already being used by numerous machine builders. As of today, the configured machines must often be “re-imagined” in the engineering department each and every time. CIDEON Conify changes this completely since engineering and construction can be included within the automation process. Amongst the many things that can be accomplished with the software, it allows the generation of engineering data and bills of materials directly from the configurator – based on the native CAD data. This means that the design engineer doesn’t have to manually generate each variant. Many machine builders already use this option for their mechanical designs. Complex engineering designs are generated in MCAD software such as Autodesk Inventor or SOLIDWORKS at the push of a button, stored in the PDM, and the bills of materials are made available in the ERP system.
The new connection to EPLAN
At the SPS trade fair, EPLAN and CIDEON will be presenting a Conify extension that includes an even more complex discipline, thereby opening up even more possibilities for streamlining electrical engineering processes. If the machine builder uses EPLAN Engineering Configuration – EEC for short – the schematics and the electrical documentation can also be generated with just one mouse click. Thanks to the new connection to EPLAN, schematics and the entire electrotechnical documentation can now be automatically generated directly from within the product configurator – provided the appropriate prep work has been carried out.
Making it mechatronic
The advantages of this ECAD extension go far beyond the electrical engineering itself. Users can now export bills of materials that are consistent for use in both mechanical and electrical engineering, making for a truly mechatronic bill of materials. This bill of materials can also be further processed in production as well as at the administrative level (purchasing, costing). What this specifically means is that while the sales team is working with the customer to configure the machine it needs, the schematics and the (mechatronic) bill of materials for the machine are created almost in passing. Production can already start planning while purchasing can start ordering the required components. This is currently the highest level of development for “engineering automation” available. It generates process reliability and greatly simplifies and accelerates variant engineering. Production and procurement processes are also significantly streamlined.
In conclusion
Machine builders that produce variants and work with configurators can realise the highest degree of automation with this digital process – from sales to delivery. The new CIDEON Conify ECAD connection will be presented “live” at the SPS trade fair.
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Images
The new CIDEON Conify connection to EPLAN now also integrates the electrical engineering.
The example of a beading tool, the mechanical and electrical designs of which were generated using CIDEON Conify.
About CIDEON
CIDEON advises and supports companies in optimizing their product development processes – from the initial concept through to engineering, production and services.
CIDEON's innovative solutions ensure continuous data flow along process chains making data accessible and cost-effective throughout the company. In this way, CIDEON's customers can fully exploit the potential of digitalization to benefit themselves and their clients.
CIDEON employs more than 300 staff at 13 locations in Germany and Austria. It is part of the Friedhelm Loh Group, a globally successful Group with more than 12 production facilities and over 95 subsidiaries.
Further information can be found at www.cideon.com and www.friedhelm-loh-group.com.
