Configuration Process

CIDEON enables integrated configuration processes in mechanical and plant engineering and connects your sales and engineering data. Discover new opportunities for improved planning and faster projects.

Configuration Process

CIDEON solutions enable consistency in configuration processes. By connecting sales and logistics data with engineering data, you achieve faster product development.

Connect Sales and Engineering Data in Integrated Configuration Processes

The increasing complexity in product configuration requires new, efficient and, most importantly, integrated solutions. Connect your sales and engineering data with the configuration process to create PDM-compliant CAD data.

This creates the basis for engineering-to-order as well as generating ERP-specific BOMs, work plans, and production processes. CIDEON supports you in automating these process requirements with standardized consultancy methods and software solutions.

Sitemap

5 Reasons for an Integrated Configuration Process

Five reasons why you need a consistent and integrated configuration process in mechanical and plant engineering:

Significantly shorter project times

With an integrated configuration process you shorten project times. Thanks to the closer integration of all necessary processes, the time between customer inquiry and order placement is reduced in the long term. 

Boosts innovation

Interdisciplinary configuration means more innovation. An integrated configuration process eliminates unproductive routine tasks, freeing up more time for innovation.

Improved connectivity

Integrated configuration processes connect the different disciplines within your company. Save time and resources and develop products across mechanical and electrical engineering departments.

Optimized data management

An integrated and consistent configuration process enables data optimization. By reducing duplications and reusing already created data, you continuously increase data quality and significantly reduce the likelihood of errors.

Increase sales efficiency

Integrated configuration processes speed up sales processes. Full connectivity between sales and engineering data enables semi-automated and faster quotes for customers.

Challenges

Machine and plant manufacturers face many challenges in their day-to-day operations due to an often insufficient overview of integrated processes, ranging from sales and engineering through to logistics processes.

Inconsistent standards

Modern day product development requires an integrated approach to products and product life cycle management. Ever-increasing expectations need to be met, and diverse processes require integration. Uniform standards to achieve this are, however, still lacking in many areas. 

Non-transparent data management

Product development and manufacturing processes are becoming increasingly complex. More and more third-party CAD formats need processing as well as growing volumes of inventory or customer data. Data sharing is often erratic or incomplete. 

Shorter innovation cycles

Shorter innovation cycles often result in cost-intensive engineering with duplication of effort. Consistent integration of mechanical and electrical engineering is becoming increasingly important – also due to ever "smarter" products.

Increasing complexity

The growing individualization of product development is leading to an increasing complexity in design and manufacturing. A direct consequence of failing to adapt processes is intensive post-processing rework that is both costly and time-consuming.

Configuration Process Solutions from CIDEON

The configuration process is a key element in automating your process requirements. CIDEON supports you with standardized consultancy modules and software solutions in the following phases of the product life cycle.

Configuration processes in product development


Reduce complexity in product development by networking your innovation activities, research and development and documentation. Our support and solutions will, for example, help you with:

  • - Product modularization
  • - CAD methodology
  • - Creation of mechanical (mEBOM) and electrical designs (eBOM)
  • - Software development

Configuration process in sales

Use your configuration process to optimize sales. By connecting pre-planning and costing you can create more transparent, faster and more cost-effective decision-making templates for your day-to-day business. Our expertise enables us to offer solutions for:

  • - Product configuration
  • - Installation planning/layout
  • - Generation of BOMs

Configuration processes in order processing

Use our configuration process solutions to achieve more efficient order processing, for example, by connecting planning, engineering-to-order and work scheduling. We will be happy to assist you with the requirements:

  • - Extracting configurations
  • - Generating CAD data, article BOMs and mechatronic BOMs
  • - Creating neutral formats
  • - Designing components

Training

Benefit from the advantages of virtual reality / 3D-supported training, especially for complex products such as plant and machinery. These make it possible to "replay" or analyze, in non-destructive and location-independent ways, a wide variety of scenarios – realistically, efficiently and easily implementable. Let us advise you about our:

  • - Instruction (on-site or remote)
  • - Training (3DS MAX, Unity 3D, Photoshop, etc.)

CIDEON Conify

Your software solution for a consistent configuration process

 

CIDEON Conify connects data consistently from the sales as well as the engineering phase to automatically provide PDM-compliant CAD data of the configured product. This creates the basis for the subsequent  engineering-to-order and generation of ERP-specific parts lists, work schedules and production processes according to customer requirements, enabling the creation of individual products quickly and according to specifications.

Benefit from, among other things: 

  • Automation of daily tasks in the processing of configurable products
  • Consistent data quality
  • Ensuring uniform standards for all process participants

 

Conify is the ideal combination of CONnection and CONfiguration!

Learn more about CIDEON Conify

CIDEON Configuration Discovery

CIDEON Configuration Discovery is our standardized and proven consulting methodology that supports your process requirements along the entire configuration process. The focus is on identifying your potential based on your current and future desired working methods. Together with you, we develop a targeted overall solution and prepare it in such a way that it can be implemented in your everyday work. 

Scope of Services of the CIDEON Configuration Discovery Workshop

  • Analysis of the current status of your configuration environment along your value chain.
  • Elaboration of possible potentials, future added values and definition of a target state.
  • Accompaniment and illustration with a demo example.
  • Development of a realistic solution structure based on the target picture.
  • Comprehensible presentation of results including definition of the sensible next step.
Flyer
Contact us

Your advantages with the CIDEON Configuration Discovery Workshop

Structured approach

We support you with a structured elaboration of a possible target concept.

Optimal collaboration

During the entire CIDEON Configuration Discovery Workshop, your experts are optimally involved so that all your challenges, individual requirements and wishes can be included.

Professional analysis

A comprehensive and professional analysis of your current configuration processes forms the basis. Based on your current status, the target concept is then developed.

Optimal preparation

The joint development of a concept creates optimal conditions for the implementation of the realisation project. With regard to the realisation, possible changes or challenges are already considered in advance.

Time saving

Our experts and yours work closely together in the workshop. Thanks to our implementation know-how, we can guarantee rapid implementation. This saves you valuable time that you can use for your core business. 

Facilitated work

Often the necessary resources are not available to carry out elaborate status analysis. We support you from the current state to the to-be concept to the realization. 

Quality improvement

The development and implementation of a consistent configuration process is complex. To ensure an optimal result, we support you not only in the development, but also in the realization of your implementation project.

Cost savings

Through targeted training and familiarization of your employees with new systems, you can save on expensive employee assignments downstream.

Iris Funke, Sales Assistant

Get in Touch With us

You would like to know more about our products and solutions? We will be happy to help you.

Further Information

Request further information quickly and easily by mail.

Request more information

Information Request

Callback

Do you have specific questions? We will call you back as soon as possible.

Request a callback

Callback Request

Appointment

We will be happy to contact you when it best suits your schedule.

Send appointment request

Appointment Request

Advantages of integrated configuration processes

More efficient logistics and sales processes

Speed up your logistics and sales processes with integrated configuration processes. Benefit from greater efficiency, for example, through quick transfer of business-relevant supplementary information.

Better quality

Integrated configuration processes enable standardization and re-use of CAD data to improve your engineering. 

Faster time-to-market

Achieve a faster time-to-market with integrated configuration processes, for example, by reducing your lead times and error rates and speeding up order processing. 

Consistent data and process standards

Ensure consistent standards across your design teams. Benefit from data and system consistency and integrate all standard CTO processes. 

Visualized configurations

Upgrade your sales processes and benefit from the option to visualize configurable products.

Compatible applications

Integrated configuration processes enable you to remain flexible at all times. Use the many features whenever and wherever you need them – either via cloud or on-premise.

Related Topics

Discover further topics that will help you to exploit the full potential of your business processes and benefit from our in-depth know-how:

  • Configure to Order
    With Configure-to-Order (CTO) you standardize complex product developments and realize individual requirements in series.
    Book now
  • Engineer to Order
    With Engineer-to-Order (ETO) you align your design and production with the individual order requirements of your customers. CIDEON processes and solutions ensure profitability.
    Book now
  • Configure Price Quote
    Automating quotation processes across complex and individual products and solutions – sounds complicated, but it's not. With Configure Price Quote (CPQ) you increase your efficiency in the presales phase.
    Book now
  • Machine Building
    More efficient development, faster production – this is what machine building stands for today. Standardized processes, continuous data processing and networking are the drivers behind this. CIDEON provides the intelligent solutions for this.
    Book now
  • Digital Product Development
    With digital product development, you map your manufacturing planning and production holistically digitally, right through to the integration of information systems..
    Book now
  • Layout/Factory Planning
    With layout/factory planning or factory design, you optimize existing workflows from concept layout and detailed planning to communication processes, validation and realization.
    Book now

Our Added Values

CIDEON advises and supports companies in optimizing their product development processes - from conception and engineering to manufacturing and service. We stand for:

Decades of Expertise

Rely on decades of practical knowledge in system integration and process consulting. CIDEON understands your business challenges in digital transformation and supports you with unique solutions along the entire value chain.

Customized Engineering

Benefit from customized solutions with CIDEON software and interfaces. Integrative, powerful and perfectly tailored to your individual requirements in day-to-day business.

 

End-to-End Process Consulting

Transform your digital requirements into corporate (added) value. We simplify your processes, map them digitally and make them economically viable - across functions and divisions throughout the entire product development process.  

International Cooperation

Place your trust in a strong group of companies. CIDEON is part of the family-run, globally active Friedhelm Loh Group and is guided by the principles of customer-focused and sustainable corporate management. 

CIDEON Support

Quality, speed and reliability in engineering play a crucial role in your success. All-round services are therefore as important as committed specialists and powerful software.

CIDEON Support gives you quick and easy answers to your questions, detailed information about products and solutions, and helpful tips and tricks.

Managed Services take us one step further: This service enables us to maintain an overview of your CAD/PDM/PLM environment and thus ensure your software's long-term operational reliability. You can then always be sure that your systems are always up to date and operable.

CIDEON Event Overview

Register now for the next CIDEON Solution Days

CIDEON Solution Days 2025

 

Save your spot for our next Solution Days right now and you will be informed directly as soon as registration for our event is open.

Register now

CIDEON Online Forum

Our Online Forum gave you the opportunity to join us virtually in discovering new potential for greater efficiency and to share ideas with participants in an interactive chat area.


On six exciting sessions over three days, we gained insight into the different development phases of a technical product. From a customer perspective and across the entire value chain, we show you potential for greater efficiency along the entire product lifecycle.

View all CIDEON events

Partners

CIDEON Locations

CIDEON Headquarters

Cideon Software & Services GmbH & Co. KG
Lochhamer Schlag 11, 82166 Gräfelfing

 

 

Other locations

Contact

Learn more about our products and services.

+49 89 9090030
info@cideon.com
Contact CIDEON

Contact CIDEON