The virtual design and production environment
Rockwell Automation and Dassault Systèmes are collaborating to integrate the digital factory and plant operations for a virtual design and production environment. The joint solution will redefine how mechanical engineers and control engineers collaborate to reduce time to market and drive down costs.
The virtual design and production environment could soon be a reality, more closely linking product design to manufacturing. It will also serve manufacturers, such as those in the automotive industry, in a number of ways, addressing the needs of brand owners, tiered suppliers and machine builders. Rockwell Automation and Dassault Systèmes are jointly developing a solution that will help enable collaborative mechanical and control design with bidirectional synchronisation. As a result, immediate feedback will be available on design changes, so enabling the testing of various “what if” scenarios in order to continuously optimise manufacturing operations. Customers will benefit, because manufacturing operations will be commissioned faster with optimal production performance.
The virtual design and production environment links manufacturing design to factory floor control by integrating Rockwell Software RSLogix 5000 control programming and configuration software with DELMIA Automation PLM software from Dassault Systèmes |
Philippe Charles, CEO, Dassault Systèmes Delmia Corp, adds: “This relationship is a natural fit for both Dassault Systèmes and Rockwell Automation. The years of development that we have put into our DELMIA Automation solution and that Rockwell Automation has put into its Integrated Architecture make it possible for our two companies to integrate these technologies and provide a joint solution to customers in the very near future.”
The joint solution will link manufacturing design to factory floor control by integrating Rockwell Software RSLogix 5000 control programming and configuration software with DELMIA Automation PLM software from Dassault Systèmes. As a result, manufacturers can expect to reduce the cost of engineering and ramp-up time, and continually optimise their manufacturing operations with an accurate, real-time, simulation model.
Jim Caie, vice president consulting, ARC Advisory Group, comments: “We are one step closer to realising the dream of a virtual design and production environment with the relationship between Rockwell Automation and Dassault Systèmes. Virtual commissioning is a key capability in helping manufacturers go to market with speed, confidence and efficiency.”
“The integration of these solutions will enable manufacturers to reduce the time it takes to launch manufacturing systems, as well as the associated costs” |
Dick Slansky, senior analyst, PLM & Discrete Manufacturing, ARC Advisory Group, adds: “The recent announcement from Dassault Systèmes and Rockwell Automation positions Rockwell Automation squarely in the digital manufacturing technology space and extends Dassault Systèmes’ reach into manufacturing operations. The integration of these solutions will provide manufacturers with the capability to virtually design their production systems in 3D, and design and validate control logic prior to physical implementation and commissioning. This will reduce the time it takes to launch manufacturing systems, as well as its associated costs.”
Working together with customers, both Rockwell Automation and Dassault Systèmes have created complementary manufacturing engineering technologies, built around strong, object-oriented data models for representing devices and operations. A shared vision between the companies enables a virtual design and production environment, and provides customers with the benefits of collaborative, bidirectional synchronisation.
“Our benchmark research finds that over 75 percent of best-in-class manufacturers are investing in real-time interoperability between PLM and plant-floor technologies,” says Jim Brown, vice president and group director of Product Innovation, Engineering and Manufacturing Research for Aberdeen Group. “In addition, our research on digital manufacturing indicates the best-in-class are twice as likely as laggards to hit their deadlines by starting manufacturing planning prior to design release, and simulating facility and equipment operation during design. Manufacturers of complex, asset-intensive products such as cars are turning to holistic factory simulation to decrease time to full volume production.”
The interplay between design and manufacturing will help increase efficiencies in the design process and ultimately minimise the time between design and delivery. Engineers involved in all stages of design will have the ability to make adjustments in real-time, incorporating, preserving and augmenting knowledge rapidly across various stages of the production life cycle.
For more information, visit http://www.3ds.com
Print Page
Locations Email Sitemap Legal Notices
Call 0870 242 5000 for General Enquiries 0870 241 1802 for Tech Support