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On the path to the model-based enterprise

By Bernd Pätzold

The meteoric rise of 3D printing technology will bring with it fundamental changes in many different industries, affecting not only the way in which we develop and manufacture products but also the service and logistics processes. A precondition for the effective exploitation of this technology, however, is that companies systematically digitize their processes and complete their transformation to model-based enterprises.

To be honest, I initially underestimated the potential offered by 3D printing. As far as I could see, it made no sense to try to 3D-print complete cars, which is where some innovation researchers would have us believe the future lies. But then I saw how additive manufacturing processes made it possible to shape complex structural parts in entirely new ways, allowing them to be designed to be far lighter and more resistant. And so I began to understand the enthusiasm of the proponents of 3D printing. And even more so when I realized how the technology could also revolutionize other business processes. Just imagine the impact on logistics if certain spare parts no longer had to be sent off around the globe, with all the associated costs and time, but instead could simply be printed out in a local print shop.

It is an intriguing vision that could easily become reality, which is why respected OEMs are taking the idea seriously. But the technical potential of 3D printing should not distract us from the fact that the real challenge lies elsewhere, namely in the integration of this technology in business processes that continue to be characterized by a wealth of media discontinuities. How on earth can we expect to be able to provide reliably valid 3D print documents across the globe if we have not even managed to set up drawing-free manufacturing in our own companies?

It is no accident that model-based enterprise (MBE) and model-based definition (MBD) are in vogue this year; and like the world of fashion, the PLM world is not revolutionized every year. Some of the things that were "in" years ago lose their dated nimbus and experience a resurgence. After all, if we are honest, the idea of a digital master model that contains all the information related to a product, including manufacturing parameters, and makes this information available to all processes is not exactly novel. It is about as old as CAD technology itself.

For a long time now, CAD systems have made it possible to embed tolerances and other parameters in the models in the form of features, which can then be read out for the purposes of CAM programming, for example. But this option was rarely used in practice as there were no generally accepted standards for exchanging this information across systems. 

But such exchange was often unavoidable because the in-house manufacturing departments or external manufacturing partners used different CAD/CAM systems. And so, 2D drawings have to this day remained the dominant medium for communicating manufacturing information.

Associating dimensions and manufacturing tolerances with the 3D models in the form of PMI (product manufacturing information) does not address the underlying problem. The time savings as a result of not creating drawings are relatively small because the process of adding dimensions to the models also takes time. And these are offset by the additional outlay for releasing the enhanced models, a process that has to be done electronically. But it is inconceivable that we will in future still be printing out isometric views of the dimensioned models and signing them by hand.

The model-based definition of manufacturing information will therefore only boost efficiency if it becomes possible to communicate this information in a reliable process, both within and outside the company, and to use it efficiently. The basis for this is powerful neutral formats such as JT and 3D PDF, which can be used to exchange not only the geometry data for all common CAD systems but also the PMI information in a way that is compliant with the relevant industry standards. 3D PDF technology has the benefit that it is possible to view all the information with the standard Adobe Reader, without the need to install an additional viewer. But above all, it supports a gradual transition to a model-based enterprise thanks to the possibility of embedding drawings, BOMs and other 2D documents in the 3D PDF documents alongside the models.

After all, if one thing is clear, it is that this transition will not take place overnight. Irrespective of the many arguments for systematically digitizing the business processes, which we will examine in subsequent articles, there are many obstacles to integration to be overcome on the path to MBE - both in the IT systems and in the organization of the processes. We at PROSTEP see it as one of our most important tasks to support customers in mastering these integration challenges and help them shape up for a model-based future.

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