DSC users meeting 2008 kicks off numerous impulses for the future
Karlsruhe-based PLM software and consulting firm DSC Software AG hosted a users meeting for its customers at the Print Media Academy of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG on 25 and 26 September 2008. Among the key topics were the consistent management of product information across the complete product lifecycle, business process optimization and the integration of applications into SAP.
Karlsruhe, 29 September 2008 - DSC’s new slogan - "Fascination with Integration" was also the motto of the users meeting. The 136 participants discussed a variety of topics, ranging from CAD and Microsoft Office SAP-integration to data utilization in up and downstream business processes. New solutions and best practices were presented in several modules. Subject-related presentations delivered by customers rounded off each module and allowed participants to share valuable experiences.
The attending customer delegates were offered information on the complete process chain, from product idea to service. Individual aspects of the processes were presented in modules covering subjects such as enterprise content management, performance and large assemblies, 3D viewing and publishing, CAD/CAM integration, simulation and the integration of additional applications. Speakers from enterprises such as Allweiler, Rieter Textile, Harburg Freudenberger Maschinenfabrik and EMAG used specific projects to explain how they had implemented these solutions in their own companies.
Each module was introduced by Wolff Horbach, a well-known happiness researcher. In his opinion, happier people are more productive. He offered food for thought on how to achieve a state of happiness called flow and how to apply these findings to day-to-day situations at work.
In his opening remarks, Joachim Röder, CEO of DSC Software AG, presented new functions and fields of use for the DSC standard solution, Engineering Control Center (ECTR). “ECTR is a highly efficient communications platform in SAP for product development. It offers a tool for the efficient collaboration between development teams and suppliers in a digital product," emphasized Joachim Röder.
According to Joachim Röder, the continued development of ECTR is heading towards the integration of additional application systems, the automation of routine tasks and the integral consistent collaboration with other intra-company users, in particular in engineering offices and in job planning. Other important fields of use are integrated process planning and simulation as well as the connection of the solutions to operating equipment as well as tool management.
Röder also explained that the system's user friendliness has been further optimized by the making available of, for instance, support for different roles, layouts and configurable views. Dynamic filters and highly efficient mass processing functions as well as improved file handling and additional performance enhancements are new and highly innovative features.
Martin Bachmann of SAP AG Solution Management presented the SAP PLM Roadmap 2010. He explained the current state of implementation of SAP PLM 7.0 and provided a preview of the innovations planned for the next two years. Ramp-up for the first version of SAP PLM 7.0 was scheduled for 21 November 2008, according to Martin Bachmann. This SAP add-on product requires SAP ERP 6.0.
One highlight in the enterprise content management module was the presentation of a consistent process that covers everything from a customer inquiry received by the sales department to purchasing, project management and construction. The option that makes it possible to now use ECTR for the generation and maintenance of technical documentation also received much attention. Demonstrations of how to manage and automatically keep up-to-date manuals with modular structure, consisting of text modules and diagrams in SAP intrigued the participants. Additional information products – in this case manuals in pdf format with specific layouts – are created automatically from the original documents upon release of a manual. The presentation delivered by the Allweiler Company showed how documents relevant to engineering, such as process directives, text certificates and test data can be managed in SAP, integrated in the release and change service and linked with other SAP objects, such as customer order items.
Yet another module was devoted to the performance in loading and saving CAD data in globally distributed development teams and options for loading large assemblies.
Harburg Freudenberg used several measurements to explain, which NX methods, assembly structures and loading rules in combination with reference sets permitted the loading of large and very large assemblies even once the engineering PCs’ storage capacity limits are reached.
The “3D - More than Viewing” module covered the continued use of the 3D parts created with CAD and managed in SAP. The presentation showed how to use the ECTR user interface to visualize assemblies dynamically and analyze them by using graphics. Another topic focused on the creation of animations and other information products with the assistance of publishing programs and on their management in SAP, e.g. as 3D pdf documents. Rieter offered an impressive presentation on how it works with so-called fly-throughs through complex spinning mill systems, which enables the company to offer presentations while bypassing huge expenditures. "And the best thing about it," commented Zoran Slivar, "is that the animations can be stopped and dynamically analyzed at any point, which gives the end customer the opportunity to receive detailed information directly.”
Another module examined the topics of integrating CAD/CAM processes and NC production data as well as the simulation in SAP. In these cases ECTR is used to manage and make accessible company-wide all engineering and production data including job plan and pertinent work processes all the way up to the up to the production machine.
EMAG, a cooperative partner of DSC for this factory integration concept, presented how it will implement the solution. "The implementation of these tasks is a decisive progress that pertains to improved productivity and process security," emphasized Martin Brehm, head CAx of the EMAG Group.
A project presently implemented at Trilux was used to show how automated standard processes, given project structures and process monitoring can be used to support and accelerate the complete process of customer-specific special production.
Customers often use more than one CAD system. The ECTR solution is a multi-application capable system. The meeting was used to demonstrate how diverse applications can be integrated into SAP with ECTR. The spectrum extended from loose connections to deep integrations into SAP. Apart from the existing integrations into AutoCAD, ME10, Medusa and Solid Edge, numerous new developments were presented, including, apart from mechanical CAD systems also electrical CAD, piping and instrumentation flowchart systems for system and process engineering.
The integration of ePLAN electric P8 to SAP based on ECTR, for example, developed in cooperation by DSC and EPLAN, ensures the seamless communication between the systems at document and BOM level. ECTR provides technical designers with a uniform look and feel for the management of NX parts and EPLAN projects in a clear and intuitive user interface.
Attending customers agreed that the users meeting was highly informative. They were impressed by the diverse application options of ECTR and of its depth of integration. The high professional quality of the presentations as well as the pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, permitted them to share experiences with other users intensively and everyone lauded the effort. According to the participants, the users meeting had been well worth their time and gave them the opportunity to gain considerable added value they will be able to apply to their own areas of responsibility.
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DSC Software AG
Dr. Arne Gaiser
Am Sandfeld 17
76149 Karlsruhe, Germany
Tel.: +49 721 9774-100
Homepage: www.dscsag.com
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