ArvinMeritor Visualizes Real Cost Savings with DELMIA Digital Manufacturing; Heavy-Duty Truck Axle Manufacturer Relies on Digital Tools to Optimize Production System and Reduce Overhead Costs.AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Dassault Systemes Dassault Systemes (Dassault Systèmes S.A.) (Pronounced - Dasoh) (NASDAQ: DASTY; Euronext: 13065) is a leading company specializing in 3D and PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) software. (Nasdaq:DASTY) (Euronext Paris:#13065, DSY DSY Drum Storage Yard .PA), today announced that ArvinMeritor has selected DELMIA DELMIA Digital Enterprise Lean Manufacturing Interactive Application QUEST and DELMIA Process Engineer (DPE DPE Digital Preservation Europe DPE Designated Pilot Examiner (conducts FAA checkrides) DPE Distributed Processing Environment DPE Dual-Phase Extraction (DNAPL removal system) ) to evaluate its current assembly processes. A recent pilot project was implemented at ArvinMeritor's York, SC, facility, which manufactures axles for heavy-duty trucks. The demand for heavy-duty axles has increased recently, and this JIT JIT - dynamic translation facility had been challenged with determining the most economical way to keep up with growing demand. The ArvinMeritor team led by Scott Kuan, principal engineer of Analytical Mechanics, CVS (1) (Concurrent Versions System) A version control system for Unix that was initially developed as a series of shell scripts in the mid-1980s. CVS maintains the changes between one source code version and another and stores all the changes in one file. Advanced Engineering, believed that simulation was the best solution to understand the existing production system for its pitfalls and its potential. "We had done simulations several times already, but felt we could achieve better results with DELMIA tools." DELMIA QUEST creates a complete 3D digital factory environment for process flow simulation and analysis, accuracy, and profitability. By feeding the existing "as-is" data from the present axle assembly process into QUEST, ArvinMeritor could isolate and study individual assembly events to help determine where gains could be made within the process. This is a highly complex task as there are numerous axle assembly parts involved, each affected by many variables and then further complicated by the fact that ArvinMeritor produces a high variety of product on a daily schedule. Additionally, the cycle time between the different assembly stations can vary significantly. "By isolating each assembly station through QUEST simulation, we were able to identify where there were bottlenecks," Kuan said. "We could then quickly play with different scenarios to see how we might improve the situation without ever having to try things on the production floor." The "what if" scenarios built in QUEST, consisting of part variation data and the suggested modifications, were then associated with line balancing in DELMIA Process Engineer (DPE). DPE provides a comprehensive overview of the relationships between product, process and manufacturing resource data, including plant layout, which helps to avoid planning mistakes and obtain a precise overview, early in the process, of the required investment costs, production space and manpower. Kuan concludes, "Our team has been convinced that simulation was worth the investment, and we let the results speak for themselves. By adjusting the processes as identified in QUEST and balancing the line through DPE, we discovered that throughput could be increased by 20 percent, meaning the software pays for itself on the first project launch." About DELMIA Delmia Corp. is the leading provider of lean digital manufacturing solutions, focused mainly on software that can be used to streamline manufacturing processes. DELMIA serves industries where the optimization of manufacturing processes is critical, including automotive, aerospace, fabrication fabrication (fab´rikā´sh  n),n the construction or making of a restoration. and assembly, electrical and electronics, consumer goods consumer goods Any tangible commodity purchased by households to satisfy their wants and needs. Consumer goods may be durable or nondurable. Durable goods (e.g., autos, furniture, and appliances) have a significant life span, often defined as three years or more, and , plant, and shipbuilding sectors. Information about Delmia Corp. is available at http://www.delmia.com. About Dassault Systemes As world leader in 3D and PLM (Product Life cycle Management) A comprehensive information system that coordinates all aspects of a product from initial concept to its eventual retirement. Sometimes called the "digital backbone" of a product, it includes the requirements phase, analysis and design (Product Lifecycle Management) solutions, the Dassault Systemes group brings value to more than 80,000 customers in 80 countries. A pioneer in the 3D software market since 1981, Dassault Systemes develops and markets PLM application software and services that support industrial processes and provide a 3D vision of the entire life cycle of products from conception to maintenance. Its offering includes integrated PLM solutions for product development (CATIA A family of 2D and 3D CAD programs from IBM. CATIA was one of the first CAD programs to provide 3D solid modeling. The program was developed by Dassault Systems, a French aerospace company. (R), DELMIA(R), ENOVIA(R), SMARTEAM(R)), mainstream 3D design tools (SolidWorks(R)), and 3D components (Spatial/ACIS(R)). Dassault Systemes is listed on the Nasdaq (DASTY) and Euronext Paris (#13065, DSY.PA) stock exchanges. For more information, visit http://www.3ds.com |
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