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2008 Proceedings & Audio Recordings
Presentations are listed in alphabetical order of speaker's last name.
The Business Challenges of Product Lifecycle Management in the Department of Defense
Kevin Borek, Product Realization/PLM Consultant DoD- Office of the Secretary of Defense
The U.S. Department of Defense is no doubt the most complex enterprise in the world. At its root is a service fulfillment organization, built upon a network of complex engineered products, people and inter-related systems. Maintaining and mobilizing this infrastructure involves the labor of thousands of dedicated professionals both within DoD and industry in both geographically and organizationally diverse settings. Given the radical changes that have occured over the past 10 years in product realization techniques, the Department recognizes the need to modernize its product lifecycle and product data management processes. Kevin's presentation will explore some of the business opportunities and challenges associated with this transformation within this unique environment.
Product Tolerance Representation: Critical Requirements for Product/Process Interoperability
Curtis Brown, Principal Engineer, Science-Based Manufacturing
NNSA's Kansas City Plant and Honeywell FM&T
Today’s commercial product definition technologies can successfully deliver complete and unambiguous representations of product nominal shapes as well as the exchange of nominal shape models. Regrettably, the fact remains that manufacturers can not make perfect nominal shapes and quality must validate product specifications. Fortunately, many can make parts that fit and function - that is, if designers correctly apply functional tolerances and if product definition systems accurately communicate these tolerances to manufacturing and quality. This communication might be accomplished via shared native CAD systems through a representation of shape and a presentation of annotations; however, with the increase reliance on supplier-based manufactures, non-proprietary exchange mechanisms are essential for success. In this presentation, requirements for a complete and unambiguous product tolerance representation that complements a nominal solid shape will be shared. A distinction between tolerance presentation and tolerance representation will be made. Because of the inherent intelligence from a good representation, advanced functions, such as tolerance feature recognition, correct tolerance inferencing, and checking and grading the overall tolerance definition for a piece part will be discussed. Furthermore, a review of how such a representation can provide a rich foundation for complete product modeling and the interoperability of complete and unambiguous tolerance information for both product and process definitions will be addressed.
Manufacturing Data Requirements - or "I Want My PMI"
John Callen, VP Marketing
Gibbs & Associates
Product design has made great strides evolving from paper-based, to 2D digital draughting, to 3D modeling, to 3D virtual prototyping systems. As a result, products today are brought to market more rapidly and cost effectively than ever before. But in the overall product development process, manufacturing is still hampered by the quality of product information provided and the representations used. Today’s manufacturing systems are still highly dependent on human users to perform key data fusion and interpretation tasks due to the format of the information being used. This presentation will examine the data challenges faced by today’s computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) systems, will identify a number of industry factors that are already starting to influence the evolution of CAM applications and will offer some suggestions as to what the future holds for CAM.
Doug Cheney, Manager, CADIQ Product Development and Interoperability Consulting
ITI TranscenData
As global companies implement model-based engineering and their customers demand model-centric data deliveries, it is critical that CAD models be validated throughout their product lifecycle to avoid the high costs and schedule delays caused by quality defects or unintentional changes. Using production implementation examples, this presentation will recommend technology and methods for validating CAD models during legacy migration, design release, engineering change and long-term archival.
An Amazing Shortcut to CAD Interoperability and Communication
John Clauson, CAD/Drafting Manager
Indak Manufacturing Corporation
INDAK receives complex designs and other project information in a variety of CAD formats, including CATIA V4 & V5, AutoCAD, SolidWorks, and Pro/E. As an automotive supplier, we need to accurately read them into our primary UGS NX application without having to purchase additional CAD seats and file translators. Further, all INDAK stakeholders— engineers, procurement, sales, managers, suppliers, and customers—need tools to rapidly make informed decisions at every stage, regardless of their technical skills.
INDAK has implemented software that has saved thousands of dollars by avoiding the purchase of additional CAD applications or translators. We also use this technology to validate our own CAD data translations as well as archive revisions for non-CAD operators, thus improving the quality of our designs and communication processes. This session will demonstrate how manufacturers of all sizes can quickly implement technology to improve CAD interoperability and communications internally and with customers and suppliers.
Using Pattern Recognition Technology for Validation of Model Translation & Comparison
Dr. Jim Gordon, Vice President Development
Kubotek USA, Inc.
Artificial Intelligence technology using pattern recognition has been applied to applications ranging from fingerprint matching by the FBI to image recognition engines for locating for photos on the internet. Applying similar pattern recognition algorithms to the validation of CAD geometry can provide a fast and robust method for insuring the quality of OEM master file data exchange to suppliers. This can be realized using native CAD files as well as industry standard formats like STEP and IGES. This presentation will focus on the application of validating CAD geometry using pattern matching techniques as well as contrasting this methodology to more traditional “point cloud” validation techniques. These same geometry pattern matching principles can be used for comparison applications where one version of a part or assembly can be compared to another version. Every major or subtle change in the geometry can be quickly identified using this technique. This technology has the potential of providing a solid foundation for part search and change control applications for PDM. This could enable the development of advanced PDM tools built not just on searching databases for text attributes, but on discovering the changes made to the CAD model geometry itself. As design data moves from the OEM through the supply chain in to and out of disparate supplier CAD/CAM/CAE software, subtle and sometimes undetected changes can occur altering the design geometry. These changes can be undesirable, affecting quality of the manufactured product. Validation tools can be a critical component of successful OEM master data exchange with supply chain partners. An Aerospace Supplier perspective will highlight applications for CAD Data Exchange Validation as well as Design Change Validation.
A Comparison of Functionality between STEP AP 203 E2, STEP, JT, and U3D Technologies
Nathan Hartman, Assistant Professor
Purdue University
Given the geographically dispersed product design and manufacturing scenarios that are commonplace in industry today, companies are grappling with decisions regarding the use of specific formats and mechanisms to promote communication and collaboration processes. Current solutions tend to center on “lightweight” file formats as one of the enabling technologies that support this distributed collaboration. The recent availability of these visualization file formats has caused confusion and uncertainty in industry relative to their use in specific situations, especially when trying to capture annotations, accurate geometry, and manufacturing information for example. This paper will present preliminary work being done to address this challenge by comparing the functionality available (e.g., colors, layers, 3D text, B-rep solids, and assemblies) in the STEP AP 203 E2 format with that found in the current JT, 3dXML , and U3D formats. A discussion of the applicability of these formats base don the findings will also be included.
Keynote Address - Global Integration and Management of 21st Century Fighters
Dr. Mike Jahadi
Senior Manager of CAD/CAM Integration & Strategic Planning
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
Dr. Jahadi will present the JSF challenges with Global Collaboration in the 21st Century. He will discuss the approach to methodology, customizations, training, deployment, and review lessons learned.
Dr. Jahadi’s discussion will cover methodology to establish open communication to ensure interoperability in order to minimize the impact on the infrastructure.
Dave Kasik, Senior Technical Fellow-Visualization
The Boeing Company
The human visual system provides an extremely efficient way to communicate both context and detail. The amount of data that’s being generated is actually exceeding the rate of change of Moore’s law. The domains in which data is expanding range from computer-aided design and manufacturing to arts and entertainment to intelligence analysis. The most effective way people have to comprehend and communicate the overall implications relies on computer graphics. Clear examples from specific domains show the effectiveness of interactive, real-time 3D graphics. The overall system implications of real-time interaction are essential to ultimately make the technology implementable. The attendees should understand all aspects that can make or break the widespread adoption of massive model tools and techniques.
Eclipse Aviation Case Study: How to Generate Visual Production and Maintenance Instructions from ori
Rix Kramlich, Vice President of Worldwide Marketing
Right Hemisphere
This is a case study session about Eclipse Aviation, a manufacturer of the world’s first very light jet (VLJ). It will focus on how Eclipse Aviation is generating visual process production and maintenance instructions sourced directly from its CAD data for its production facilities and service centers. The session will cover Eclipse Aviation’s initial challenges; IT infrastructure components; and the impact of its new Right Hemisphere software deployment on various business processes.
Charles Lee, Integrated Product Team Lead
The Boeing Company
In addition to the challenge of integrating multi-CAD data formats and adapting to ever-evolving CAD tools, many companies also face the daunting challenge of migrating legacy data, in the form of 2D manual drawings, into 3D models. For companies to be able to reduce the cost of design through fully utilizing the capabilities of modern CAD tool suites and leveraging existing legacy designs, it is imperative to translate the legacy definition into 3D models. This presentation will detail the hidden challenges that were discovered through a 20,000 hours pilot program to convert 2D manual drawings into 3D models, as well as overall performance data, lessons learned, and recommendations for best practice.
Processing Incoming STEP Files for Corporate Standards Compliance
Robb McCord, Process and Tool Development and Support
Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems
An overview of a custom system for processing incoming STEP AP203 file for compliance to Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems (NGES) file naming and assembly construction standards will be presented. Most of the out-of-the box CAD systems allow special characters in file names and many small suppliers utilize this capability to create extremely long descriptive file names for their CAD model component files. These names are strictly preserved by the Siemens NX4 STEP import post processor necessitating manual renaming of files and other non value activities that inhibit the design and drawing release processes. In addition, a typical engagement with a design supplier involves the import of the same STEP data several times often creating duplicate NX4 data which are flagged and must be resolved, creating additional overhead. Final, other specific rules exist on what types of components should be processed, such as standard NGES library parts already in existence will never be imported from a STEP file. To accomplish the goals of clean STEP imports with compliance to our rules, a new front end interface for NX4 was created to replace the out of the box STEP import menu and this presentation will describe this implementation.
Terry will review challenges encountered with CAD models in supporting the design & manufacture of products in a global environment. Topics will include supplier model issues, translations, best practices, intellectual property, and delivering models to customers. Solutions will be reviewed, along with recommendations to minimize future challenges.
The Role of Unified Communications in Design Collaboration
Don Richardson, Director, Global Innovation and PLM Industry Strategy
Microsoft
Communicating with team members, suppliers and customers is critical to the success of developing new products, processes or services. However despite great advances in messaging, mobile phones, PDAs, and telephony devices, communicating has never been so complicated or disjointed. Unified Communications brings all your information and devices together into one easy to use solution that enhances the way you work whether you or your team is in the office, onsite, overseas or travelling. This session provides an introduction to Microsoft Unified Communications and a practical live demonstration to show the integration of productivity tools such as CAD, office applications, instant messaging and video conferencing with telephones, mobile devices, video and voice over IP (VOIP) technologies in a design collaboration scenario.
Phil Rosche, Implementation Support Team Leader
PDES, Inc.
Mr. Rosche will provide an overview of PDES, Inc. activities pertaining to data exchange using the STEP standard. He will discuss the interoperability testing forum he organized known as the CAx-IF (cax-if.org). The presentation will cover what the CAx-IF is, who is involved, what is being tested, and what benefits the user community is getting from this type of testing. Mr. Rosche will also discuss a current development effort going on to provide GD&T capability to major CAD systems using the STEP standard.
Standards, Web Services & Open Source to Support Collaboration Across Engineering Disciplines
Charlie Stirk, President
CostVision Inc.
Recent advances in engineering data model standards, web services application programming interfaces and open source software dramatically lower the cost and increase the capability of interoperability and collaboration between different engineering disciplines. Using cost engineering and management in product development as example business processes, we will show which of these technologies can be deployed now highlight improvements under way by various groups, and identify gaps that still need to be addressed.
Product Knowledge and Design Methodology Integration in CAD Migration
Alex Tsechansky, VP Research & Development
Proficiency Inc.
Migrating 3D models between CAD systems is a tedious, non-value add process. The most commonly used practices of geometric translation (e.g. IGES, STEP, JT) or manual re-mastering in the new CAD system have severe drawbacks and can damage the product knowledge accumulated over years in the 3D models. Breakthrough developments in feature-based 3D interoperability permit companies to retain product knowledge and extract additional added value from a CAD migration. This results in fully functional models in the target CAD systems, which retain the original product knowledge while providing a reliable basis for further development. This presentation will provide an overview product knowledge migration and feature-based interoperability technology, applications and methodology, along with case studies of successful deployment by selected automotive and aerospace companies. We will also perform a demonstration which will show how the programmatic data exchange can be used to implement a set of design rules in a target CAD system, even if the rules have not been obeyed in the source 3D models. New decision support applications are used to validate the translations and complete the process to the required level of quality and accuracy.
3D Collaboration and Visualization: Trends and Technologies That Remove the Pain Points
Ludwig von Reiche, Chief Operating Officer
Mental Images GmbH
This presentation will show how integrated 3D visualization technologies and applications services can be used to streamline efficiencies in design, production and e-commerce. Further, new and upcoming 3D technologies will be discussed that allow the integration of existing data and applications to attract, service and retain customers in a innovative ways. Ludwig von Reiche, COO of mental images, will address the current market place and its pain points, and will provide real-life examples of how 3D Visualization technologies can serve as solutions.
Long Term Archival and Retrieval (LOTAR) of Digital Product and Technical Data in a Global
Rick Zuray, PLM Technical Principal
The Boeing Company
Stone tablets to interactive 3D models the preservation of information has been important part of us since mankind could write. Mankind has used many forms of media to preserve history and important information and over time has replaced the medium on which it was stored due to its own obsolescence. We still face that same problem today the main difference being that we replace the medium much faster as the technological obsolescence boundaries diminish at a more accelerated rate.
User Panel: Real-World Data Exchange and Migration Strategies, Processes and Implementation
Moderator: David Prawel, Longview Advisors Inc.
Panelists to be Announced
Guidelines for data exchange are critical, but they often do not address specific strategies or technical issues that are critical to migrating old data sets or implementing new ones. This forum will give attendees an opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of actual data migration events from the people who were involved and to ask specific questions regarding software used or data format challenges encountered. The members of this panel will be technology users, just like you, who have been through the same challenges and success that you are currently experiencing. We’ll discuss migrating from 2D paper or CAD to 3D, 3D to 3D, CATIA V4 to V5 and a variety of related topics. We’ll also discuss legacy data management and asset retention strategies and best practices.
Panel: Light-weight 3D formats and standards: a cooperative solution or collision course?
Moderator: David Prawel, Longview Advisors Inc.
ISO 10303 (STEP) has been helping companies share product information for more than 20 years. AP203 second edition (E2) is now approved and in early use, and a major enhancement it is indeed. There is clearly a valuable place for industry standards like STEP, IGES before it and many others. More recently, a generation of broadly popular light-weight 3D file formats has emerged on the global scene - Acrobat 3D, DWF, JT, 3D XML, XVL - and they are poised to add real value in supply chain and downstream interoperability and collaboration. When do you need a full-precise sold representation, and when will a “light-weight” 3D format do the job? MP3 has become a de facto standard for music listening even though it has less quality than the original recording. Might light-weight 3D formats like U3D be heading in the same direction - not a perfect copy of a precise 3D solid, but perhaps good enough for a broad range of collaborative uses? When are industry standards the best choice, or when might a light weight 3D format work as well, or perhaps a hybrid is best – a format which contains another standard format? What factors should be considered when assessing the trade-offs between cooperatively developed industry standards and a proprietary, but widely used, data format? And when are both approaches appropriate? This panel is a rare opportunity to participate in an interactive discussion with the vendors of these important formats and members of the global standards bodies who develop and support industry standards like STEP and U3D. This is your chance to answer some of the tough questions in your interoperability and collaboration strategies as they pertain to sharing 3D product data.
Panel: Interoperability Vendors - State of the Art Interoperability Technologies and Best Practices
Moderator: David Prawel, Longview Advisors Inc.
CAD Interoperability problems continue to cost industry many billions of dollars. Challenges caused by incompatible CAD modelers, data formats and processes are the root cause. When it comes to solving these problems, more and more of the heavy lifting is left to the dedicated and highly experienced software and services vendors who specialize in addressing these difficult challenges, and to the technical experts within companies who are responsible for implementing these technologies. New approaches are brought to market on a regular basis and success stories are plentiful. But a lot of tough challenges remain. This panel will bring together leaders in the CAD interoperability software business to answer your questions and discuss their solutions. Bring your pressing issues and questions. You will never be able to ask a more experienced collection of industry experts, all gathered in one place.
Proceedings & Audio 
