(c) 2009. Lattice Technology, Inc.

5
The Case for 3D in Leveraging
Manufacturing Effciency
- Improving Lean Manufacturing Through 3D Data
by Dr Hiroshi Toriya
3D digital data, which until now has been
limited to design-related departments,
provides six clear solutions for enhancing
work effciency downstream in the pro-
duction cycles.
These include design review, mechanism
simulation, process design, process
animation, parts list, and illustration.
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
Until now, use of 3D data in the manufacturing industry has mostly been restricted
to the design department. However, as the cases discussed in previous chapters have
shown, 3D data is gradually being used effectively in various downstream processes
such as manufacturing, transforming the manufacturing process itself. This chapter
discusses the advantages which the manufacturing industry can expect through more
comprehensive use of 3D digital data, and to what extent the effects of 3D have been
felt thus far. This chapter is divided into the following two sections, discussed from the
standpoint of developers.
Six requirements of manufacturers for 3D data, and software for realizing them.
XVL solution tools delivered by Lattice Technology
Chapters 6 to 10 of this book bring case studies of various manufacturers who are
successfully using 3D data in many more of their business activities, and where XVL
tools play an important role in contributing to changes in manufacturing processes using
IT. This chapter helps readers understand why these tools were used and what problems
they address.
Editing the Right Information for Manufacturing
As described in Chapter 3, at frst lightweight 3D data in XVL was invented to en-
able 3D shapes to be viewed easily. However, in order for 3D data to fully contribute in
manufacturing, there is also a need to describe design intentions and manufacturing
instructions clearly and accurately within the 3D models. For this, software applications
that make 3D data much more lightweight had to evolve frst. In the process of this evolu-
tion the author, and others in his team, developed editing functions for manufacturing
activities. A 3D shape is designed and dimensions are defned using CAD in the design
division. However, it is impossible to defne the processes required for manufacturing
and create animations of the assembly process using CAD, in terms of costs, function,
and performance. As shown in Figure 5.1, the most realistic way of doing this would be
to convert the CAD data into lightweight data, send it to manufacturing engineers so they
could edit this data, add manufacturing information to it, and allow it to be checked by
others using a freeware viewer. (*1.)
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
Figure 5.1. Potential uses of 3D data in manufacturing
Figure 5.2. XVL Studio Standard as a Manufacturing Information Authoring tool.
Figure 5.2 illustrates this concept. With conventional job techniques based on
drawings, the design department would prepare drawings after design using 3D CAD is
complete, and create reports. This preparation of drawings and reports after the design
process is completed is a waste of time for the designer. Staff at the manufacturing foor
must refer to both drawings and reports in their manufacturing work, which can be a has-
sle. In the event of a design change, often only the drawings are revised, while the other
data is not updated. This causes inconsistencies between the data, leading to confusion.
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
Instead what is needed to resolve this is a tool which can import required information
into the lightweight data, edit it, and transmit the data (*2). This tool would allow required
information, usually held in 2D CAD drawings, to be conveyed as part of the 3D data fle
using lightweight data, and thus eliminating all use of paper drawings. Parts lists and oth-
er external data are automatically incorporated into this 3D data from which spreadsheet
reports can be automatically created. Such an environment has already been established
by several mold manufacturers, with some manufacturing foors already using zero paper
in their operations. Another useful tool would be one which could deliver 3D models with
process animations added. Since these animations could then be viewed using a free-
ware viewer at the manufacturing foor or maintenance department, the use of 3D data in
manufacturing will further increase.
(*1) XVL Player: Freeware viewer for displaying XVL, able to display animations.
(*2) XVL Studio: Software for displaying and editing XVL. Can also create and edit animations.
Solutions Sought in the Manufacturing Industry
The ideal uses of 3D data proposed by the author are shown in Figure 5.3. First, use
lightweight 3D data for automating design reviews in the design departments, and for
sharing of information outside a department. When the design is approved, save the 3D
CAD data in a database which manufacturing personnel can reference, together with the
lightweight 3D data. In downstream processes that do not have CAD systems, light-
weight 3D data can used as reference tool. In the production engineering department,
3D XVL data can be used for reviewing processes and preparing assembly instructions.
Figure 5.3. Ideal uses of 3D data in manufacturing
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
At the shop foor, by linking 3D XVL data to parts lists, parts shapes can be viewed
easily. Work schedules, specifcations and parts lists created here can also be added to
the XVL fle and used by all production centers including those overseas and by partner
companies. The reports typically used by manufacturing and inspection departments can
instead be turned into reports that contain lightweight 3D data, making 3D data a useful
tool for manufacturing.
Software applications that realize these needs are already available through my
company, Lattice Technology, and as seen in Chapter 4, they are already contribut-
ing enormously to enhancing workplace effciency for manufacturers. Now, information
which could only be distributed in paper form can become digital and distributed across
the workplace in easy-to-understand formats, by anyone, in real-time.
Six Solutions for Enhancing Manufacturing Industry Ac-
tivities Using Lightweight 3D Data
So how and where should digital data, especially 3D data, be used in the manufac-
turing process after design in order to produce signifcant results? It is all about using the
right tools: Naturally, processes such as design should be done using CAD these tools
are ideal for this. But using that data downstream demands other solutions. The most
important difference between lightweight 3D software tools and CAD applications lies in
the fact that massive data fles can be handled easily with lightweight 3D software. The
author therefore suggests that the following six solutions for using lightweight 3D can
deliver major contributions to the manufacturing industry (Figure 5.4).
Figure 5.4. Six key tasks resolved by XVL and its applications
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
Design Review
This solution checks for interferences between parts to verify whether the designed
product shape is correct. (*3.) While CAD can be used for checking interference in
units of sub-modules which consist of only a few parts, lightweight 3D data is useful for
checking interferences of large assemblies and for interferences within an entire product.
Since products that are made up of many parts often involve numerous parties, parts
interference problems are frequently encountered in the initial stage of design and are
problems which have to be removed in the design phase.
(*3) XVL Studio Pro - Software for reviewing designs using mass 3D data assemblies. The
highest level of software in the XVL Studio series, it comes with functions for automatically calcu-
lating interference, checking clearances, and outputting results reports.

One way of eliminating interferences, especially when handling large 3D data, is
using lightweight 3D data software to automatically detect interferences, list the issues
found, and decide the appropriate solution by reviewing 3D models and cross-sections
of the interfering parts, while keeping records of the results. Like interferences, it is also
important to verify clearances to ensure that parts are not too close to each other. As
shown in Figure 5.5, it is easy to display clearances in different colors according to the
clearance width, which enables designers to understand complicated parts relations
intuitively. Even with complicated assemblies composed of numerous parts such as auto-
mobiles and airplanes, interference checks help establish and ensure high design quality
in every part of the upstream design process.
Figure 5.5. Visualization of clearances by XVL Studio Pro for Design Review
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
Mechanism Simulation
Recently, end-user products which use mechatronics functions have been rapidly
appearing on the market. These products control electronic and mechanical functions
to achieve complex mechanical motion such as those needed in medical equipment. As
these mechatronics products have become more and more complex, verifcation of the
design, simulations of the mechanisms that drive these products, and software for con-
trolling these mechanisms also become increasingly important. In this context , the use
of 3D data is important for supporting the control software design. Particularly with medi-
cal equipment and semiconductor manufacturing machines, product shapes are com-
plicated and 3D designs are large scale. If virtual 3D models that are used for verifying
these products are realistic and accurate early in the design stage, they would contribute
signifcantly to reducing prototypes.

While interference checks are usually performed in a stationary state, in mechatron-
ics the products movements also need to be checked for interference. First, the designer
needs to defne which parts of the 3D model are connected or linked, and whether these
parts rotate or slide sideways. It is also necessary to defne in timing charts how a part
moves when and for how long. If this can be achieved, the movements of the machine
can be reproduced virtually as simulations and dynamic interference checks can be run.
(*4).
By checking dynamic interferences in this way, it is possible to verify problems
caused when movable parts move and thus to create correct timing charts (Figure 5.6).
For instance, by sending the timing chart in the tabular CSV format to the software verif-
cation tool, operations of the movable part can be checked.
Figure 5.6. Support of software design using mechanism options
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
By embedding constraint defnitions between the 3D shapes into the lightweight data,
the data can be used for verifcation. Until now, machine designers have had diffculty
communicating details of mechanisms to software designers, but by using this mecha-
nism function, they are now able to check operations, as well as convey correct informa-
tion to them by applying correct timing charts to the model. (*5.)
(*4) XVL Studio mechanism option: Defnes mechanisms and reproduces mechanical move-
ments
(*5) Vmech - Able to receive timing charts generated by software verifcation application by
Interdesign Technology, Inc. (Currently only available in Japan).
Process Design
Process Design is a way to verify designs for manufacturing effciency prior to mov-
ing into manufacturing. When verifcations of the design itself are complete, the 3D data
is then used to check if the product can be manufactured easily, if tools can be inserted,
if assembly is straightforward, if unnecessary burdens are imposed on the workers, and
so on. Many of these can be quickly verifed if the entire shape of a product can be easily
viewed. These design reviews from a manufacturing perspective contribute to smooth
production at the plant.
The actual design assembly process consists of simple steps; viewing shapes using
3D data, obtaining cross-sections, and checking interferences. As long as there is in-
formation on the product shape and tool shape, these functions can be verifed from the
manufacturing standpoint.(*6.) Furthermore, attribute information corresponding to each
part can also be listed and edited while comparing 3D designs (Figure 5.7). After the
verifcation process, lightweight 3D data incorporated with manufacturing attributes can
be created and distributed across the workplace.
Figure 5.7. XVL Studio Standard for editing various manufacturing information
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
An important key for improving manufacturing effciency is in being able to defne the
assembly process. When complicated products are being assembled, it is necessary to
plan maybe thousands of assembly steps, defned by how many parts are used and in
which order. It is important to match processes with the parts used. Although this may
seem simple, it is a hugely labor-intensive task for products that are made up of count-
less parts. When the data volume is huge, the job of matching thousands and thousands
of parts with thousands of processes is extremely diffcult. However, by defning process
data using lightweight 3D data and converting this to animation, the manufacturing work
can be visualized virtually, far faster and with far greater accuracy. (*7.)
Process Animation
Using the process animation solution in XVL, lightweight 3D data with assembly
animations can be converted to formats that can be shared on the Internet. (*8.) Since
lightweight 3D data can also be easily shared externally, it means that work schedules
that include process animation can also be shared and widely used. Figure 5.8 illustrates
this idea.
(* 6) XVL Studio Pro: Used for reviewing assembly processes using parts layout and interfer-
ence functions. Attribute information corresponding to parts can also be listed and edited while
comparing it with the relevant 3D shape.
(* 7) XVL Studio Standard: Animations and processes can be defned. Process defnition is
done by matching processes and the parts used for them. This software is also able to create
animations of these processes automatically. Furthermore, by using the animation editing function,
animations can be displayed from clearer viewpoints and sizes.
(* 8) XVL Web Master: Automatically integrates 3D shapes, exploded views, and attributes of
parts composing products, and converts to formats which can be shared on the Internet. Results
can be displayed using Internet Explorer and XVL Player.
Parts Lists
In addition to work processes, it is desirable to share parts lists on the Internet to
build greater accuracy in the manufacturing process. Conventionally, parts lists have
been managed by relating parts numbers, names, and design information but using
separate documents both on paper and in digital format. Lightweight 3D data changes
the situation. 3D can be added to the parts lists, and also allows shapes which are hard
to identify on drawings to be easily distinguished. Using digital information, parts can be
displayed in 3D, associated with illustrations, its individual parts listing and other related
information. The use of paper drawings can be completely eliminated by using 3D parts
lists as product assembly drawings at manufacturing departments, allowing the manu-
facturing foor to obtain the required information quickly. (*9.) Such information is useful
to both maintenance departments and sales dealers as well and this method can also be
used for quickly creating parts catalogues.
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
Figure 5.8. Automatic creation of work process tables and parts lists using XVL Web Master
Illustrations
In manufacturing, many documents are distributed on paper, including instruction
and service manuals and these contain countless product illustrations. The aim of digital
manufacturing in this case is to use 3D data to create those illustrations. Conventionally,
illustrations are created by frst disassembling an actual prototype, photographing the dis-
assembled parts and then sketching them. In this process, illustrations cannot be started
unless the actual product or prototype is ready. However, with the use of 3D data, illustra-
tions can be created directly from the 3D data as soon as product design is completed.
By creating documents with illustrations early, the lead time to delivery can be shortened.
Simultaneously, if the disassembly procedure can be recorded as a disassembly tree, the
exploded view can be automatically created. (Figure 5.8) (*10, 11.) The tree format is in-
tentionally used to keep track of design changes. If you then merge new XVL data which
contains updated data with the old XVL data which defnes the disassembly procedure,
then illustrations on the updated disassembly procedure can be generated automatically.
(* 9) XVL Web Master: By switching the template, work schedules can be created from the
XVL process information. Using information on the XVL disassembly procedure, then parts lists
comparing the exploded view and 3D data can be generated. The ability to link such information
and display them on the Internet is the greatest feature of this software. Unlike conventional paper
information, job skills are built by using information based on 3D shapes.
(* 10) XVL Studio illustration option: As shown in Figure 5.9, the disassembly procedure can
be saved in the XVL fle as a disassembly tree, and exploded views are automatically created
based on this. Parts lists corresponding to the disassembly tree can also be extracted from the
XVL, and used directly for paper parts catalogues.
(*11) XVL Web Master: Using the disassembly tree, exploded views can be output and distrib-
uted on the web.
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
Overview of the XVL Software
The author and others have been pursuing the development of software using XVL
through intense research and development over the past ten years aiming at the effective
use of 3D data in manufacturing. The software products discussed in this book are those
which have contributed to the digitalization of the manufacturing foor. The following
summarizes key XVL software applications, their targets and roles. First, the following
graphic illustrates how XVL software is typically used in manufacturing. Procedures for
achieving the effective use of 3D data in workplaces without CAD facilities can broadly
be divided into the following three steps;
*Convert 3D CAD data into XVL
*Edit generated XVL
*Use the data for collaboration and automated report-production at the
manufacturing site.
Figure 5.9. Creating illustrations using XVL
XVL Converter is an application which converts 3D CAD data to XVL data. This con-
verter comes in two types: one which is incorporated in the CAD platform and converts
data sequentially (XVL Converter Plug-in) and another which converts CAD data col-
lectively outside the CAD platform (XVL Converter Server). If the amount of CAD fles is
small, the XVL Plug-in converter is recommended. The XVL Converter Server is rec-
ommended for the collective conversion of multiple CAD fles. The converted XVL data
includes shape information defned by the CAD platform, product confguration informa-
tion, parts attributes defned by CAD properties, and so on.
Software for editing XVL is also important. For XVL, this consists of applications for
editing interactively, and applications that perform batch-edits. The tool for batch-editing
is the XVL System Toolkit with which attribute data can be added to multiple XVL fles
simultaneously. XVL Studio applications deliver a range of software tools for process-
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
ing, authoring and editing XVL data interactively. The applications consist of three levels:
Basic for basic editing, Standard which provides animation and process-editing func-
tions, and Pro for calculating interference issues in design reviews. XVL Studio also has
options for creating illustrations directly from 3D, and for defning virtual mechanisms for
machine operations and movements. Figure 5.10 shows XVL Studio Basic, which is the
base-level application. It is capable of dimensional measurements of XVL data, genera-
tion of cross-sections, creation of annotations, editing of colors and texture, and saving
of editing results. These functions allow information other than shapes to be edited, infor-
mation required for manufacturing to be added, and XVL data to be saved. XVL Studio
Standard can defne animations and processes, and edit parts attributes, thereby allow-
ing manufacturing information to be visualized and conveyed. In addition, the Pro version
can check interference and clearance issues across major 3D assemblies. XVL Studios
3 levels of applications deliver a lineup capable of design review, process design, pro-
cess animation, and illustration directly from 3D data.
Figure 5.10. XVL Studio Basic for XVL editing and display
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
Figure 5.11. Main XVL software programs
The most-used application is XVL Player which can check 3D shapes, measure size,
and create cross-sections, even playing animations saved in the fle. At the manufactur-
ing site, it is an important tool for extracting and viewing 3D data and related information
easily on low specifcation PCs. Lattice3D Reporter enables reports to be prepared eas-
ily using 3D data especially where it is linked with component information, and delivers
that data in Microsoft Excel. XVL Web Master delivers parts lists attached with 3D data
in HTML which can then be immediately shared on the Internet. XVL Studio is used to
defne the manufacturing information related to the 3D data, and the other applications
enable that data, simulations and animations to be sent out in the formats listed above.
Because lightweight XVL can be used easily by anyone, it also allows everyone
access. Security applications were therefore developed to enable many levels of secu-
rity and encryption for the 3D data. These applications are XVL Signer for controlling
password access to fles and XVL Staff for setting security at system levels. With the set
of applications described above, XVL data can be generated and edited, and security
highly controlled, to enable effcient but secure use of data in manufacturing work.
There are also three software programs which are especially important for data con-
version and editing, and promoting smooth use at the workplace. These three applica-
tions are used for creating 3D digital reports, automatic processing of mass XVL data,
and ensuring XVL security. They are described further down in this section.
3D digital reports
Paper reports are often used at the manufacturing site, and most companies use
Microsoft Excel to prepare reports such as parts specifcations, assembly specifcations,
maintenance manuals, etc. With complicated products, this work can be time-consuming.
After they are ready, they need to be sent out concisely and quickly.
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
Lattice3D Reporter, shown in Figure 5.12, is an application which meets these needs
but also incorporates 3D data into the reports. It is able to read 3D shapes into Excel, for
viewing, measuring, zooming, and so on. By clicking the 3D data in the spreadsheet, a
user can pinpoint specifc parts, entire assemblies, and view it from any rotation or point
of view. Lattice3D Reporter is able to extract confguration information, parts lists and
process information contained inside the XVL fle and display it interactively in the same
Excel spreadsheet. It allows parts names to be selected from the list and for that part
to be immediately displayed, and can replay 3D process animations with corresponding
work instructions. Using manufacturing information embedded in XVL, digital reports with
3D shape information can be created freely. Lattice3D Reporter was developed with the
aim of delivering reports required at the manufacturing site in easy to understand forms
using 3D.
Figure 5.12. Lattice3D Reporter easily creates 3D Reports
XVL System Toolkit for automated processing of large
amounts of XVL data
When use of 3D in manufacturing commences, XVL data starts to accumulate quite
rapidly. Processing this data manually is time-consuming, so the XVL System Toolkit was
developed to enable batch processing of the data in an automated environment. This
toolkit is composed of the following three software applications.
XVL Filter
Converts XVL data into other XVL fles, and thus is able to batch process multiple
XVL data and integrate them into one XVL fle. This makes it convenient for batch pro-
cessing the overall design data, especially when it is from disparate sources, into a single
fle.
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
XVL Processor
An application that reads parts and process information from outside sources into
XVL data. It is also possible to write annotations and dimensional information in XVL to
external data. The application can be easily integrated with external databases and IT
infrastructure systems (ERP, MES etc) for inputting/outputting information, reducing the
hassle of data input.
XVL Reducer
When the 3D data load is heavy due to large and complex shape data, etc., XVL
Reducer automatically deletes any internal 3D information that is not needed as well as
removing subtle (or at certain times unnecessary) shapes and holes. It is best used for
creation of CG images or for sending shapes in rough shape for security purposes.
Security
Lightweight XVL data can be sent via email, and also displayed easily using the
freeware XVL Player. Security control therefore becomes critical particularly when
exchanging information with overseas suppliers. With this in mind, many companies are
focused on implementing security control measures during any exchange of information
abroad and with outside suppliers. XVL Signer is designed to easily defne password-
only access at the fle level, and will display and edit data according to the security level
set. XVL Staff manages more comprehensive levels of security at the system level. De-
veloped jointly with Hitachi Software Engineering, XVL staff is capable of sophisticated
security control, by controlling access to XVL data on the server, and where attempted
access by suspicious individuals can be monitored and controlled. This application can
disable XVL data after certain defned activities, so that XVL data that has already been
distributed can become unavailable. This function was achieved by integrating the XVL
applications with Adobe Systems Live Cycle Policy Server (Figure 5.13). This variety of
options for security are becoming indispensible in todays environment of data and intel-
lectual property theft.
Through more than 10 years of research and development, the author and others
in his team have worked tirelessly to realize effective use of 3D data in the manufactur-
ing industry. During the process, we realized the fundamental importance of having very
lightweight 3D data, low memory consumption, and high speed display of the data, to
achieve effective use of 3D data on general PCs at the workplace. This realization led us
to focus on the development of the basic performance of XVL technology.
After that frst stage, we then focused on increasing the range of XVL applications,
not just for browsing 3D shapes, but as a tool for adding and editing required manufac-
turing information into XVL data. We developed software applications for the six areas
that can leverage manufacturing effciency by using 3D digital data; interference checks,
mechanism simulation, process design, process animation, parts list, and illustrations,
and tested their practical use at manufacturing companies. We believe that each of these
software programs are improving and contributing to manufacturing activities. Although
3D software applications are not the only means for enhancing processes in the manu-
facturing industry, the use of 3D data undoubtedly plays an important role.
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5. The Case for 3D in Leveraging Manufacturing Effciency
Figure 5.13. Security control by XVL Staff
The following chapters discuss how manufacturers have been able to successfully
reform their business process using digital information.
About Improving Lean Manufacturing Through 3D Data by Dr. Hiroshi Toriya.
This book, one of several published by author, Dr. Hiroshi Toriya, discusses how Japanese manu-
facturers are addressing the critical need to continually improve manufacturing processes across
the entire enterprise. In the cases highlighted in this book, manufacturers are turning to 3D data
practices and processes to enable greater leanness of manufacturing. This book discusses why
this is a necessity in the current economic conditions and discusses real world examples through
in-depth interviews with manufacturers of all kinds.
Originally published in Japan in 2008 by JIPM Solutions, this book is available in English via e-book
from Lattice Technology, and is available at www.lattice3d.com