Quickly transform your ideas in 3D models

With the Direct Modeling

We have selected SpaceClaim like the best in class of the direct modeling CAD sofware.
Origin of the project:
End of 2011 a requirement from Technical managers was:
We need for pre-design phase a flexible, light and up to date Cad Tool

Why this request:

Within Offer & Technology Management (OTM) projects stands a very important phase: the moment of truth where mechanical
engineer needs to sketch each and every concept they found during their creativity sessions.
By starting to make ideas a reality, they can compare, discuss and check which of the best concepts they must select. Quickness is key.
Efficiency is at stake. Using 3D Direct modeling solutions is of course the key solution in this matter! Pro/engineer current interface is a
strong way to achieve detailed 3D models, as long as they invest enough in defining all needed parameters.

What we have done:

The ELM CAD Expert Design team (EUBG - Central Teams and IPO R&D), in full collaboration with Business Units experts, launched a
specific project to assess which best in class 3D Direct Modeling tool might be deployed within the design teams.

Direct Modeling: What is this?

Direct Modeling: capacity to create and modify directly the 3D model without features and parameters. The model tree is composed of
the list components and constraints; You have not a list of features. Its mean you can modify any shape any time and you dont wait for
the regeneration of the model.
You can import any data and start creation: Pro/E, Catia, Solidwork, Rhino, Inventor, Autocad
You can see the video of SaceClaim in the box: https://schneider-electric.box.com/s/h7qcgepob5f378i4iilj
The 3 steps to select the tool:
Step 1: Benchmark of different software.
The ELM CAD Expert Design team (EUBG - Central Teams and IPO R&D) is fully listening to the market place, because many software
companies propose some great solutions: Creo Elements Direct and Creo Direct by PTC, SpaceClaim, Catia Live Shape by Dassault
System, Google Sketch-up Pro.
We were 6 testers of Innovation Efficiency and IPO R&D and worked with 12 representatives use cases of Schneider Electric
The use cases correspond to different families of products:
Basic product: product without complex mechanism.
Large product: product with many parts, many configurations
Mechanism sub-assembly: description of the movements, the key positions, volume of parts.

We have defined the criteria with representatives of different Bu.

The 74 criteria are grouped in 7 topics:
1. Easy to use
2. Capacity to design what you want: a global product, an assembly, a part.
3. Modification of existing data
4. Share design & communication
5. Verification
6. Data management in PIM suite
In the end 2 candidates were fully compared: Creo Element Direct versus SpaceClaim

Result: Creo Element Direct Result: SpaceClaim

According the criteria of evaluation, SpaceClaim is the best.

Step 2: Pilot with real projects
The purpose was to confirm and measure the benefits and evaluate the risks.
Teams have accepted to use SpaceClaim in their project.
Description of the pilot:
There are 3 domains that we have evaluated. In addition at the pre-design we have tested the modeling and simulation and the reverse
engineering.

Pre-design project (OTM):

Pilot leader: Philippe Delcambre
7 projects (Partner, Industry, Energy)
9 attendees
Objectives:
More capacity for innovation: agile to create, more concepts quickly.
Ability to share with the team and customers and modify in live.

Modeling and Simulation:

Pilot leader: Emmanuel Frangin
Application to Mechanics, Thermal, Emag, Fluid
8 attendees (GAN)
Objectives:
Faster the pre-processing of models and test different solutions
With all Physics, Mechanics, Thermal, Emag

Reverse Engineering (PEP) :

Pilot leader: Rus Emerick
Re-create old product quickly files
4 attendees
Objectives:
Time saving and ability to control legacy products with no supporting CAD models
Create models for Re-Tooling of legacy products with no supporting CAD models
Create 3D assemblies from legacy CAD systems
Result: The pilots confirm the choice.
The result is very good: easy to use and easy to learn. High capacity to create concepts and re-use any data.
The level expected was >3/5 to pass the pilot and we obtained near 4/5 for the main criteria.

We have defined the criteria with the teams of pilots. The 36 criteria are grouped in 5 topics. Global results:
Level definition:
1: low, impossible to do; unusable
2: low, usable but difficult
3: Right level, the level to save time
4: Good, useful, easy, save time
5: Very good, I win lot of actions and time,

5,0
4,5
3,8 3,9 3,7
4,0 3,7 3,6
3,5
3,0
2,5
2,0
1,5
1,0
Global Time saving Global easy to use Part Design Asm Design Concept Capacity

Question to the participants: Do you want a license to do an other OTM: Yes, No ?

YES = 100%
Step 3: Determine the Return of Invest (ROI)

How many time do you save with SpaceClaim to pre-Design (to propose concepts of architecture)?

Pre-design:
Average Time saved in the pre-design phase: 30% to 60% according the use cases and including time to rebuilt the 3D with Pro/E Creo
It is an estimation done by the teams compared with the actual tools.
Details by use case.
Basic product:
Gain = 30% to 90% time saving, according the complexity.
Average = 60% time saving to design - 10% to re-rebuilt in Creo
Large assembly:
Average Gain = 60% time saving to design - 30% to re-rebuilt in Creo
Mechanism:
Average Gain = 50% time saving to design - 20% to re-rebuilt in Creo

Modeling & Simulation:

30% of workforce to prepare CAD for Simulation.
Provide more design capabilities for none CAD experts.

Reverse engineering:
75% savings in Time to create a CAD part from a scan versus manual creation.
90% savings in Time when making a CAD part from a 2D drawing (Comment: It is almost impossible to make the CAD part from some of
the old incomplete drawings).

Other benefits
SpaceClaim is attractive for the engineers.
More capacity for innovation: agile to create, more concepts quickly
Ability to share with the team and customers and modify in live
Easy to use for casual and non users of CAD: Test Engineers and Advanced manufacturer Engineers can pre-design prototypes and tools
without the support of mechanical designers.
What about PTC tools ?
For Develop and Detail Design phase :
The use of PTC tools is confirmed: Creo Parametric and all the modules. Creo Parametric allow to guaranty the robustness of the design.
For PRE-DESIGN phase
Creo2 Direct (Direct Modeling of PTC):
The tool has not the right level of ergonomic (compare to the other tools) to facilitate the pre-design.
The principle of automatic transfer in Creo parametric shows a risk: the model tree is not build with a logic of robust and functional
approach!
For Creo3 (2014) and Creo4 (2015), it is too late to take our requirements into account.
For Creo5 : we are working with PTC to influence their specification. The Delivery date is planned for 2016.
Short term
2014-2017 Improve efficiency:
SpaceClaim CAD + NexGen
Creo parametric

Conclusion:
The pilots confirm the choice of SpaceClaim:
Designers are very enthusiastic
The tool is really easy to use and easy to learn.
It enhances the capacity to create concepts and re-use any data.
The 3D models have to be re-created in Creo Parametric. It is an opportunity to build robust 3 models with a functional approach. That
has a positive impact on the quality of the products.
No risk of data management of the concepts files: possibility to save the selected concepts in Symphony.
The ELM CAD Expert Design team (EUBG - Central Teams and IPO R&D) propose to deploy SpaceClaim.

Proposal for deployment

The project team (EUBG&IPO R&D) will propose a industrial project: (configuration of the tool, definition of the licenses distribution) and
a deployment plan (number of the potential users, identification of the supplier of training, evaluation of the cost).
For this action we need the support of the engineering teams:
Are you interested by SpaceClaim?
Are you candidate for a deployment? How many engineer are concerned?
Contact me for all question or comments.
Thank you.
Philippe Delcambre (Project Leader of 3D Creativity Direct project)