Written by dudaDecember 1, 2023

Efficiency Amplified: Navigating the Future of Machinery Manufacturing through Modularization

After discussing the crucial role of standardization in enhancing efficiency in machinery manufacturing, we now shift our focus to another essential strategy: modularization. This article explores the synergy between standardization and modularization, examining how these approaches collaboratively contribute to advancing operational excellence in the machinery manufacturing landscape. 

The Power of Modularization 

Modularization is the breakdown of a system into self-contained modules, offering a flexible and scalable approach to increase efficiency. Building on the foundation set by standardization, modularization introduces a new dimension to the pursuit of streamlined and adaptable processes. It significantly impacts the design and development phase, where standardized, interchangeable modules become building blocks, accelerating the process and fostering an agile environment.

This method is especially beneficial in industries such as dairy and food manufacturing, where machinery systems can be quite complex and demanding to manage.  

For manufacturers dealing with complex machinery systems, modularization simplifies the detailed components by breaking them down into manageable and standardized units. These modules provide an organized approach to constructing complex machinery, simplifying assembly in multifaceted production lines.  

Standardized and interchangeable modules, acting as foundational building blocks, speed up the design process. Designers and engineers can quickly create new configurations using pre-existing modules, reducing design time and fostering agility.

Adaptability and Customization and the synergy with Standardization 

Embracing modularization in machinery design requires an open-minded approach. While based on standardized units, modularization is adaptable and dynamic, allowing for customization within a modular framework. This adaptability is crucial in industries dealing with bespoke products, such as customized dairy processing plants or specialized conveyor systems, products that our team has plenty of experience. 

The synergy between standardized modules and an accelerated design process leads to faster product realization, crucial for companies dealing with extensive and complex machinery. This synergy enables quicker production cycles, meeting market demands promptly and facilitating easy scalability, especially for sectors as industrial equipment production, semiconductor manufacturing, and renewable energy equipment.
 

Modularization extends its efficiency to the production floor, optimizing manufacturing lines through independent production of modules. This approach enables parallel processes, minimizing bottlenecks and enhancing overall productivity. 

Modularization, in synergy with standardization as mentioned previously, is a game-changer in machinery manufacturing, offering efficiency, adaptability, and innovation. At Scandinavian Digital, we combine various methodologies developed by our experts with some of the market strategies to find the best-fit solutions for our clients’ unique challenges. Recognizing the distinct nature of each product, we pride ourselves on our adaptability, seamlessly implementing modularization techniques. 

This flexibility allows us to tailor our approach, ensuring that our solutions precisely match the diverse needs of our clients while optimizing efficiency and innovation in every project we undertake. Our motto, “We do not deliver projects we deliver value”, reflects our commitment to crafting bespoke solutions that align with our clients’ necessities and goals. For a DEMO of our methods or to learn more about modularization, please contact us. 

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Written by dudaNovember 17, 2023

Efficiency through Standardization: Striking the Perfect Balance with Design Automation in Machinery Design

In the world of machinery manufacturing, the pursuit of efficiency is a constant journey. As industries evolve and demands for innovation grow, companies seek ways to streamline their processes without compromising quality. This is where Design Automation, a key facet of Scandinavian Digital’s expertise, comes into play. In the complex world of machinery design, every component plays a crucial role. However, the diversity of products and the complexities involved in customization often lead to challenges in maintaining efficiency. The solution lies in finding a delicate balance between customization and standardization.
 

Standardization forms the backbone of efficiency in machinery design.
 For almost 20 years, the Scandinavian Digital Team has specialized in Design Automation, working closely with machinery manufacturers. Our focus is on empowering manufacturers to use a range of tools that make the most of standardization in conjunction with modularization and parametrization. By establishing predefined components and configurations, we help reduce design time, minimize errors, and enhance overall product quality. Our expertise lies in using a set of tools that combine standard practices with flexible methods, simplifying processes to create innovative designs that automate and improve manufacturing for our clients. 

 

Standardization reduces product cost in engineering by establishing and implementing a set of guidelines, specifications, or criteria that ensure uniformity, consistency, and compatibility across various aspects of the product.


Design Automation is a Catalyst for Efficiency.

It is an understatement to mention that. At the core of Scandinavian Digital’s approach is the integration of Design Automation tools. These tools allow for the creation of parametric designs, enabling quick customization based on specific requirements. By leveraging automation, manufacturers can seamlessly transition from standardized designs to tailored solutions, ensuring a perfect balance between efficiency and customization. 

It is also possible to streamline processes with Configuration Management. One of the key pillars of Scandinavian Digital’s Design Automation strategy is robust configuration management. This involves creating a centralized repository of standardized components, rules, and specifications that we call Product Master Model. This repository becomes a dynamic resource that facilitates rapid design changes and updates. As a result, manufacturers can respond swiftly to market demands, adapt to new regulations, and implement design improvements without causing disruptions in the production pipeline and without having to rely on the human brain or a specific employee, which helps companies since staff turnover occurs over the years. 

The importance of optimizing resources. 

A lot has been said about efficiency, although in machinery design, it is not solely about speeding up the process but also optimizing resources. Scandinavian Digital understands the importance of resource management in manufacturing. Through Design Automation, we empower manufacturers to utilize their resources wisely, ensuring that every component aligns with standardized specifications. This is made possible through correct sizing and document management, such as updated and well-specified Bill of Materials and 2D drawings. This comprehensive approach leads to a reduction in waste, minimized production costs, and an overall improvement in resource utilization. 

We are always looking ahead, and the Future of Design Automation in Machinery Manufacturing is a key piece. As a queen on the chess board. Scandinavian Digital’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation in Design Automation positions us as a driving force in shaping the future of efficient machinery design. In conclusion, achieving efficiency through standardization is not just a goal; it’s a necessity in today’s dynamic manufacturing landscape. Standardization in machinery manufacturing offers a range of significant benefits that contribute to efficiency, quality, and overall operational success that is the main goal, we can mention interchangeability, cost reduction, faster customization, and an overall higher product quality. 

As highlighted in the title of the article, Scandinavian Digital, with its expertise in Design Automation, not only aids companies in achieving the ideal equilibrium between customization and standardization but also employs its proficiency to guide them toward a future where success in machinery design is intrinsically tied to efficiency. 

 

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Written by dudaOctober 23, 2023

User-friendliness of Design Automation tools for non-technical people

Design Automation tools have revolutionized the way complex machinery and systems are configured and customized for various applications. One of the most significant advancements in this domain is the user-friendliness of these tools, which has made them accessible to non-technical people. This user-friendliness is a game-changer, as it empowers individuals without extensive technical knowledge, we could say non engineering people, to configure and adapt intricate machinery to meet their specific needs and advance sales processes for many machineries manufacturing. 
 
It’s important to emphasize that, in addition to the individual benefits for professionals, companies experience several advantages when implementing Design Automation, we have listed here many times. With the example of our 6 Value Areas.

 
However other benefits that’s this user-friendliness brings is lower training expenses as direct result of users requiring less technical expertise to operate the tools, ultimately leading to reduced labour costs and increased efficiency in projects. This, in turn, translates into significant cost savings, a big monster for small, medium and big companies that work with product development and customization in order execution phase.


One of the notable benefits that come to the forefront when implementing DA is the competitive advantage it offers. It promotes empowerment and innovation within the team, allowing non-technical personnel to take ownership of their projects. The tools – for example Parametric CAD Software’s, Configurators – have predefined parameters that prevent mistakes, resulting in a significant reduction in errors. User-friendly interfaces play a pivotal role in preventing configuration errors, enhancing product quality. Moreover, it fosters improved team connectivity and communication since the technical team and the non-technical team are aligned during the whole process.

To make it even more clear, here is an example of a configuration that a non-technical person could make using a Design Automation tool. Let’s consider a company that manufactures customized conveyor systems for various industries.  

Normally, configuring a conveyor system involves specifying its length, width, speed, and the type of materials it will handle. A non-technical person could use a Design Automation tool to customize a conveyor system for a specific application. As a first step, the non-technical employee needs to have the master model where all information about that product is stored to start. Depending on the customer needs the type  can change, being very important to have a master model for each one, these can be belt conveyors, roller conveyors, or chain conveyors. Each type has a user-friendly interface with a 3D model or even a realistic image and descriptions.  

The second step would be the desired size and dimensions. Using simple input fields or interactive drag-and-drop features, the user can specify the wanted length, width, and height of the conveyor system. The tool provides real-time visual feedback on how these changes affect the design. Moving forward with the configuration, the third step would be the Material Handling. The user can indicate the type of materials the conveyor will handle. The automation tool may suggest appropriate material handling features like special belts or side guides based on the selected material.  

The next step is Speed and Capacity. During the configuration, the non-technical person can specify the desired speed of the conveyor and the weight capacity it needs. The tool may provide recommendations or constraints based on the chosen conveyor type. Now comes a very important part of the configuration, the visualization. As the user makes selections, the tool provides a visual representation of the configured conveyor system within minutes. This helps non-technical users see how their choices impact the final design. And creates automatically 3D models and 2D drawings.  

This kind of tools can also provide Pricing and Quotation. Once the configuration is completed, the tool can show an estimated price for the customized conveyor system and generate a quotation helping with faster communication with leads. The user can review, make adjustments, and proceed with the order in a fast pace, reducing the company lead time and possibly accelerating revenue. 

In this video, you’ll witness the step-by-step setup of an elevator system, much like how we previously detailed the configuration of a conveyor system. Towards the video’s conclusion, you’ll also gain insights into the seamless integration of Design Automation tools with a Configure, Price, and Quote system. This integration streamlines the sales process, making it a must-use for non-technical people.

 

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Written by dudaSeptember 27, 2023

Unlocking Efficiency and Advantages: Design Automation’s Impact on Aggregate Crushers

Design automation is a critical process that cement industries can integrate into their operations. This article will detail the configuration of an aggregate crusher, which serves as the initial step in cement production. Design automation (DA) brings forth multiple benefits for the aggregate crusher configuration. Within the cement industry, proper sizing remains the foremost factor, and once achieved, it leads to various other advantages. Efficiency is enhanced as DA tools automate repetitive tasks like component selection, parameter adjustment, and design optimization. This not only saves time but also reduces errors, enabling engineers to configure crushers more swiftly and efficiently. 

Another advantage lies in customization. Crushers often need to be tailored to meet specific requirements or adapt to various applications. Design automation tools streamline customization by providing predefined options and configurations based on operational requirements, such as targeted production output and environmental factors like temperature fluctuations in the installation region, humidity, pressure, and even the risk of earthquakes.

For instance, the process of breaking down limestone into smaller pieces typically involves a combination of compression and impact forces. These crushed limestones are subsequently mixed with other materials to create cement. Cement production may involve different types of stone that require crushing, as well as other materials like gypsum and coal, which transform into dust resembling small rocks.

Standardized quality is a fundamental requirement, and Design Automation promotes consistency and standardization in crusher configurations. This minimizes output variability, enhances quality control, improves reliability, and boosts machinery performance. While this article focuses on the importance of DA for a single machinery piece in the process, it’s essential to note that Design Automation can be applied to all machinery post-crusher, optimizing the entire process. The objective is to highlight the benefits within each model and process step.

Collaboration and communication are integral aspects of Design Automation. Automation tools facilitate collaboration among various stakeholders involved in crusher configuration. Engineers, designers, and team members collaborate using a shared platform, exchanging information, making real-time updates, and accessing a centralized design data repository. This drives effective decision-making, leading to streamlined and higher-quality crusher configurations.

As previously mentioned, the aggregate crusher marks the process’s inception but holds significant value for subsequent steps like raw mix preparation. Stone crushers ensure uniform and thorough crushing of raw materials, resulting in a consistent and homogeneous raw mix. Secondary crushing might be necessary in cement manufacturing. After the initial crushing, secondary crushers further refine materials to achieve the desired particle size distribution or specific characteristics needed for cement production. 

 To provide a visual demonstration, a video showcases a crusher configuration within the context of the cement industry. The demo features an impact crusher, one of several options employed in the cement industry, alongside jaw crushers and cone crushers.

For those interested in the cement industry, another DEMO illustrates the configuration of an industrial bag filter. This equipment is crucial in the cement processing industry as an air pollution control device. It removes particulate matter like dust and fine particles from air exhaust generated during cement manufacturing processes, which encompass the handling, grinding, and processing of raw materials such as limestone, clay, and other minerals to produce cement clinker. WATCH HERE!

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Written by dudaAugust 30, 2023

Design Visualisation through CAD systems tools

Design visualisation through CAD (Computer-Aided Design) system tools plays a crucial role in the manufacturing of industrial machinery products. By utilizing CAD software, manufacturers can create realistic and detailed visual representations of their machinery designs, in which is possible to see details as all angles and perspectives, the different materials to various parts of the product that will be used in the final product, even details as screws, nuts, anchors, pins, clips, clamps and others types of fasteners. This elaborated visualisation enables improved communication, evaluation, design refinement and decision-making throughout the production process. 

With CAD visualisation, manufacturers can visualise machinery movements, and assess its performance. This helps in identifying potential issues, interferences, or inefficiencies early on, allowing for necessary modifications before physical production, what is extremely important to reduce costs. By conducting virtual tests and analyses, manufacturers can optimize the design for functionality, durability, and safety as well. This results in a reduced product delivery time to customers, leading to faster revenue generation for the company. We already talked about how Design Automation helps with the mentality of preventing problems and not only firefighting when they appear. You can read the article clicking here.

Before we point the many benefits of CAD visualisation can bring to the marketing and sales team, let’s point the Pros of integration with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems. Many Design Automation tools can be integrated with PLM systems, providing end-to-end management of product data from concept to manufacturing. This integration improves data consistency, traceability, and overall project coordination, what is indispensable for machinery manufacturers. 


CAD visualisation also supports the creation of realistic renderings and animations, which are valuable for marketing, sales, and client presentations. Manufacturers can display the machinery’s features, functionality, and benefits in a visually compelling manner, helping clients and stakeholders visualise the final product and make informed decisions. Another word that we listen a lot around here is scalability. CAD visualisation through Design Automation facilitates the handling of complex projects and large-scale design tasks. The automated processes can handle repetitive tasks regardless of the project’s complexity, making it easier to scale up or down as needed, what can easily happen with client’s needs. 


Additionally, CAD 3D models and 2D drawings visualisation aids in streamlining the production process. By providing detailed visual references, it ensures accurate manufacturing of components, precise assembly, and efficient coordination among different teams. Moreover, CAD visualisation facilitates effective collaboration between design and manufacturing teams. This collaboration ensures the manufacturability and feasibility of the machinery design.

Here at Scandinavian Digital, we are big fans of Virtual Reality, to us a glimpse of what we are designing or what can be designed, and connecting VR and CAD Visualisation is pure gold to showcase a product. Especially when you can see the industrial machinery in real size, with the components that it will be used in an environment close or equal to the one that machinery will be used. An immersive 3D visualisation brings CAD models created using Design Automation into the VR presentation platform, allowing viewers to interact with the machinery in a realistic 3D environment. Users can rotate, zoom, and explore the machinery from different angles, giving them a comprehensive understanding of its design and functionality.

In summary, Design Visualization through CAD systems is instrumental in the manufacture of industrial machinery products. It enables manufacturers to create realistic 3D representations and documentation as 2D drawings and Bill of material, that contribute to evaluate design performance, streamline production processes, and enhance collaboration between design and manufacturing teams. By making the most of CAD visualization, manufacturers can optimize designs, reduce costs, and deliver high-quality machinery products to meet the demands of various industries in a shorter period. 


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Written by dudaAugust 8, 2023

Overlooked value potential with Supplier Integration

Supplier integration plays a crucial role in achieving operational excellence, driving innovation, reducing costs, and consequently improving customer satisfaction with better results. By building strong relationships and integrating suppliers into business processes, companies can create a competitive advantage in today’s dynamic and complex business environment. The Scandinavian Digital team, expert in Supplier Integration implementation presents a “6 value areas” diagram, where supplier integration values areas divided in Lead Time, Cost Transparency, Cost of Quality, Cost of Hours, Project Time and Partnerships.

Scandinavian Digital Supplier Integration 6 Value Areas

To comment on the values, we invited our CFO Christian Andersen, key player to these 6 areas to be established as our value areas. Starting with Lead Time, he explains as: “Supplier integration will significantly reduce lead time by streamlining product specification and procurement processes, enabling seamless configuration and ordering, and improving communication with the supplier, resulting in faster project turnaround and enhanced operational efficiency.” 

Continuing talking about the areas, Cost of Transparency stands out as a very important one since it becomes easier to compare prices based on your needs. In addition, it becomes much easier to discover and compare various solutions. If they from a technical point of view, all are according to the requirements, then the optimal choice have the lowest cost since additional overperformance, or oversizing will only add extra cost to the project the end customer initially did not ask for. Still talking about cost but with the focus on quality, Christian adds: “Uniform information leads to fewer errors in a configurator environment, resulting in a better cost of quality.” The last cost area that we talk about in our values is the Cost of Hours, since automating repetitive tasks facilities better utilization of the team, it is possible to focus on more value adding tasks while avoiding unformal procedures that may lead to the loss of critical information. As our CFO says: “Secure and structured flow of information bring back faster results”.

The fifth value area, Project Timing, is a consequence of the previous areas. With shorter Lead Time, better transparency of cost, lower errors on the cost of product, reduced use of Hours and Partnerships, the Project managers will experience a solid foundation for delivering large and complex project on time, as specified by end customer and within the agree time.  

The partnerships are a great way to end all of the areas and no further explication is needed as Christian states: Supplier integration fosters stronger partnerships by improving collaboration, enhancing communication, and facilitating a seamless exchange of information and resources, leading to mutual growth, increased business opportunities, and improved overall efficiency.

 

Christian Andersen, Scandinavian Digital’s Senior Partner and Chief Financial Officer


The concept from Scandinavian Digital is to be a facilitator between manufactures, product– and project companies, and suppliers offering a platform for both vendor and buyer.  The use of web API’s helps to provide a secure and centralized space for sharing information, conducting transactions, and collaborating on various activities. It’s possible to facilitate communication, document sharing, and real-time updates on order status, delivery schedules, and product specifications.

In this environment, suppliers can switch roles with manufacturers. After all, often the supplier requires technical information to create or assemble their product before bringing it to market. We can say that this type of platform is a two-way street that can be highly beneficial for long-lasting partnerships with a good cost-benefit ratio, low lead time, high quality, and minimal errors in the process due to automation.

Our CFO, Christian Andersen, responsible for leading many of the supplier integrations projects signed by our team makes sure to state what the SD team brings to the table, “In a certain way we broader the market for the companies as well as for the suppliers. We display their products in an easier way to the right target group. And consequently, the more complex the product is, the more work can be automated and less errors made in the entire process.”

 Another important part of Supplier Integration is the Advanced Analytics and Reporting, since data provide valuable insights into supplier performance, supply chain risks, and cost optimization opportunities. “Supplier integration is one of the most overlooked areas to reduce lead time and costs of goods in projects companies.” this is a statement of our CFO, reaffirming that Supplier Integration is a must to enhance end to end processes in projects, especially considering that it is very often overlooked or not solved in large companies since is require top-management buy-in for the end-to-end process optimization.

With Supplier Integration projects for products like gears, elevators, fans, filters, and hydraulics listed in our curriculum, it becomes evident to our team that Supplier Integration has the potential becoming a game changer within and beyond an organization. For that reason, it’s important with top-management buy-in in order to avoid sub-optimization in individual departments. For that reason, Scandinavian Digital have developed a well-proven framework to safeguard, the integration project offers a multitude of advantages, primarily by effectively connecting individuals with their specific needs in a trustworthy environment for both sides. 

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Written by dudaJuly 25, 2023

Documentation Generation and Management using Design Automation

Documentation generation and management are critical aspects of machinery manufacturing companies, ensuring accurate and up-to-date information about product designs and associated data. In the realm of machinery manufacturing, design automation and computer-aided design (CAD) tools like SOLIDWORKS, Autodesk Inventor, PTC Creo, along with software platforms like Tacton, play a vital role in facilitating efficient documentation generation and management.

Design automation refers to the use of CAD tools and configurators to automate design tasks and processes, offering engineers and designers the ability to generate designs, make modifications, and create documentation quickly and accurately. Within the Scandinavian Digital benefits showcase, Digitalisation takes a prominent position among the six core value areas. It holds particular significance for manufacturing companies, offering a multitude of valuable advantages.

 

2D drawing of the Bag Filter – Scandinavian Digital Product

When you save information in a digital document or in the master model of your product, it goes beyond mere reliance on human memory. This significantly aids in ensuring repeatability in the future, as the data remains preserved even if the person responsible is no longer available. Losing that individual does not result in the loss of valuable data, thus providing added security and continuity.

Our partner and head of the Indian office, Vivek Nagarajan, expert in Design Automation with more than 15 years of experience, explains the relevance of this part of the DA process: “Design Automation gives our customers the power to document the present, preserving knowledge for the future. The documentation becomes a valuable asset for not just the current project but also for upcoming endeavors. This accumulation of knowledge, facilitated by automation, establishes a foundation for continuous learning and empowers organizations to build on past successes.”

 CAD tools specifically tailored for machinery manufacturing provide comprehensive features and functionalities to create, modify, and visualize 3D models and 2D drawings, assemblies, and manufacturing drawings. These tools empower design automation by enabling users to capture and reuse design intent, automate repetitive tasks, and generate accurate documentation directly from the CAD model. 

In the context of machinery manufacturing, CAD tools offer several features that enhance efficiency and precision in documentation generation, Automated Drawing Creation is one of them, being a highlight of our work with clients. CAD tools enable the automatic generation of 2D drawings from 3D models, providing machinery manufacturers the ability to define drawing templates with standardized title blocks, borders, and other annotations. When modifications are made to the 3D model, associated drawings can be updated automatically, ensuring that all documentation remains synchronized and accurate.

Another important part of the documentation generation is the Bill of Materials (BOM). Machinery manufacturing often involves complex assemblies and subassemblies. CAD tools facilitate the creation of BOMs, listing all the components and parts required for manufacturing a machine. BOMs can be automatically generated from the CAD assembly, including part numbers, descriptions, quantities, and other pertinent information. This simplifies the process of creating and managing accurate BOMs, reducing errors and ensuring consistency across the documentation. The generation of BOMs are also relevant to other areas, besides engineering, inside a machinery manufacturing company, for example, the Supplier Integration team.

The Bill of Material of the Industrial Bag Filter

When the topic is: Software Integration. We can tell that some software integrates to common CAD tools and have the potential to benefit machinery manufacturers. Platforms like Tacton, which provide additional capabilities for automating configuration, quoting, and documentation generation processes. These platforms seamlessly integrate with CAD tools like SOLIDWORKS, Autodesk Inventor, PTC Creo and leverage product configurators to generate customized designs and associated documentation based on customer requirements. Such integration streamlines the management of complex product configurations and ensures the generation of accurate and detailed documentation.

Design automation simplifies documentation generation and management, allowing engineers to focus on innovation. Automated tools seamlessly create documentation as part of the design process, enhancing knowledge sharing and project execution.
Giving the word again to our partner, Vivek Nagarajan to conclude the benefits of the topic, “With design automation, the once tedious task of managing documentation becomes a seamless and effortless process. Automated documentation is not just a convenience but a necessity in today’s fast-paced and information-driven world. As design complexities increase, and project timelines shorten, automation becomes indispensable for managing the vast amounts of data and knowledge generated throughout the design lifecycle.”, stated.

And this is a game changer for machinery manufacturing companies, leveraging design automation, CAD tools like SOLIDWORKS, Autodesk Inventor, PTC Creo, and software platforms like Tacton are crucial for efficient documentation generation and management. These tools provide features such as MBD, automated drawing creation, BOM generation, revision control, and integration with software platforms, thereby streamlining the process, enhancing productivity, reducing errors, and delivering high-quality documentation to support the machinery development process.

You can watch the Bag Filter DEMO signed by the Scandinavian Team with the configuration of the product and the documentation automatically generated below:

 

 

 

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Written by dudaJuly 14, 2023

Engineering & Design Automation is accelerating the outcomes for both manufacturers and customers in the wind energy industry.

Design automation can bring significant benefits to the wind turbine industry, especially when it comes to dealing with orders for distinct types of soils and terrains.

The layout of a wind turbine refers to the arrangement of its various components, such as the tower, blades, and nacelle. When designing and building wind turbines, the goal is to optimize their layout to achieve the most efficient and cost-effective energy generation.

By optimizing the layout of a wind turbine with mechanical configuration, it is possible to save time in the manufacturing and assembly process. Exemplifying, a well-designed layout can reduce the amount of material required for construction, which can decrease the time and cost of production. Similarly, an optimized layout can also make it easier and faster to assemble the various components of the turbine, which can result in considerable time savings for each order.

Private wind turbines, also known as small-scale or residential wind turbines, are wind energy systems designed for individual homes, farms, or businesses.

Optimizing the layout of wind turbines can lead to cost savings, improved efficiency, and faster construction times, all of which can be beneficial for wind energy companies and their customers.

Engineering & Design automation can bring significant benefits to the wind turbine industry, particularly when it comes to dealing with orders from different types of soils and terrains. By automating the design process, wind turbine companies can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and deliver more customized and accurate solutions to their customers in a faster way.

The colors on wind turbines can be customised based on client preferences and the surrounding environment. For land-based turbines in green landscapes, incorporating green elements helps them blend in with the surroundings. Red lines are often added for safety and visibility, marking moving parts. A configurator can be used to visualise and select colors, considering onshore or offshore placement. This customisation ensures visually appealing and safe integration of the turbines.

Another example of customisation, using DA (Design Automation) the automation software can take into account factors such as soil density, moisture content, and other geotechnical factors to determine the most appropriate foundation design for a particular location.

Watch in this DEMO wind turbines being configured and placed in different environments, showcasing their installation on various types of soils and terrains:

 

Our team has knowledge when it comes to wind turbines, and our main deliverable to clients in this industry is the rapid production of 3D models and comprehensive documentation. For instance, we provide detailed 2D drawings with all the necessary specifications and a complete bill of materials.

One of the benefits we already pointed to is the speed, by automating the design process, wind turbine companies can reduce the time it takes to design and build each turbine. This can be especially important when dealing with orders from different geographical locations, soil types and the terrain may trigger a unique design of components.

Highlighting the cost savings, design automation reduces the reliance on manual labor, resulting in fewer engineering hours. This enables wind turbine companies to offer more competitive prices to their customers or to have a higher profit margin.

To have a full overview of the value Design Automation brings you can check our 6 VALUE AREAS.

In conclusion, the wind turbine and wind energy sector can greatly benefit from engineering and design automation, as well as product configuration. The aforementioned benefits, such as cost savings, faster 3D modeling, comprehensive documentation, and increased competitiveness, demonstrate the positive impact of automation and standardization in this industry. Embracing digitalization and leveraging advanced technologies can drive efficiency, enhance productivity, and support the continued growth and sustainability of the wind energy sector.

Watch below a wind turbine being configured by our team using Tacton Design Automation Studio:


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Written by dudaJuly 4, 2023

Applying Design Automation in the Food Industry: Fermentation Machinery Configuration DEMO

In the fast-paced world of the food industry, dairy processing equipment plays a vital role in ensuring efficient production and maintaining high product quality. However, the global market faces challenges, particularly in terms of high operating costs and risk of losing key engineers. In this article, we explore how Scandinavian Digital, with its extensive experience in the food industry, especially in the powder and dairy sectors, has harnessed the power of Design Automation to transform the business for customers in the manufacturing dairy machinery sector.

By embracing digitalisation, our team has paved the way for enhanced efficiency, improved product quality, and reduced costs in the dairy processing industry.

At Scandinavian Digital, we utilize Design Automation to meet the distinct requirements of our clients. Through the integration of the Tacton Design Automation plug-in in popular CAD solutions like PTC Creo, Autodesk Inventor, and SolidWorks, our clients can swiftly customise machinery models to align with specific needs within minutes.

The flexibility offered by our solution enables seamless integration of client preferences, resulting in precise 3D models, 2D drawings, and Bill-of-Materials. This reduces the time spent by engineers in designing equipment or accommodating changes requested by clients. The capability to customize equipment to meet individual requirements directly translates into improved customer satisfaction and heightened operational efficiency.

Fermentation is a critical process in the food industry. Therefore, the Scandinavian Digital experts recognizes the significance of the natural preservation method and has used Design Automation to show different types of configurations for a fermentation machinery, you can have a look at our DEMO that perfectly illustrates and states some of the benefits aggregated to the EDA (Engineering & Design Automation):

The adoption of Design Automation in the dairy machinery industry brings numerous benefits. Our team ensures the preservation of valuable knowledge and expertise by digitising product rules and storing them in the product model. This digitalisation enables non-experts to configure intricate products, generate accurate 3D models, 2D drawings, and Bill-of-Materials, even without in-depth product knowledge. It streamlines maintenance processes and empowers manufacturers to utilize data-driven insights for ongoing enhancements. By leveraging digital tools, manufacturers can elevate food safety standards, decrease operational costs, and consistently provide customers with top-quality dairy products.

Scandinavian Digital has effectively tackled the issues of expensive operations and improved efficiency, product quality, and customisation by utilising Design Automation and Product Configuration. As the dairy processing sector embraces digitalisation, Scandinavian Digital remains at the forefront, guaranteeing a promising future for dairy machinery innovation, sustainability, and excellence.

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Written by dudaJune 12, 2023

What happens after the implementation of Engineering & Design Automation?

We have been talking a lot about all the benefits the companies can achieve and how would be to implement EDA (Engineering & Design Automation). However, one of the hot topics at the moment is: What comes after EDA (Engineering & Design Automation) is implemented in a company? We interview our Lead Engineer, Jan Petersen, he oversees many of our Engineering and Design Automation implementation projects and its ready to give his overview on the topic.

Jan Petersen is the Lead-Engineer at Scandinavian Digital

Q – The number one questions is: what will happen with the workforce since the execution hours are reduced?

Jan Petersen – This is always the first question! EDA (Engineering & Design Automation) is changing the focus of the product owner away from standard order execution, towards innovation and development. Because the standard orders are handled by EDA, the time freed up will be redirected to product care with both the continuous maintenance of the configurator, data and rules, and development of the future features.

Q –  Can you develop more on the benefits after the implementation?

Jan Petersen – Yes, order execution normally has a hard time scaling fast according to the order backlog, with EDA (Engineering & Design Automation) it is now possible to handle more orders with the same size team or smaller. The result is a cost reduction because it is now possible to scale the throughput without needing adjustments to the execution team. Reducing the execution time also leads to a subsequent reduction in lead-time.

When implementing EDA (Engineering & Design Automation) you are digitalizing the product rules and design to increase the repeatability of the documentation and consequently have less errors. This is possible as new projects are generated from one master model, this mitigates wrong calculations and mistakes on the design when doing a manual execution.

In conclusion… with continuous product enhancement, based on the feedback from orders executed, you will keep improving your products and handle new orders with reduced need for engineering solutions for these orders. A long term benefit for example, is energy optimization.

Q – How does this impact other parts of a company?

Jan Petersen – The initial impact will be the reduced need for the product owner or group in relation to orders. After launching there will be a transition period where the new setup will be tested and adjusted to ensure future order handling will flow unimpeded. On the longer-term Sales will be impacted as more focus will be on improving the product and ensuring the product portfolio fits the market needs.

Q – How are customer projects impacted?

Jan Petersen – Speed! Customers, both internal and external, will get orders faster due to the heavily reduced execution time. The sales teams will have faster response times and be able to capitalize on this to have a reduced delivery schedule. Having the delivery schedule shortened will impact all subsequent steps in the project and in the end, it should mean production will start earlier.

Q – What if the customer has special requests? For example, Customisation of the product.

Jan Petersen – The answer is: this can be handled through EDA (Engineering & Design Automation) as well! You will not have the full benefit of EDA (Engineering & Design Automation), however it is possible to directly use the parts where no change is made like for a standard project, focusing your engineering effort on the customized parts.

For example, if you need to change locally, like the in- or outlet on a product, you have configured to the closest configuration, make the changes and the rest of your product will retain full EDA.

Q –  How does this impact the management team?

Jan Petersen – In the immediate time after launching EDA (Engineering & Design Automation) product maintenance will be the key word. Setting up the owners and teams around EDA to handle feedback and getting procedures in place to implement the highest priority fixes and features.

Moving away from a firefighting mindset, into preventing the need for immediate fixes and implementing the fixes on the master model, will result in a more stable higher quality product. This will be noticed elsewhere in the organization from the people at site commissioning all the way through the quality department, project management and back to Engineering.

So Jan it’s possible to see enormous impact in different areas after implementing EDA. Do you believe that EDA (Engineering & Design Automation) implementation for big manufacturing companies is a must and if so, why?

Jan Petersen – From an engineering perspective definitely! You have competition and if you are competing with other companies delivering similar type of equipment you are measured on speed, price, and quality. With EDA you will be able to deliver high quality fast, the price will be less of a factor, since return of investment is reduced by the shortened time from order to commissioning. As a consequence, companies not implementing DA are more likely to become less competitive and have problems scaling their business.

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