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 dudaFebruary 8, 2023

Design Automation for Embedded Systems

The Scandinavian Digital team has expertise in both product configuration and full system layout design, including plants for plastic recycling, chocolate production, embedded systems for cement manufacturing, and many others. This comprehensive approach to design automation can bring significant benefits to manufacturers, both in terms of operational performance and overall management. 
 
A system layout in machinery denotes an arrangement of different elements and systems within a manufacturing facility or production line. It includes the right placement and arrangement of machines, tools, workstations, and other components to enhance the use of space and ensure efficient and effective operations. 

Recycling Plant – Scandinavian Digital Embedded System

The system layout can have a relevant impact on the complete productivity and efficiency of the manufacturing processes. Circumstances like the placement of machines, the flow of materials and products, and the ease of access to equipment affects the speed and quality of production. 

An effective system layout will take into consideration factors such as the size and capacity of machines, the materials and products being produced, and the flow of workers and materials through the facility. The goal of a system layout in machinery is to optimize the use of space and resources, increase efficiency and productivity, and ensure the quality and consistency of the final product.

One of the main benefits of configure a full system layout is scalability, automating systems can help to control large and complex projects more effectively, making it viable for organizations to scale up their operations as projected or as needed. Another point to be highlighted is the possibility of a better cost control, after all it will reduce the time and resources required for manual processes, assisting to control costs and improve profitability. 
 
And to conclude, configure a full system will reduce time to market of products, owing to the fact that a suitable configuration will speed up the design and engineering processes and consequently allow products to be brought to market much faster. 

 

Watch how we configured the Full Plant on Soliworks with Tacton Design Automation Studio: Full System DEMO – Autodesk Inventor – YouTube

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