September 25, 2018 - Global interoperability solution leader International TechneGroup Incorporated (ITI) launches its CADfixTM Plant and Process Simplification (PPS) software solution to the UK process and packaging industry at the Packaging Machinery and Processing Equipment Show (PPMA), at the NEC Birmingham, 25-27 September. CADfix PPS is a user-friendly solution – built on a proven CAD model translation, repair, healing, defeaturing and simplification platform – to help machinery designers and plant and process engineers achieve up to 70% reduction in engineering design labor and costs associated with large CAD model simplification.
“CADfix is ITI’s established solution for engineering model translation and simplification, particularly for the engineering analysis community, where details like small faces, short edges, small holes, and unwanted features cause frequent model reuse problems. Similar features within large CAD models of machinery and equipment used in layouts for the process and packaging industry are unnecessary. They increase file size and complexity, and in this case, the demands for simplification are even greater”, stated Andy Chinn, Managing Director at ITI’s UK CADfix development office.
Plant and machinery design software users frequently need to integrate multiple, complex models of machines and large equipment installations. The CAD files supplied for this work can pose significant challenges. CAD models of complex machinery contain much more detail than is needed for factory layout and clash detection. The files are often extremely large and can lead to multiple failed import attempts. They also can cause system instability when trying to incorporate the machinery models into overall production line layouts. The machinery customers recognize the issues of file size and often demand the delivery of simplified lightweight versions of the models from their suppliers. In addition, the developers of the machinery often want to simplify CAD models to protect their intellectual property invested in them before design data is delivered to customers. Considering on-site maintenance and support, field users frequently need to receive data over mobile connections, where large files are costly and slow.
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Designers with little or no MCAD modeling experience can quickly and easily simplify complex parts
The traditional approach to data reduction is manual model simplification and rework, which is non-productive, expensive, and ultimately causes project delays. CADfix PPS enables engineers to easily and quickly simplify large CAD assemblies and models of machinery to reduce file size for more efficient integration into other design systems and for customer delivery.
ITI has taken the best of its established CADfix geometry handling and simplification technology, packaged it with standards-based CAD interfaces, and presented it within a simple and compact user interface, to offer a solution that supports the rapid simplification of complex models. The result is a solution that has a high internal rate of return for companies that need to solve a niche problem.
“Quickly removing unwanted parts or details and simplifying others allows seamless incorporation of machinery and equipment models into the overall plant layout and easier file sharing,” added Chinn. “CADfix PPS users will experience fast model processing, high levels of data reduction and significantly smaller files.”
“For the packaging machinery and process equipment industry, it is critical that companies avoid commissioning delays and the potential financial penalties that can come with such delays. Not only can companies achieve file simplification and integration efficiencies with CADfix PPS, but they also have an easy-to-use solution which helps them achieve early delivery and production line commissioning,” added Jamie Flerlage, EVP Business Development, ITI. “Once the data is simplified, it can be reused in most design systems. In that sense, customers can use CADfix PPS to simplify the data once and then reuse it multiple times across multiple applications.”
CADfix PPS automatic simplification of complex machinery achieves file size reduction and IP protection
CADfix PPS simplification tools run in an automated batch process or with manual user interaction. General operations are run using the “Wizard” in the automated environment, with manual interaction when the user requires greater control of the simplification process. CADfix allows for quick identification and removal of unwanted small details such as nuts, bolts, washers and other small parts that are often unnecessary in the full plant layout or for clash detection. The rapid internal detail removal is especially helpful for complex machinery assemblies where users only require the outer envelope, key locating and connection points.
Chinn added, “The timing of the CADfix PPS UK launch at the UK’s leading production line event is ideal. We have seen significant success with process equipment and packaging machinery suppliers in Germany and Austria. The industry in the UK faces similar demands. By using CADfix PPS, our customers are able to get to production faster and can easily achieve both financial targets and timeline goals.”
The power of CADfix PPS is in the simplification of large CAD assemblies and equipment models for customer delivery and integration into plant and process design systems, where productivity improvements make a real difference. “When you use CADfix PPS to reduce file sizes you can eliminate import failures, avoid CAD rework, gain greater stability and usability of design systems with large equipment models integrated, and reduce lead times,” added Chinn.
For a limited time, ITI is offering a complimentary trial of CADfix PPS. Visit ITI at the PPMA show on stand H88 for details.
