JR Automation, a Hitachi Group Company, leveraged EAC Productivity Apps to solve Windchill PLM frustrations, scale their business operations and improve the shop floor experiences of their engineers. Discover how JR Automation implemented PLM Apps to gain ROI, bring efficiency and clarity for builders on the manufacturing floor, and achieved scalable digital transformation.
Business Initiatives
JR Automation knew the company needed to update operational processes in order to meet and exceed customer expectations. Their goal was to reduce the time it was taking builders and engineers to manage print packages by 80%.
Additionally, they wanted to increase efficiency by 5% or more during the assembly phase. Including enhanced communication on the shop floor. As well as saving time on machine assembly and tactical coordination. As such, was estimated to be taking up 30% of a builder’s day.
Business Challenges
With an increase of workers on the shop floor, builders had no choice but to walk back and forth to shared kiosks in order to visualize and assemble designs. These complications only intensified as products became more complex. With manual error-prone operations, redline quality, and accuracy were at stake.
Similar to many other manufacturing organizations, challenges arose when it came to searching for the correct prints, managing paper booklets, and updating print designs.
Rework stemming from incorrect designs, and file management complications were growing. Also, misplaced product information (needed for closed-loop change processes) had never been greater. JR Automation was seeking a simple way for low-tech machine builders to get last-minute design changes to engineering. Ross Walters, Director of Engineering, knew that builders required a solution that was highly intuitive.
The Solution: EAC Apps
JR Automation looked at PTC ThingWorx Navigate. ThingWorx Navigate does offer a single view to multiple enterprise systems like ALM, MRP, ERP, SLM, CRM, Accounting, and PLM (Windchill). It also gives users universal access to the latest most accurate product information when they need it.
However, it was clear to JR Automation that what they really needed was a customized app that made things easier. EAC’s experts knew the solution and streamlined processes that allow builders to get drawings, CAD files, and other related documents in a single portal. With EAC Apps they could also see role-based reports and make redlines.
By providing all the information needed on a single screen, with user-friendly workflows and easy-to-submit redlines, EAC apps improved operational efficiency as well as customer satisfaction.
A Custom Solution with Major Impact
After evaluating cost, functionality, implementation time, training, and other considerations, JR Automation unveiled they would gain an ROI of $1.4 million from EAC Productivity Apps.
EAC Apps benefited JR Automation with:
- 80% efficiency increase in print management for mechanical engineers
- 60% efficiency increase in builder print management
- 60% increase in digital efficiency gains
In conclusion, JR Automation’s builders no longer need to share a kiosk. Working with EAC enabled efficiencies for more than 200 workers who use Redline Apps today. They have eliminated the need for paper, print supplies, and additional booklets saving them additional costs. EAC Apps have continued to provide benefits such as improved accuracy with customer shipment orders, product designs, onboarding, and training efficiencies.
Learn more about EAC Productivity Apps here.
Creo Parametric is a powerful computer-aided design (CAD) software that has been helping engineers and designers bring their ideas to life for over 30 years. With the release of Creo 10, users can expect a number of new features and improvements in productivity, designs, and more!
What’s New in Creo 10
Discover Creo 10’s newest improvements and enhancements.
User Interface Enhancements
PTC has made a big splash with the release of Creo 10, including an enhanced user interface.
Split & Trim Tool
Use this tool to quickly and easily split or trim a model, making it painless to work with and modify your model. Additionally, the ability to propagate appearances and references during Boolean operations makes it easier to maintain consistency throughout a project.
Stretch Tool in Warp
Utilize the Stretch Tool to select defined references to stretch models, making it easier to create complex shapes and designs. Users now have the ability to select Datum Planes, Points, Axis, Coordinate Systems, Surfaces, Curves, Facets, and more.
Freestyle and Style Tools
Both tools are enhanced with Rotational Symmetry and Smooth Normal Connection, making it easier to create organic shapes and designs. These tools are perfect for designers who want to create complex, freeform shapes that are difficult to create with traditional CAD tools.
The Model Tree
Creo’s Model Tree tool has been improved, making it easier to restructure and reorder assemblies to reduce confusion and improve the management of complex projects.
New Pattern Parameters
Finally, the pattern capability in Creo 10 enables users to drive pattern member count for nested patterns. Create complex patterns quickly and easily, saving you time and improving overall productivity.
Optimize Your Design
Take your design process to the next level with Creo 10’s newest additions.
Composites
Designing composite materials has never been easier with the new features in Creo. The software now offers a broad set of functionalities for defining ply layup, ply sections, transitions, and ply order. This allows you to create a resulting solid geometry and inner mold line (IML) quilt that meets your exact specifications.
In addition, Creo’s new Splicing and Darting operations, makes it easier to create complex composite designs. Once a design is complete, you can automatically generate a complete plybook documentation of the final layup sequence.
With new composite design features in Creo 10, you can easily create high-quality composite materials that meet your needs and specifications. Whether you’re designing for aerospace, automotive, or any other industry, Creo’s composite design tools can help you create the perfect product.
Electrification
Creo 10 presents new features that streamline and enhance the process of designing for electrification.
Split/Merge Harness Tool for Cabling
One of the most significant additions is the Split/Merge Harness Tool for Cabling. This tool allows users to split a harness into two separate pieces and later merge them back together. This feature is particularly useful when working on complex designs that require multiple harnesses.
Simultaneous Harness Design
Another key feature of Creo 10 is the ability for multiple users to work on the same harness design simultaneously. This collaborative design approach saves time and ensures that everyone is on the same page. The application-centric tree is another useful addition, which provides three different views, including Cables, Bundles, and Connectivity, to make it easier to navigate.
New ECAD Capabilities
Creo 10 includes new ECAD capabilities, such as paste masks and hole parameters. These features make it easier to create accurate designs that meet the specific needs of each project with greater precision and accuracy.
Ergonomics
Creo 10 optimizes and simplifies the design process for ergonomics.
The Visual Field
Perform Reflection Analysis to analyze the reflective properties of objects in the environment and how they impact the user’s visual experience. The reflective object orientation can be controlled by adding a rotation value around one or two axes, giving you greater control over the design process.
Creo Manikin
Another key feature of Creo 10 is the Manikin, which now support multiple reach envelopes, including the index and middle finger, thumb, and center of the palm. Creo Manikin allows designers to create more accurate models of human movement and reach, making it easier to design products that are comfortable and easy to use. Additionally, the Manikin libraries are now stored as inseparable assemblies to provide better management and user access.
Enhancing Model-Based Definition and Implementing the Digital Thread
Creo 10 introduces significant updates to Model-Based Definition (MBD) and Digital Thread capabilities, to better create, manage and access real-time product data across the entire product lifecycle.
Enhanced 3D Model Annotations
One of the most significant additions is the ability for users to relate symbols or surface finishes to other annotations in the 3D model. This feature allows designers to create more accurate and detailed models, making it easier to communicate design intent to other stakeholders and downstream activities.
Creo 10 adds the ability for annotations to inherit their annotation plane from the parent during placement. This feature ensures that annotations are placed correctly and in the right location, saving time and improving accuracy. Additionally, any movement of the related parent annotation would also be applied to related symbols, behaving as a group when being assigned to other combination states.
GD&T Advisor Updates
Creo 10 includes improvements to GD&T semantic behaviors, including general profile tolerances and enhanced compliance with detailing standards. These changes make it easier for designers to create accurate and detailed models, ensuring that the design intent is communicated effectively throughout the product lifecycle.
Furthermore, any changes made to GD&T annotations will automatically update the corresponding semantic references of general profile tolerance. Additionally, Creo 10 now supports straightness and profile of Line Geometrical Characteristics for ISO GPS models. Create more accurate and detailed models, ensuring that the design intent is communicated effectively.
Advanced Simulation and Optimization Capabilities
Creo 10 presents a range of new features that enhance and streamline the process of simulation and optimization.
Support for Non-Linear Materials
This includes Neo-Hookean hyperplasticity, linear orthotropic elasticity, and bi-linear plasticity.
Combined Thermal & Structural Analysis
Another key feature is the support for combined thermal and structural analysis. Enable your designers to easily simulate how a product will perform under both thermal and mechanical loads, ensuring that the design is optimized for real-world conditions.
Support for non-linear contact, including new contact types such as frictional and rough, helps to create more accurate simulations of real-world contact.
Expanded Contact Simulation Options
PTC included improvements to Creo Simulation Live, to improve result options for fluids and structures. Furthermore, Creo Flow Analysis and Creo Simulate now have better Animation and Multi-Body Support.
Rotational Symmetry
Allows designers to create more accurate simulations of rotational components.
Point Mass & Remote Loads
Finally, Creo 10 introduces the ability to add Point Mass and Remote Loads to create more accurate simulations of real-world loads.
Creo 10: Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing
With Creo 10’s latest features, manufacturing processes are now more efficient and effortless. One of the most significant additions is the support for additive manufacturing.
New Lattice Types
This enables your designers to create new beam-based lattice types, including rhombic, rhombic+diamond, dodecahedron, and elongated dodecahedron. For formula-driven lattices, Creo 10 supports simulation-based variable wall thickness and highly efficient I-graph-wrapped (IWP) lattice cell. Additionally, Creo 10 supports Auxetic Cells Structures for 3D printing. Auxetic Cell Lattices produce geometry that exhibit a negative Poisson ratio.
High-Speed Milling
High-Speed Milling supports barrel tools for both wall and floor 5-axis finish, reducing tool path time and improving surface finish quality. Additional control for CUTCOM and clearance has been added to Area Turning, making it easier to create accurate and efficient toolpaths for subtractive manufacturing processes.
Get started with Creo 10 Today
Creo 10 is an exciting new release from PTC that brings a plethora of new features to the design table. Whether you’re a designer or an engineer, Creo 10 is a game-changing tool that will help you create complex shapes and designs, manage projects, and improve productivity for more innovative products.
Curious to see how Creo 10’s features compare to other versions of Creo? Check out how Creo is continually enhancing its tools to provide you with the most up to date features for your design process.
To learn more about how Creo 10 can positively impact your business or to experience the new features first-hand, book a free demo now.
