Fujitsu Launches Virtual Product Simulator, a Production-Preparation Solution with Support for Massive Data, Such as for Train Cars
Lineup updated with design-analysis and production-line simulation capabilities for massive-scale full-assembly models
TOKYO, June 23, 2015 – Fujitsu Limited and Digital Process Ltd. announced the introduction of the new series of FUJITSU Manufacturing Industry Solution Virtual Product Simulator (VPS), a digital production-preparation tool developed by Digital Process for the discrete manufacturing industry, which uses 3D modeling to help analyze product-assembly processes. Fujitsu begins global sales of the new VPS series today.
Highly complex assembly processes, such as for train cars, automobiles, or aircraft, can involve hundreds of thousands of separate parts, with massive volumes of 3D data representing them. The VPS line is being expanded with the addition of VPS VridgeR, which performs design analysis (manufacturability) using 3D data on full-assembly models(1) to ensure there is no component interference in the assembly process, and VPS GP4 (Global Protocol for Manufacturing), which enables production-line simulations. In addition, performance and operability have been improved, and processing times have been dramatically reduced for the other existing VPS products.
VPS is the global product for digital production-preparation solutions from Fujitsu and Digital Process, which are strengthening their sales efforts in Japan and around the world.
These products will be exhibited at the 26th Design Engineering & Manufacturing Solutions Expo, running June 24-26 at Tokyo Big Sight.
VPS is packaged software that uses a product’s 3D data created in CAD to provide cohesive support for the varied work processes of assembly production planning, from product review to manufacturing instructions. There is a growing need to use 3D data in a cohesive set of tools that cover design analysis, production-line layout, and process simulations, even for massive-scale manufacturing projects, such as complete trains and aircraft.
To respond to that need, both Digital Process’s Dipro VridgeR(2), which enables design analysis of massive-scale full-assembly models to be performed, and FUJITSU Manufacturing Industry Solution GP4, which enables production-line layout and process analysis and has had its rendering performance improved to handle massive 3D files, have been added to the VPS product line and their interoperability with existing VPS series products has been improved. As a result, the work processes, from design analysis to production preparation, for massive scale 3D data are supported with a unified approach.
Features of the New Series
1. Cohesive support for design analysis (manufacturability) of massive-scale products and production-line simulations
1) Addition of VPS VridgeR
Businesses handling massive-scale products with hundreds of thousands of parts, such as train cars, automobiles, or aircraft, have in the past performed design analysis section by section, but with VPS VridgeR, they can easily perform design reviews and interference checks on massive-scale full-assembly models. This makes work processes involved in digital prototyping more efficient overall, and improves design quality.
With its addition to the VPS product line, this product now handles VPS-formatted data and has improved interoperability with other VPS products.
2) Addition of VPS GP4
The addition of VPS GP4 to the VPS line and improved interoperability with other VPS products makes it possible to input process information on product-assembly procedures analyzed in VPS Manufacturing for a 3D virtual manufacturing line, as well as 3D shape information, to simulate efficient operator stances and movements, optimized positioning of operators along the production line, and time required to perform operations. Also, rendering performance has been dramatically improved, now taking as little as one-tenth the time, to smoothly render large-scale products and the production lines handling them.
2. Improved performance and operability throughout the VPS series to shorten design & development cycles
In VPS Digital Mockup, which performs design analysis (manufacturability) to check for component interference during assembly, the processing performance of the clearance-check function, which determines whether there is adequate spacing between parts, has been drastically improved, now taking as little as one-hundredth the time. In addition, the interference-check and clearance-check functions can now compare current results with past results to determine whether instances of interference have been corrected, further improving the design process.
Functionality has been added to VPS IOC Express, which simulates the operation of manufacturing equipment, that, for large-scale equipment with numerous moving parts, can automatically link the moving parts on a robotic arm to the movement of the arm.
These improvements to the performance and operability of existing VPS products will help businesses shorten their development cycles.
