Dassault Systèmes Releases Three New Solutions for the Retail Industry

French PLM developer Dassault Systèmes has released three new purpose-built solutions based on its 3DEXPERIENCE platform. These new “industry solution experiences,” as Dassault calls them, will focus on offering companies in the consumer goods and retail industry a unified digital environment, including powerful Product Lifecycle Management and 3D applications.

Consumer goods and retail are two areas where Dassault has been more proactive than its competitors, and as a result also more successful. In spreading their “PLM gospel,” the French developer has opened doors that previously were closed to PLM solutions.

Dassault’s Swedish partner TechniaTranscat is a good example of what it is possible to produce in non-traditional PLM areas.  TechniaTranscat is big in traditional PLM areas like automotive, machinery, telecom and trains, but also stands out as a successful player when it comes to PLM use in non-traditional markets.

Some examples are in charter travel (TUI Group), construction (Skanska), fashion and sportswear (Armour Sportswear and Guess) and retail for DIY and professional craftsmen (Jula and ÖoB).

Because TechniaTranscat’s ventures in these non-traditional markets have generally been successful, it comes as no surprise that they decided to double-down on this strategy.  They hired Mattias Norin as the company’s new Business Area Director for Consumer and Retail, a new addition which is part of TechniaTranscat’s increased efforts to make PLM more accessible to companies in both sectors.

Norin is an industry expert who has spent eight years as a management consultant for Accenture, and 12 years with Swedish supply chain specialists Sonat. His experience within the consumer goods and retail industries will help TechniaTranscat’s customers develop their business through PLM. 

“There is great potential for PLM solutions to help businesses in the consumer and retail industries grow their profits by increasing margins and cost efficiency. We have both the systems and the industry knowledge that can help companies meet new challenges in a time of increased competition and government regulations,” said Norin. 

As mentioned above, PLM systems have traditionally been more frequently used in industries such as automotive, construction and telecom. However, they are steadily becoming more popular among consumer goods and retail companies looking for better ways to ensure compliance with increased regulations on traceability throughout a product’s lifecycle. 

The new solutions from Dassault Systèmes include:

• “My Design” provides 3D design, performance testing and simulation, visualization and rendering capabilities for creative and detailed design.
• “My Production” addresses tooling design, product documentation, machining simulation, quality, compliance traceability and real-time manufacturing analytics to define ideal tooling and processes for flexible manufacturing operations.
• “My Operations” leverages intelligent logistics, agile production and supply and demand planning capabilities to improve efficiencies and operating margins.

Dassault Systèmes has also upgraded three of its existing retail-centric industry solution experiences — “My Collection,” “My Store” and “My Product Portfolio”— to include things such as Adobe Illustrator integration, new costing functionalities and digital asset cloud storage.

Metso and Grundfos Intensify Simulation Use with ANSYS

As a general observation, nearly 80 percent of a product's development costs are determined in the early phases of design. Decisions made in this phase tend to lock in the set costs of the product.

In many cases, this means that those who have the ability to iterate a greater number of varied alternative solutions - for example, through digital simulation - will definitely have more opportunities to find optimal solutions than those who do not.

Take Metso, an industry group with large investments in areas such as machine technologies for mining, pulp and paper, oil and gas. Metso has focused on, and is now expanding, its use of simulation solutions from CAE developer ANSYS.

The company is currently in the midst of the development of their next generation of equipment for flow controls, and is using the ANSYS platform for multiphysics.

What this will potentially allow them to do is step away from relying solely on creating and testing the isolated parts of digital prototypes, and instead use multiphysics to create a picture of how different forces interact not only with the product, but also with each other and the product. This will make it easier to create a realistic use situation and to see potential weaknesses earlier in the process.

According to ANSYS, simulation continues to grow in importance, especially in the early stages of development. In this context, CAE solutions are also becoming an increasingly important element throughout the whole product lifecycle.

 With this agreement, Metso gets access to ANSYS’ platform for multi-simulation which it can use to improve the design and functionality of a range of products serving the oil and gas, pulp and paper and other process industries. Metso will get a "flexible access license" and expert services that enable unrestricted collaboration on digital models, simulation and testing of their innovations.

Speaking of ANSYS customers, Grundfos, a company that designs and manufactures pumps and systems for industrial purposes, is expanding its use of ANSYS simulation software in a different area: the digital twin.

By leveraging Internet of Things (IoT) technology, such as sensors and other embedded hardware, it is possible to simulate a real time digital copy of a specific product. This is especially important and useful for a company like Grundfos, because maintenance is critical in large pump applications where installations are difficult to access and service, and downtime can be extremely costly.

To this end, Grundfos has entered a multi-year agreement that gives them flexible license access to the ANSYS simulation portfolio, as well as training and expert services to virtually model, simulate and test its products.

By doing this, Grundfos aims to use digital twin technology to analyze real-time operational data to provide better insight and faster decision making while maximizing machine efficiency. The pump manufacturer will also analyze the performance of products in real-world operating conditions, make informed predictions about future performance and reduce the cost and risk of unplanned downtime.

"The development of digitalization is a key platform for our goals of growth for 2020," said Jakob Vernersen, senior manager, mechanics and materials, technology and innovation at Grundfos. "We are developing not only products that differentiate us in the market, but also compelling service offerings that take us beyond just pumps. For both of these objectives, simulation and our partnership with ANSYS will be vital."

PTC Launches Mathcad Prime 4.0

While PTC is placing its biggest bet on improving its Internet of Things capabilities, the company recognizes that there is always a need for essential engineering tools. For many engineers, PTC’s mathematics software Mathcad Prime is one of them.

Earlier this week PTC announced the release of version 4.0, which comes with capabilities that let users protect proprietary information without compromising the ability to share it, benefit from interoperability enhancements and streamline workflows by better managing larger, complex worksheets.

It’s been two years since the release of Mathcad Prime 3.0, and in the meantime PTC has been hard at work adding functionality that makes the solution more user friendly and secure.

“PTC is listening to the market,” said Monica Schnitger, president and principal analyst at Schnitger Corp. “The performance and interoperability enhancements in PTC Mathcad Prime 4.0 enable users to simplify inefficient and complex workflows, while the math continues to improve, allowing users to structure it as they want, while also protecting it as proprietary mathematical information.”

Key features of PTC Mathcad Prime 4.0 include:

• Content protection provides area protection and locking to control the degree of access and visibility for other users.
• Interoperability with third-party applications enables users to embed content from other applications into worksheets, as well as copy and paste multiple regions of a worksheet into MS Word.
• Equation wrapping offers more control over the presentation and legibility of calculations.
• Performance enhancements enables the creation of large, complex worksheets, simplifies interaction with these documents, and includes Windows 10 support.