Product category:
CAM and software for sheetmetal, punching, profiling, EDM, etc
News Release from: Radan Computational | Subject: CAD/CAM sheet metal working software
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 16 March 2004
Ongoing investment in CAD/CAM keeps
company ahead
Sheet metal subcontractor that practises ongoing streamlining of its design to manufacturing, in its quest for competitive advantage, regards using the latest CAD/CAM as a key element.
SD Engineering is a company on the move It recognises that there are no easy rides in the manufacturing sector these days, so has set about establishing itself as the master of its own destiny
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 9 May 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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Ongoing streamlining of its design to manufacturing processes are regarded as core objectives in the company's quest for competitive advantage; and a key element in that strategy is the use of CAD/CAM technology from Radan Computational.
Based at Burry Port, near Llanelli, SD Engineering has established a track record for producing quality products stretching back more than 25 years.
In the early 1990s, the company identified a major market opportunity in the sheet metalworking sector.
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As a direct result, it invested in its first Amada CNC punch press, along with a first-generation PC-based programming system.
In parallel, the father and son management team of Spencer and Owain Davies started to build an impressive customer list, which today includes organisations such as: Avon Inflatables, Sony, AGA Food Services and Bosch.
With the growth of its sheet metal services, the company has subsequently invested in further CNC equipment, including a Trumpf Trumatic 200 punch press, as well as two Pearson press brake machines.
The company's success has undoubtedly been built on the cornerstones of quality, price and on-time delivery.
And while both generations of the Davies family are quick to recognise the traditional skills of their 43-strong workforce, they are equally aware that the harnessing of computer aided engineering technology is an important part of providing best-in-class services.
"Even so, we are not necessarily 'early adopters' of new technology," explains SD Engineering's Managing Director, Owain Davies.
"We look for systems with robust capabilities, which we know will deliver tangible cost-savings - specifically by reducing cycle times, duplication of effort, eliminating errors or decreasing labour content.
In effect, we use proven technology when it becomes a cost-effective business tool." By the mid 1990s, SD Engineering had installed its first seat of Radan design software.
"This underlines my point," continues Davies.
"As it was only then that the software became available on PC platforms.
Prior to this, we had been aware of Radan's capabilities, but felt that a PC-based version would offer more effective integration with some of our other manufacturing systems." Before signing its order with Radan, the company evaluated several alternatives, including CATIA, Pro-Engineer and Inventor, as well as the latest release of its previous CAM software.
However, it was apparent that Radan had established itself as a clear leader in the sheet-metal sector; a position underlined by the fact that three of SD Engineering's top five customers were already using it.
"Radan's capabilities clearly fulfilled our selection criteria, not least by enabling us to electronically transfer product files from our customers - without errors, delays or the need to recreate any data," Davies continues.
Full Range - today, SD Engineering utilises the full range of Radan's CAD/CAM capabilities to provide benefits throughout its sheet metal operations.
Design Engineer, John Goble takes up the story.
"A typical supermarket check-out unit for a customer in the shopfitting sector might easily contain more than 300 individual components.
Trying to process these as hard copy drawings would be a nightmare.
As it is, we can simply import the 3D assembly and use features such as the 'exploded view' option to identify and isolate individual parts.
Equally, Radan's ability to use standard or user-defined bend allowances to instantly produce accurate flat product developments saves an enormous amount of time.
The system also associates geometry and machining paths as individual symbols, which can subsequently be brought together as a digital kit of parts." "Inputting the number of finished products required by the customer in the 'auto order' facility allows us to generate precise manufacturing requirements for the production machines," he continues.
"In addition, the nesting function lays the various parts out on the sheet at the touch of a button - taking into account the option of fitting smaller parts within voids in larger components in order to increase raw material utilisation.
"And finally, the 'auto tooling' command enables CNC programs to be specified on the basis of machine tool type, the availability - or desirability - of using particular tooling, or a range of other in-house defined parameters.
Consequently, the Radan system has played a major role in increasing the effectiveness of our operations, by delivering huge time and labour savings in comparison with manual or other non-integrated solutions." This level of competitive advantage might be enough for most companies.
But SD Engineering is always looking to go the 'extra mile'.
"The flexibility of the Radan system is one of its key strengths," continues Davies.
"For example, it recognises the different capabilities of each machine and the tooling associated with it.
Furthermore, the ability to undertake 'what if' queries opens the way for additional savings to be made.
A typical case would be the investigation of alternative nesting configurations based on different tooling or sheet size criteria, which could easily result in our material supplier being asked to deliver sheets in non-standard lengths." Vulnerable - as the company continued to develop its sheet metal business, Group Chairman Spencer Davies was all too aware that SD Engineering would be vulnerable to downturns in workload if demand dropped in its customers' own core markets.
"We needed our own product range," he says.
"So, when the opportunity came to acquire the assets of a local company that specialised in material handling equipment, we decided to take on the challenge.
"In fact, it offered us an attractive diversification route and, in turn, has created further demand for our own sheet metal working operations." The resultant company re-structuring saw the establishment of SD Handling, which - along with SD Engineering and a further new venture, SD Marine Services - is operated under the umbrella of SD Holdings.
SD Handling's products fall into five main categories - ranging from drum and gas cylinder handling equipment to a wide variety of trucks, trolleys, mobile safety steps and lifting equipment.
And following the acquisition, Radan has once again been at the heart of the new company's drive to streamline its operations; and its recently-inherited product portfolio! "When we took over, there were more than 1200 products; each recorded simply as a hard copy drawing," explains Davies.
Rationalisation - SD Handling soon set about its product rationalisation programme based on true customer demand.
In parallel, the opportunity has been taken to use the group's Radan systems to optimise the company's most popular designs.
Throughout this exercise, the emphasis has been on re-designing equipment to ensure maximum commonality of parts, the use of modular assembly techniques and, wherever practical, the reduction of both weight and costs by using pressed parts rather than solid bar profiles.
"The flawless integration between 3D, 2D and CAM makes it a straightforward task," confirms Goble.
"The system provides a powerful tool that enables us to increase the market life of our products, while simultaneously minimising time-to market and production costs.
Radan's optimisation routines also allow us to apply value engineering methods to enhance productivity and added-value content." Further spin-off benefits cited by the company include the simple generation of exploded views, which are used as reference material by shop floor staff and in product operating instructions.
Furthermore, suppliers' 3D product models - such as standard wheels or hydraulic rams - can be imported in IGES, DWG, DXF or other industry-standard formats for immediate integration in SD Handling's designs.
This avoids duplicated effort and, like the software's powerful assembly simulation and verification routines, contributes significantly to ensuring that updated products are 'right first time'.
"On their own, the Radan 3D and drafting modules provide a powerful capability.
However, addition of the associated CAM functionality provides the flexibility to transform this from an excellent product design tool into a complete process design tool," adds Davies. Request a free brochure from Radan Computational ...
"It's the sort of added value that can make all the difference to companies competing in today's tough manufacturing markets.".
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