Analysis of new fluid transport components identifies critical issues up front
Mechanical and hydraulic power transmission components maker Intertraco uses Femap from Siemens PLM Software for the structural analysis of components before physical tests. With Femap, Intertraco’s CAD models accurately anticipate the impact of each modification on product performance. Now Intertraco can calculate load losses on equipment and answer specific questions from its customers.
A confident choice
Technology investments were driven by management, with Stefano Bertazzoni himself as “main sponsor,” supported by Intertraco’s chief financial officer, Davide Fava, who is in charge of the company’s information technology (IT) systems and has been since inception. “Management was in the front line for the introduction of 3D design software,” says Fava. “When we had to handle thousands of drawings, we realized they could be grouped into families. We could redesign the parent parts of our components as 3D blocks, investing a little more time at the beginning, then realizing an extraordinarily faster and more efficient editing process.”
Management reviewed solutions from the product lifecycle management (PLM) domain, selecting Solid Edge® software, a comprehensive hybrid 2D/3D CAD package from Siemens PLM Software. The company now uses Solid Edge extensively to model and modify all of its products. “At the beginning, we were confronted with the typical resistance by users who were comfortable in old habits with tools that were working,” recalls Fava. “However, we were very confident in our decision to go with Solid Edge, so we accelerated the transition to avoid a long period of coexistence between different systems.” He notes that it was an inevitable phase, but that his team quickly got on board: “Today, all our users approve of the choice we made. Among important benefits, Solid Edge helps us respond to the weekly requests of OEM customers who ask to receive the 3D models of our couplings to see how they fit into their machines. This is not inconsequential, as other suppliers do not offer this opportunity, so we have an advantage in terms of sales.”
0
0
0
0
0