Intelligent Manufacturing € December € 1995 € Volume 1 € No. 12

Products

The following products were introduced at the AUTOFACT '95 Exhibition, held in November in Chicago, Ill.

Clarus Manufacturing

Clarus Manufacturing is a virtual reality software program that allows users to evaluate a multitude of manufacturing processes in a real-time 3-D environment with audio support. Clarus Manufacturing is an add-on module to Dallas, Tex.-based Paradigm Simulation's Vega; both products include a VR development environment for use on Silicon Graphics workstations. Clarus Manufacturing offers users the ability to conduct environmental and ergonomic studies, train staff regarding new product lines, prepare immersive visualization analyses of assembly sequences, create semi-automatic products (real person and digital environment), and create marketing and packaging processes. It also allows multiple-user access and provides a library of real-time optimized robots, environments and control panels. Users are able to interact with whatever virtual manufacturing environment they select based on the detailed CAD data provided.

Clarus AB, Stora Badhusgatan 18-20, S-411 21 Gothenburg, Sweden, Tel.: +46 31 774 37 80, 1.

ROBCAD/Man

ROBCAD/Man is a virtual manufacturing environment for designing, simulating and analyzing manual manufacturing operations. It provides computer-aided production engineering (CAPE) tools that allow the user to create complete manual and automated cell layouts on a 3-D graphics computer. The user then programs, simulates and optimizes a biomechanically accurate human model in the virtual cell to create a complete working task. Realistic simulation of walking and hand motions enables the user to design and visualize human tasks for various operations such as manual spot-welding, power train and final assembly, material handling, loading and unloading of parts.

Tecnomatix Technologies Inc., 39810 Grand River Avenue, Suite 100, Novi, MI 48375-2108, (810) 471-6140, .

SmartStream

SmartStream Manufacturing/Distribution 4.0 is a distributed, multi-plant, multi-national enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution for discrete manufacturing environments. It supports total supply chain management, Just-In-Time production principles and inventory management. The suite features manufacturing planning and processes that drive seamlessly through from top-level management decisions down to the plant floor. Embedded workflows can be graphically designed to intelligently facilitate activities throughout an organization. Workflows include the ability to automate many tasks, through scripts, or the launching of third-party applications. Pricing begins at $100,000.

Dun & Bradstreet Software, 3445 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30326, (404) 239-2000, .

Applied CIM

Applied CIM for Windows 3.4 is an electronic shop floor documentation software package, and is part of ASI's M-Ware family of manufacturing execution system (MES) products. Applied CIM is the primary document control module for all other multimedia documentation and connectivity devices needed for the shop floor manufacturing process. From any PC on the factory floor, Applied CIM provides immediate access to CAD information, access and control of CAM files, DNC capabilities, and complete SPC functionality. The software utilizes an intuitive, point-and-click graphical user interface, reducing operator training time. The new version includes a graphics viewing interface allowing seamless access to the Myriad for M-Ware graphics viewer that pulls down CAD and other graphical drawings to the shop floor operator in the native CAD format.

Applied Statistics Inc. (ASI), 2055 White Bear Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55109, (612) 481-0202, .

QUEST

QUEST, a workstation-based discrete event manufacturing process simulation system, now runs on Windows NT platforms. QUEST allows users to build, modify and validate simulation models. Manufacturing methods such as Just-In-Time inventory control are supported in QUEST, and both push and pull manufacturing mechanisms can be integrated in the same model. QUEST is a fully interactive, 3-D, graphic simulation tool that can realistically model any manufacturing system. It can be used for assessing productivity, cost-effectiveness and efficiency of existing or proposed manufacturing systems prior to investing costly time or capital. Actual factory floor components can be linked to comprehensive sets of predefined and/or user defined logics to realistically model any manufacturing situation.

Deneb Robotics Inc., 3285 Lapeer Road West, P.O. Box 214687, Auburn Hills, MI 48321, (810) 377-6900, .

DEED PDM

DEED PDM 3.0 is an object-oriented product data management (PDM) software tool that now runs on Windows 95 and Windows NT platforms. DEED PDM allows control of product and parts database management with user-defined attribute specifications for hundreds of data types, and rules for calculating values and checking ranges for data entries. It now includes a Configuration Management tool that gives engineering departments a comprehensive check-out/approval/check-in procedure for CAD/CAM documents and drawings. It places all controlled documents in an electronic "vault" which is accessible only by authorized users. A new Documents Associations manager can support one document, multiple page documents or even multiple documents associated with any project stored in the database. A Production Assembly report has been added that delivers the drawing attributes and bills of materials needed for any project. Price: $795.

Bionic Knight Software Inc., P.O. Box 98026, Raleigh, NC 27624, (919) 847-1531, .

Aegis

Aegis is a real-time software platform based on intelligent systems technologies such as neural networks, fuzzy logic, genetic algorithms, and expert systems. Written in C++ and based on object-oriented methodologies, Aegis is used to develop specific process optimization solutions in CAD/CAM/CAE environments. Aegis runs on a variety of platforms, including DOS, Windows, Windows NT and UNIX, and on a variety of systems from workstations to embedded PLC information processors. Aegis provides a library of communications drivers to various PLCs, databases, and I/O cards.

Neural Applications Corp., Oakdale Research Park, 2600 Crosspark Road, Coralville, IA 52241-3212, (319) 626-5000, .

Process Innovator

Process Innovator is a client/server-based computer-aided process planning (CAPP) software tool. It utilizes group technology and compound document management to develop, illustrate and standardize methods and work instructions for manufacturing mechanical and electronic parts and assemblies. Process Innovator increases capabilities to integrate CAPP with other manufacturing applications, such as CAD for concurrent engineering or MES for quality and manufacturing control, and supports relational database managers for consistency with other corporate databases and command data accesses via SQL. It works within most hardware and software operating environments.

CimTelligence Systems Inc., One Forbes Road, Lexington, MA 02173, (617) 861-1996, .

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