BMW signs up for 5 year Catia & Simulia deal for Sustainability and the V6 shift

Dassault Systemes has announced that BMW has signed a strategic 5-year global agreement to “pave the way to meet the automotive market’s new challenges.” According to the press release, “Through this agreement, the companies will establish a close link between their research & development centers that will not only improve the DS automotive product offering but also the BMW development and production process. Dassault Systemes software solutions support BMW in core areas for design and manufacturing process planning with Catia as the backbone for product development.”

The necessity to reduce C02 emission levels has forced automotive manufacturers to reshape their business processes to deliver greener cars. Fully embracing the cause of leaving a minimum carbon footprint on the planet, the implementation of the DS solutions will help automakers conceive, analyze and simulate eco-friendly low-emission vehicles like the Project I, a new Megacity vehicle, optimized for better performance and low energy consumption.

The BMW Concept ActiveE is powered by a new synchronous electric motor specially developed for this vehicle. Its maximum output is 125 kW/170 bhp, the maximum torque of 250 Nm / 184 lb-ft is available from standing as is typical for electric motors and remains available over an unusually broad load range.

The release also gave details of what BMW would be using:

By consolidating design in a single PLM software platform BMW can tap into “proven design” concepts and re-use them across all product lines achieving time savings in the design and manufacturing of new cars. The single platform also enables all designers, including development partners in the supply chain, to collaborate, which is another factor in streamlining the design process. Simulia realistic simulation solutions combined with Catia further allow BMW to virtually test their vehicle’s real-world performance early in the development cycle which helps improve product quality, while reducing time and cost of physical testing.

What’s also a small note in the press release is that:

“The agreement also defines a set of strategic projects where BMW will evaluate possible migration paths that ensure a smooth transition to Dassault Systèmes V6 PLM solutions for all its vehicle development programs.”

BMW already use Catia V5 and have been a flagship user for many years. This Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) that’s integrated in exhaust gas recirculation systems is typical.

There are many rumours and tales of unhappiness amongst many Dassault customers with the introduction of V6 – in both the small and very large account, with some major customers allegedly looking at a shift in platform for their product development. This shows that for some, and BMW have been a key account for DS for decades, the decision has already been made and the transition is a part of their long term strategy.

Truck and Bus Manufacturer Invests in 3D for New Vehicle Development

Employing 32,000 people, Scania operates in about 100 countries. About 2,400 employees work with research and development, a majority of these are based in Sweden, close to the production units.

Scania has evaluated different CAD systems with the objective to reduce time and costs significantly in order to develop, produce and improve their products and product descriptions. After reviewing different CAD systems Scania decided that CATIA was the best one.
Today, approximately 650 employees use CATIA and ENOVIA at Scania, primarily within R&D and production, but also in other areas, such as post-market. Today, the 3D environment is a naturally integrated part of a designer’s workday.

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CATIA Increases Efficiency in Wind Turbine Blade Modeling by Six Times and Improves Simulation Accuracy with Sophisticated 3D Models

TOKYO, September 15, 2010 – Dassault Systèmes (DS) a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, today announced that the Research Institute for Applied Mechanics (RIAM), Kyushu University, a leading Japanese academic research institution, has successfully implemented Dassault Systèmes’ PLM solutions for its advanced R&D project – “The Development of Shrouded Wind Turbine with Wind-Lens Technology” – to significantly improve research efficiency and accuracy.

Global wind-power capacity is poised to grow almost threefold to nearly 450 gigawatts (GW) over the next five years, according to BTM, a Danish wind-power consultancy. As the deployment of wind power generators has significantly increased in many countries, Japan is facing major challenges due to frequent changes in wind direction, which make it difficult to generate stable power with existing systems. In order to come up with solutions, the RIAM, Kyushu University has been conducting an R&D project to develop a shrouded wind turbine.

The RIAM, Kyushu University previously designed and evaluated the wind turbine blade based on results from wind tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamics analysis. However, with the previous design software, blade modeling usually took a long time and delayed the R&D process. After using Dassault Systèmes’ CATIA software solution, working hours for 3D modeling was reduced from more than three days to only half a day. In addition, the time for adjusting 3D models and calculation for simulation was also drastically decreased.

“Dassault Systèmes’ CATIA enables us to conduct accurate analysis with more detailed and sophisticated 3D models,” said Assistant Professor Takanori Uchida, the RIAM, Kyushu University. “We are convinced that CATIA will highly benefit our project with its proven capability recognized by a major number of companies in the wind-power sector around the world.”

“Dassault Systèmes is dedicated to providing 3D PLM solutions for sustainable living. We are delighted to see the successful implementation of CATIA at an advanced academic institution such as the RIAM, Kyushu University,” said Tomohiko Suetsugu, president, Japan, Dassault Systèmes. “We will continue to bring in world-leading technologies and best practices to support the advancement of the energy sector in Japan.”

About Kyushu University

The history of Kyushu University dates back to 1903 when Fukuoka Medical College was established as the foundation of Kyushu Imperial University.　In 1911, Kyushu Imperial University, along with the Colleges of Medicine and Engineering, were established. Kyushu University closely works together with enterprises and make considerable achievements by a hundred of joint projects with external organizations every year. For more information, visit http://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/english/.

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NASA’s Kennedy Space Center uses Delmia

Challenge

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center needs to be able to simulate ground operations before they occur in order to ensure that projects are not only feasible, but carried out safely, efficiently and cost effectively.

Solution

With DELMIA, KSC’s Design Visualization Group has built 3D virtual models for 20 different facilities at KSC and for ground support equipment, including transporters and fixtures for rotating and assembling parts.

Benefits

3D virtual models in DELMIA allow engineers working on highdollar, one-of-a-kind systems to: understand how equipment and operators will work together; evaluate both predictable and improbable processes; and communicate through the global language of lifelike simulations.

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CDC at Electra Mining Africa 2010

CDC is proud to announce their participation at the Electra Mining Africa 2010 Expo and would like take this opportunity to invite all who are interested in visiting this event.

Please visit us in HALL 9 at STAND F3