DELMIA Digital Manufacturing Solutions Help Makino J Deliver Turnkey Project Ahead of Schedule

Virtual NC simulation solution used to optimize and validate machining cycle times to increase production efficiency

Tokyo, Japan and Auburn Hills Mich., USA - August 3, 2004 - Delmia Corp., a Dassault Systèmes company (Nasdaq: DASTY: Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), today announced that Makino J Co., Ltd., a division of Makino Machine Co., Ltd., a global leader in machine tool manufacture, successfully implemented DELMIA Virtual NC (VNC) for validation, visualization and accurate cycle time prediction of the machining process, helping the company to deliver a turnkey project one month ahead of schedule.

Makino J was facing major challenges in reducing and predicting cycle time, as well as optimizing various activities prior to the machining process. To overcome these project hurdles, Makino J selected DELMIA’s VNC for the validation of individual machines, fixtures, and tooling before starting production.

Standard attributes of the CNC machines were assigned to the virtual machines in VNC, with Makino J achieving cycle times at about 80-85% accuracy of the Virtual NC prediction. But, the company’s target was to predict the actual cycle time accurately within 2-3%.

Makino J assigned a complicated automotive parts project to the team of Makino India and forged a relationship with technical experts from Delmia Solutions Pvt Ltd. (India) The team conducted a pilot project on an existing machine and component in a turnkey project. In this Turnkey project, the validation and feedback process proceeded in parallel with the manufacturing process using Virtual NC. This step enabled the modification, debugging, CNC program changing and cycle time calculation to take place before the manufacturing process was completed. The team took only two weeks to complete the digital manufacturing part of the project and achieved the VNC Cycle time within the targeted 2-3% of actual machining times. Leveraging Makino India’s success, Makino J has now implemented this approach on its projects for an influential motor corporation in Korea and a large automotive parts supplier in Japan.

Mr. K.S. Sankaran, Managing Director of Makino Asia said “A lot of time is spent in the “Trial” activities in a turnkey project. When customer feedback is incorporated, this often means changing the design and manufacturing the changed components”.

Mr. Soichiro Isago, project manager, Makino Milling Machine Co. Ltd. commented, “DELMIA’s India team was very helpful and committed throughout this implementation phase. The digital validation approach adopted by Makino India and Makino J, allowed us to complete an automotive parts turnkey project one month ahead of schedule. In order to compete with strong competitors in the global market, Makino is ready to respond efficiently and constructively and we are sure that DELMIA’s digital manufacturing solutions will be helpful to us in this endeavour.”

“VNC is a complete solution that can simulate an entire machine tool and machining process,” said Bertrand Saint-Martin, vice president Asia Pacific Operations, Delmia Corp. “VNC empowers users to optimize the design of the machine tool by continuously improving the virtual machine to ensure that it meets the operational value and production requirements.”

Mr. Naohiko Tokunaga, president of Makino J, added, “Virtual NC has helped Makino to reduce turnkey project duration by proving it out digitally -- identifying which machine is best suited for which operation, avoiding fixture and tooling interferences and, most importantly, getting the accurate cycle time”.