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From Drawing to Inspection Plan to Product
GUARDUS’ new module for CAD integration creates a fully integrated PLM to MES closed loop for releases and updates
The GUARDUS Solutions AG’s Manufacturing Execution Systems’ (MES) newest CAD to Inspection Plan module accelerates cross-system creation and adjustment of specifications. All relevant data is automatically transferred from the CAD-system to GUARDUS MES, which graphically indicates all critical inspection characteristics on the CAD drawing by means of exact coordinates. Interfacing with the GUARDUS layer function, these indicators will be stored the top layer for easy identification. The user can then modify or complement the graphical indicators at any time. Moreover, all imported CAD data flow directly into an inspection plan which is completed by authorized personnel. Through this hands-off approach, GUARDUS MES automates a major step in the inspection planning process thereby reducing the danger of erroneous manual entries to a minimum. This tight integration within the GUARDUS MES also facilitates the capture of inspection data. Without additional effort, the marked drawing is available online on the production floor or the lab during the inspection process. The auto-focus feature allows the visualisation of the exact inspection position, while an integrated zoom function display the proper orientation for more sophisticated drawings. If specifications are to be modified, this closed-loop is initiated again, the GUARDUS MES change management module immediately recognizes the differences between various versions of inspection plans and highlights them in colour.
The objective:
CAD Integration provides a means to tear down the silos of communications between departments and unite all coordination processes between design and production. This creates a continuous and fully integrated closed-loop for the creation, modification and release of all specifications. Manual operations are minimized and so the entire process is accelerated, increasing data quality and the efficiency of inspection processes in the shop floor.
How it works:
Based on the client’s technical infrastructure, data are either directly transferred from the CAD systems to GUARDUS MES or directly through the CAD-interpreter. This standardized information transfer provides GUARDUS MES with the graphical drawing, the inspection characteristics and their manufacturing tolerances, as well as their exact coordinates on the drawing. With this information, the MES system can indicate the critical inspection characteristics on the CAD drawing by adding another layer to the diagram. The locations in drawings, inspection plans, defect images and initial samples will be stored in another layer when required. Thus, the user has easy access to the respective image and can easily add observations. If a document is already marked-up, the user can see more details about the drawing using by using the zoom function. This functionality is also available during in-process inspections on the shop floor. The exact inspection position is directly displayed on the screen by means of an auto zoom function. The zoom-in/zoom-out function allows the employee to browse complex diagrams from the smallest detail to the entire drawing.
When changes in production-relevant specifications occur, the all of the updated data is transferred from the CAD system to the MES. All other changes are managed by the GUARDUS MES change management module. With this tool differences between specifications in various versions of inspection plans are automatically highlighted in colour for easy identification. When displaying the modified characteristics, the user can select only the parameters which are relevant for the release. Thus, the inspection planner is able to decide in real time whether the inspection plan can be released or has to be processed further. For subsequent document changes, the related drawing as well as the GUARDUS MES module for inspection planning can be directly retrieved from the new change management.
The result:
A closed loop comes is born. Information flows swiftly and effortlessly from product planning to inspection planning to the production floor reducing the possibility for human error at every step.