Reducing project execution time by 20 percent and standardizing up to 90 percent of components

Innovating vehicle HVAC systems

Founded in 1956, SANZ Clima specializes in designing and customizing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for diverse vehicle applications. Its portfolio covers on-road vehicles – such as buses, trucks and ambulances – as well as off-road solutions for the military, agricultural and construction sectors.

As part of its ongoing innovation strategy, the company has recently launched a new range of low-emission HVAC systems, designed to serve applications from compact buses and operator cabins to large transit buses and coaches.

To continue advancing its product portfolio and maintain high standards of quality and performance, SANZ Clima required robust sheet metal design capabilities and a secure, cloud-based product lifecycle management (PLM) solution to connect its global operations. The company aimed to improve traceability, strengthen revision control and enhance collaboration across international engineering teams while establishing a unified and reliable database.

To achieve these objectives, SANZ Clima partnered with Prismacim, a Siemens Digital Industries Software partner, to integrate Teamcenter® X software with its existing Designcenter Solid Edge® software environment. Teamcenter and Designcenter Solid Edge are part of the Siemens Xcelerator business platform of software, hardware and services.

Enhancing collaboration and creating a unified global system

As SANZ Clima continued to expand internationally and develop new HVAC solutions, it identified the need for closer integration between its computer-aided design (CAD) system and PLM platform. In parallel, the company sought a broader strategy for adopting secure cloud technologies that would support global connectivity while meeting information technology (IT) security and cost requirements.

Previously, the company used localized servers to manage engineering data, which limited visibility and control. The absence of a centralized database created challenges in standardizing components, managing revisions and ensuring data consistency across locations. Teams often relied on manual file transfers and email communication, which increased workload and reduced efficiency. Collaboration across sites was constrained, and maintaining full traceability of product data was complex.

These limitations highlighted the need for a connected, enterprise-wide solution.

Selecting an integrated and secure solution

SANZ Clima prioritized solutions that would integrate seamlessly with its existing tools while supporting its long-term digitalization strategy, ensuring security and global connectivity. With prior experience using Designcenter Solid Edge, the company valued the native integration between Designcenter Solid Edge and Teamcenter X.

“The main reason for adopting Siemens solutions is that we were looking for a software with powerful sheet metal design capabilities,” says Alejandro Blanco, head of research and design (R&D) at SANZ Clima. “And when we were evaluating the options, Designcenter Solid Edge was the best fit for us.”

Other benefits include the IT security requirements of Teamcenter X and the ability to partner with Prismacim, which helped with user adoption via training.

“We also saw that Teamcenter X was an ideal choice as our PLM, because we were looking for a cloud-based solution that could provide greater IT security and bring our global locations together,” says Blanco.

“The key factors for implementing Teamcenter X was customization, prior training of key users and the accompaniment of our supplier, Prismacim,” says Roberto Gómez, technical designer at SANZ Clima.

Creating a unified engineering environment

By integrating Designcenter Solid Edge and Teamcenter X across its engineering workflows, SANZ Clima created a connected environment that supports daily operations and new product development.

With Designcenter Solid Edge, engineering teams can develop 3D models and sheet metal designs more efficiently. Leveraging Teamcenter X provides structured data management, improved traceability and a controlled revision system. SANZ Clima can now clearly manage project states and design iterations and retrieve previous versions when necessary.

“We use Designcenter Solid Edge for our CAD, which connects directly to Teamcenter X,” says Gómez. “With Teamcenter X we can control the unique data, revisions and the status of the project.”

Using Teamcenter X, SANZ Clima facilitates seamless collaboration across its various departments globally, shortening communication lines, establishing a unique, centralized database and increasing overall efficiency. Teams could now experience the benefits of cross-border operational flexibility.

“In the past we worked on a local server with folders, which meant we did not have absolute control over revisions or data,” says Gómez. “Currently, with Teamcenter X, we have a repository in the cloud, which allows us to have the unique data and always make the latest version.”

Improving collaboration and innovating faster

After implementing Teamcenter X along with Designcenter Solid Edge, SANZ Clima improved their traceability and can more efficiently develop new technologies, enabling faster innovation. The company also established a unique database that enhanced collaboration by decreasing communication cycles between departments, fostering better teamwork.

Additionally, with Teamcenter X, SANZ Clima reduced project execution time by 20 percent and standardized up to 90 percent of their components.

“The most impactful change from using Siemens tools for us, especially the cloud version, is that we moved from a document via email traffic to a cloud-based unified database, which made communication easier between our design departments; thus, making us more efficient in our daily work,” says Jan Rennies, project engineer at SANZ Dreiha GmbH, German subsidiary of SANZ Clima. “The value of using Designcenter Solid Edge and Teamcenter X in combination is definitely the improved traceability and revisioning system for our company, which we had problems with previously.”

Expanding globally

After integrating Siemens solutions and creating a more collaborative and unified system, SANZ Clima is planning to continue expanding internationally. Thanks to Designcenter Solid Edge and Teamcenter X, the company has the tools to grow their HVAC product portfolio.

“On the product side, we are expanding our product portfolio of air conditioning systems as well as working on developing our own control platform, incorporating artificial intelligence to control the system and monitor daily activity,” says Blanco.