成功案例

Leveraging 3D CAD tools to improve product reliability while reducing manufacturing costs by 15 percent

SLM Global uses Solid Edge and Teamcenter Share to transform the development of underwater cleaning robots

Leveraging 3D CAD tools to improve product reliability while reducing manufacturing costs by 15 percent

SLM Global Co., Ltd.

Established in 2018 in Daejeon, South Korea, SLM Global specializes in research and development (R&D), sales and leasing and technical services for hull-cleaning robots such as CHIRO. The company’s products operate in a field that is gaining attention as new regulations on ship cleaning are introduced to promote environmental protection.

https://www.slm-global.com

總公司:
Daejeon, South Korea
產品:
Solid Edge
產業:
Marine

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After switching to 3D design solutions like Solid Edge, SLM Global gained several advantages in the design process.
Kim Yong-hee, Robot Research & Development Center, Team Leader, SLM Global

Shifting from 2D modeling to 3D CAD

Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Daejeon, South Korea, SLM Global Company Limited (SLM Global) has quickly established itself as a pioneering force in the field of robotics, particularly for underwater hull cleaning systems. Leveraging the extensive knowledge and experience of its founding members, SLM Global has developed an underwater cleaning technology, such as the CHIRO robot, that is environmentally and economically friendly.

At the forefront of human-robot collaboration technology, SLM Global looks to continually improve its offerings and customer experience. SLM Global’s journey from outdated 2D modeling software to adopting 3D computer-aided design (CAD) tools underscores this commitment to innovation and excellence.

For this, SLM Global integrated Solid Edge® software and Teamcenter® Share software, which are part of the Siemens Xcelerator business platform of software, hardware and services.

Using outdated tools limits success

When developing its underwater cleaning robot, SLM Global encountered a series of challenges that required it to reconsider the tools used in its development and manufacturing processes. The robot had to be maneuverable, efficient at cleaning, powerful and environmentally friendly. However, the absence of advanced 3D design software presented a significant hurdle. The team initially relied on 2D design processes, which proved inadequate for visualizing the robot’s complex structure and form. This limitation raised concerns about potential missteps during the manufacturing or modification stages, as 2D designs were notoriously difficult to alter without affecting interconnected aspects of the product.

Internally, SLM Global grappled with the inefficiencies of manual processes and a lack of manpower. Together, these factors impeded the company’s ability to maintain historical data and achieve operational efficiency, ultimately resulting in increased manufacturing costs. Relying on 2D design tools was a bottleneck that stifled the company’s ability to innovate rapidly and respond to market demands.

To overcome these challenges, SLM Global needed to enhance design efficiency and reliability. It sought to align the robot’s performance with customer expectations, ensuring satisfaction during operation. To accomplish this, the company needed to transition from 2D to more sophisticated design methodologies that allow for better visualization, error detection and collaborative engineering efforts.

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Overcoming 2D CAD challenges

SLM Global began its journey to overcome these challenges by taking a critical look at its operational needs. By pinpointing the exact difficulties it faced with 2D CAD systems, such as the aforementioned visualization issues, SLM Global was able to set clear, measurable objectives aimed at refining its design processes and accelerating the delivery of its products to market.

The company evaluated a range of options but ultimately opted to collaborate with Jikyung Solutec (Jikyung), a Siemens Digital Industries Software partner, and implement Solid Edge. As the largest provider of Solid Edge in South Korea, Jikyung has a wide range of project experience and developed the JK-PART 3D KS standard parts library, which further enabled
customers to reduce design times.

Jikyung was instrumental in providing SLM Global with extensive guidance and support. SLM Global’s design staff underwent a comprehensive training regimen, including five days of Solid Edge basic training supplemented by video lectures and a tailored three-day training session on site. Additionally, representatives from Siemens provided remote support to answer any questions.

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Adopting and integrating Solid Edge marked a significant technological leap from 2D to 3D CAD systems for SLM Global. This transition not only changed its tools but also transformed the way SLM Global approached design challenges. As a result, the move empowered the company to proactively detect and resolve design interferences, evaluate the feasibility of assembly and swiftly enact design modifications or enhancements.

Additionally, implementing Teamcenter Share represented another cornerstone of the program’s success. Using this cloud-based service fostered collaboration among engineering teams and partner departments, enabling ad-hoc sharing of design data. This ensured that all stakeholders had access to the most accurate and current data, anytime, anywhere, throughout the project lifecycle. Moreover, leveraging Teamcenter Share provided a secure environment that maintained confidentiality and complied with data privacy regulations, allowing only authorized users to access sensitive information.

Lowering defect rates helps reduce costs

One of the most notable outcomes of implementing Solid Edge at SLM Global was the substantial reduction in manufacturing costs. By adopting 3D design and simulation tools, SLM Global reduced defect rates by 25 percent, mainly thanks to improved visualization and easier preproduction testing. This improvement in manufacturing precision has streamlined production workflows and minimized waste, contributing to a leaner and more cost-effective operation, ultimately decreasing production expenses by 15 percent.

“After switching to 3D design solutions like Solid Edge, SLM Global gained several advantages in the design process,” says Kim Yong-hee, a robot Robot Research & development center team leader at SLM Global. “First, we achieved more effective visualization, which we needed. Using 3D design allows objects to be visualized in more detail in three-dimensional space. This allowed for a better understanding of the product’s shape and structure, letting designers and engineers identify product details more accurately.

“We can use detailed modeling to create realistic visualizations and prototypes of the product. Using Solid Edge allows us to demonstrate or test our products with customers or stakeholders at an early stage of product development and gather feedback quickly.

“Shifting to 3D modeling has helped automate and optimize our product production process. For example, we can use 3D models in Solid Edge to build automated production lines or select optimal materials and manufacturing methods. These advantages help make product development and production processes more efficient.”

The benefits of Solid Edge extend beyond identifying issues. “I liked the ease of making design changes,” says Yong-hee. “The 3D design environment in Solid Edge makes it easy to understand how changes to one part of a product affect other parts. This made design changes easier and allowed our designers to experiment more to find the optimal design.” This has directly translated into higher-quality products, much to the approval of customers, with satisfaction scores rising by 20 percent.

Looking towards the future, SLM Global is currently investigating further improvements made possible by using the Teamcenter Share app to improve it’s cross-departmental collaboration capabilities.

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Using Solid Edge allows us to demonstrate or test our products with customers or stakeholders at an early stage of product development and gather feedback quickly.
Kim Yong-hee, Robot Research & Development Center, Team Leader, SLM Global