Siemens PLM Software

Advanced tooling solution

An advanced solution set for tooling
design and manufacture

www.siemens.com/plm

white paper

Combining the latest tool design and manufacturing software applications with a
specialized data and process management environment to provide an advanced,
collaborative tooling solution.

PLM Software
Answers for industry.
Advanced tooling solution

Table of contents
Abstract 1
Introduction 2
Toolmaking challenges 3
An advanced solution for
tooling design and manufacture 6
The key advantage of the
advanced tooling solution 8
Summary 9
References 9
Abstract

Tool design and manufacturing for the high tech and consumer
products industries is typically separated from product development, is
outsourced and often geographically dispersed. To meet increasing
rates for new product introduction and time-to-market reduction
pressures, there is a need for efficient information and process
management across and within remote operations.
A possible trend to consolidate tool design and product manufacture
into more tightly integrated organizations may lead to larger, more
complex operations that require effective information and process
management in order to perform effectively.
Within this context, this paper considers the value of combining the
latest tool design and manufacture software applications with
specialized data and process management environment to provide an
advanced tooling solution – a fast, complete and repeatable
design-through-manufacture system.

1
 Introduction

The manufacturing of high tech products for the consumer industry is

at the forefront of fast-moving, global businesses. Technology and
product innovation in this industry is advancing at an unprecedented
rate. Significant value can be won or lost based on the speed and
efficiency of the new product introduction process, and the creation of
tooling is typically on the critical path. In some cases new production-
ready tooling must be completed within a timeframe measured in
hours rather than days or weeks.
Driven by a desire to utilize low-cost resources, many companies in
this industry rely upon the use of relatively small, often outsourced
The Siemens PLM Software advanced tooling
and widely remote suppliers to address critical elements of the design,
solution was developed with companies in the creation and use of tooling. Yet this arrangement, with its separation of
people, resources and process steps, can become an impediment to
consumer products and high tech electronics fast, effective new product introduction and the necessary high-speed
tool design and manufacture. Across this separated environment,
industries; key concepts may also be extended to OEMs need to be able to manage change and the distribution of
product design data. They need to be able to collaborate effectively
the medical device and automotive industries.
and in realtime, if there is to be any chance of delivering tooling within
the aggressive timeframes and at the requisite quality.
As an alternative, we see the emergence of an approach that is less
geographically dispersed, that brings together resources into larger,
more closely knit operating units. This arrangement can offer more
control, faster response to changes in design or demand and higher
product and process quality. In return, it demands the effective
management of information and process. One way to address this
requirement is to utilize software technology that can support the tool
design and manufacturing information process, and manage the
associated data across the operation.
When coupled with the latest CAD/CAM applications for tool design,
machine tool programming and shop floor connectivity, the addition of
effective information and process management can deliver a key
business differentiator. This complete set of capability represents an
advanced solution for the design and manufacture of tooling that can
be an enabler for faster, more efficient new product development and
introduction, and provide essential support for less dispersed,
larger operating groups.
The concept of this advanced tooling solution is very different from
the separate selection and implementation of the best-in-class
An advanced tooling solution integrates product CAD/CAM and shop floor connectivity applications by themselves.
The latter approach provides localized business improvements at
and process data management with specialized
specific points in the overall process. Moreover, while it is well
domain applications to deliver greater business accepted that these benefits can be much greater where the appli-
cations are effectively interconnected, it is proposed that the value of
value than the implementation of CAD/CAM the best applications in key functional areas such as mold design,
machine tool programming and creation of shop floor instructions can
applications alone. be much greater when linked to an effective data and process
management environment.

2
 Toolmaking challenges

The design and manufacture of tooling is typically on the critical path Typical problems
of any new product introduction cycle. This is especially true for
The following is a list of some of the typical problems that can be
industries where time-to-market is super-critical and the tooling
encountered in the classic distributed toolmaking arrangement:
creation element of the process is targeted to be measured in hours.

Problem Effect of problem

Part production includes die-stamped and plastic
Data transfer errors/data quality issues Mistakes in downstream processes
injection/blow-molded components.
Data translation times Wasted time

Lack of automatic updating during changes Significant time wasted in manual updating
In many cases, historical factors and the massive trend to utilize
lower-cost offshore companies, has meant that the process of tool Miscommunication, misunderstandings Costly errors and delays, disputes
design, manufacture and production of parts has been remote from
Lack of control over changes Costly errors – wrong data can be used
the product OEM. This separation between the various functions
Assumptions made in lieu of definitive
immediately adds a layer of complexity in terms of communication and Lack of effective, realtime communication
answers
collaboration, process management, data transfer and access, data
Limited data configuration control Not easy to ensure all are using correct data
accuracy and the propagation of changes.
Contractor may not be dedicated to one
Not always available for instant response
OEM
Complexity of the process
The overall set of functions or roles involved in the creation of tooling
has many elements, and the interactions can be complex. The diagram
below shows many of the key process steps typically involved in the
design and manufacture of tooling. The exact set will vary according to
“Tooling suppliers incur significant costs for
the type of tool and some steps may be omitted, say where the data
re-entering and reworking data because the product data
transfer is purely by 3D data model and drawings are not required.
they receive from their customers usually do
This complexity points to the significant number of information not meet the needs of tool design.”
transfer points within the overall process. In many cases each step is Interoperability Cost Analysis of the U.S Automotive Supply Chain,
performed by separate people, typically specialists in aspects such as NIST
core and cavity design, mold structure design and detailing or NC
programming. In some cases these tasks will be carried out in one
multipurpose office; in others the functions could be distributed across
separate contractors.

Suppliers
Product and process data management Team
OEMs
Collaboration

Part design DFM Costing Core/cavity Tool Shop

validation validation documentation

Machining Prototype /1st

production
run
Reverse Prelimary Mold Electrodes Drawings Plant
engineering design layout

Data
healing Machine
simulation

Data Design Quoting Mold base and 3D Human

import change systems annotation

3
 Toolmaking challenges (continued)

Many of these relate to data transfer between roles and between

The typical data and communication flow applications. Others relate more to the management of data
throughout the process. The diagram below shows the typical point-
scenario within a component manufacturing to-point level of communication that’s found even where all of the
players and applications are operating in the same organization or the
organization is tremendously complex, which can same shop. The arrows show the need for information exchange and
communication. The number of point-to-point links is one indication of
cause design changes to become tedious and
how complex and ad hoc this interaction can be. Another issue that
time-consuming. this diagram illustrates is that many players interact with numerous
other roles in the process, indicating that communication and flow of
information is far from serial throughout the process. In a later
diagram, we show an alternative arrangement to be provided by a key
element of an information and process management solution that
addresses many of these issues.

Increasing demands from product OEMs

Faced with the overall business objectives referred to in the
introduction, OEMs are adding more demands upon their tooling and
part production supply chains.
Collaboration
First, there is a growing trend for OEMs to require toolmakers to
first participate in “early involvement programs”. Significant value can
be added and lead times reduced by having program stakeholders
participate in early design decisions. This requirement adds to the
need for effective communication and collaboration across the range
of functions. However, effective collaboration is difficult to achieve. In
order to collaborate effectively, constituents are challenged to find
more effective means to exchange data with high quality, perform
design reviews, manage schedules and track/resolve issues.

There are many more challenges discussed

Mold/die
widely in various trade journals, forums, Analyst
FEA
designer

Part NC
conferences and industry analyst reports such as: designer programmer
Machinist

• Aligning processes with technology to achieve

Process Quality
greater levels of efficiency planner inspector

• Resolving costs of data exchange

Fixture Shop Tool
• Reducing machine tool wear and tear designer forman manager

• Supporting rapid skill development

(See references section for more information.)

4
Toolmaking challenges (continued)

Supply chain management strategies

Second, many OEMs require toolmakers to cooperate and participate
in extensive supply chain management strategies. Clustering – a
strategy to organize regionally independent product development and
production companies into clusters – is one approach that enables
OEMs to meet rapidly changing consumer demands on a regional basis.
In order for toolmakers to successfully engage in strategies similar to
this, it is important to implement a product lifecycle management
(PLM) environment that connects and manages product and process
data among all constituent parties.
Increase standardization and re-use
Third, toolmakers must increase standardization and re-use to
minimize negative cost, quality and time consequences related to
original tool design and repetition. Defining, capturing, managing,
versioning and sharing standard designs, knowledge and components
are some of the challenges that toolmakers face. For geographically
distributed toolmaker groups the challenge of standardization is even
greater. This is because the standardization requires a global
infrastructure, more layers of control and involves more administration
to enable consistency and flexibility across geographies.

Global innovation network

This illustration depicts a cluster network:

a lead tooling company in each region works
with multiple subcomponent suppliers to develop
and manufacture the tools required to produce and then
assemble the end product. Product development and
production clusters

5
 An advanced solution for tooling design and manufacture

Having looked at some of the typical challenges for the toolmaking Advanced applications for tool design and
industry and considering some of the additional pressures being manufacturing
applied by OEMs, we will look at the outline for an advanced tooling
The other area to consider is that of key applications. These include
solution that can address some of these key issues and requirements.
the latest software packages addressing a range of the functions shown
In terms of the solution, this paper focuses mainly on an advanced in the diagram on page 3. The following describes some of the key
software set that can be implemented to provide the necessary application areas that would typically be available.
application capability and address the overall process and information
Applications for tool design and manufacturing leverage specialized
management issues. The paper does not consider in detail the
automation technology to accelerate injection mold and stamping die
organizational and business structures that are referred to in some
design tasks by encapsulating expert knowledge and best practices.
sections as these are outside the scope.
This technology can also automate downstream processes such as
CAM process selection based on intelligent design attribute and can
use attributes to build custom costing profiles and automate roll-up
Some applications may function less than calculations.

optimally in an integrated environment when they Mold design

Split the core/cavity, leverage cataloged mold bases ensuring the use of
are from separate suppliers and built upon standard parts and preferred suppliers, design the molding systems and
create full documentation.
different technologies.
Die design
Build the strip layout and simulate, leverage cataloged die bases, design
insert groups and fully document.
A greater gain through unified applications
Instead of simply selecting individual, best-in-class applications as point Electrode design
solutions, the greatest gains can be achieved by selecting proficient Streamline modeling and design of electrodes for any tool project that
applications that are designed to be connected. Having mold tool requires EDM. Effectively design, validate, document, manufacture and
design and NC programming applications that share the same manage the entire EDM process from design through production.
technology platform can enable a much higher degree of Manage electrode information within the process to achieve
interoperability than is possible by using even the best applications that concurrent design and automate manufacturing process planning.
are operating as separate applications. Tool validation
The integration of highly effective domain applications within a single Digitally simulate, validate and optimize tools for their design and
product and process data management environment forms the production processes. Simulate performance digitally and earlier in the
technology cornerstone of an advanced tooling solution. By employing development cycle to improve product quality while reducing or
such an integrated environment, companies can effectively integrate eliminating reliance on physical prototypes and costly, time-consuming
and manage the BOM, drawings, related manufacturing information, design/build/change cycles.
processes, resources and reports. It becomes feasible to capture, NC programming applications
manage and share standard part libraries, templates and designs on a
These applications allow programs to be created to drive CNC
global basis. Complex design changes and manufacturing process plans
equipment to machine mold and die faces, and the associated
can also be managed and integrated among tool design, machining,
structures and bases. A range of techniques are employed and the best
manufacturing process planning and the shop floor while controlling
software is able to maximize the value of the latest machine tools. For
versions and configurations of tools.
example, five-axis milling for high-speed milling machines to cut hard
Companies also benefit from improved collaboration. Product and mold and die steel is becoming common in mold and die machining.
process information becomes shared within and across the design To make the process faster, more repeatable and easier for the less
team, shop floor and the extended enterprise. Globally distributed experienced programmer, the latest software offers a range of
concurrent team design helps eliminate wasted time and effort due to automation and process capture capabilities. Toolpath and machine
data translation. Quoting and projects are managed while design simulation and verification help manufacturing engineers quickly
reviews can be performed visually and in real time. improve NC program quality and machine efficiency.

6
An advanced solution for tooling design and manufacture (continued)

Shop floor/plant
These applications integrate planning, CAM data management and
resource management with the shop floor. NC programs to the NC
machine and back optimize programs.Take advantage of tool setup
sheets and work instructions. Connect with ERP for order-related
resource request.
These descriptions address a number of the key capabilities required.
Toolmakers often attempt to achieve greater efficiency through the
application of new technology to point requirements, and will employ
the applications listed above as well as others. However, as valuable as
they are, these applications only provide specific return on investment
for the targeted task. In fact, the gains over the existing methods in
use, or the older applications that are replaced, are often relatively
small when compared to the overall process improvement
requirements. Thus, it is important to leverage these applications
within an integrated product and process data management
environment.

7
 The key advantage of the advanced tooling solution

None of the above concepts are unique. A number of software The earlier, somewhat complex interaction diagram on page 4 can be
vendors are able to offer a range of tooling applications that share the redrawn as in the figure below.
same CAD/CAM even CAE framework and which allow a high degree
The four major solution elements that characterize the advanced
of interoperability and associativity.
tooling solution are as follows:
The biggest opportunity for significant advantage, and one that
1. Single integrated environment that manages product and
addresses some of the key challenges outlined above, is in the area of
process data
data and process management. All of the above applications, including
The greatest contributing factor to the success of an ideal tooling
each of the steps identified in the figure on page 3, take data from
solution is to implement a single system that enables the entire
other applications or create their own data, and provide editing
team to access the right data at the right time for the right job. This
capabilities, often across a range of data formats. Few of the
system must: manage versioning and configurations; control access
applications have an effective data management capability – if they do
to components; manage workflows; and effectively manage and
it’s often proprietary and not accessible by other applications.
control design changes; help search for and coalesce data into
The basis for the advanced tool solution is an area of software reports; and enable process; planning.
technology that can address the issue of data management and provide
2. Effective digital collaboration
process support and integration. Siemens PLM Software has addressed
Effective collaboration is the second most important factor in
this by developing extensions to proven product data management
enabling an ideal tooling solution. In order to effectively collaborate,
(PDM) technology. Traditional PDM systems have been designed to
OEMs, suppliers and internal teams must be able to access,
manage product data and are typically implemented to manage data
communicate and visualize information digitally. Another critical
that relates to a definition of a part, many parts or an entire product.
aspect of this shall provide effective means to share and consume
They normally do not have the capability to manage manufacturing data produced in different authoring systems. The ideal solution also
process data or to put this type of data into its correct context as supports concurrent team design.
elements of a manufacturing plan. Data in context becomes valuable
3. Easy-to-use, fully-capable and automated discipline
information and nowhere is this truer than in the correct management
applications
of manufacturing process data, linked to a definition of the part, its
tooling and the resources required for that process. A further element Individual applications within the solution need to be consistent,
of information is the definition of where the process will take place, in easy-to-use and fully-capable and enable productive workflows for all
which location, shop, workcell, on which machine tool etc. aspects of the process.

The use of extended PDM technology – with a product, process, 4. Effective software and service provider partnerships
resource and work area data model – also provides key capabilities for The ideal solution needs to include a strong vendor relationship
change control, configuration management, access control and security. with the lead provider/partner ensuring that all elements of the
The Siemens PLM Software system provides integrated technology for solution set are delivered as required and that the defined inter-
3D visualization using the increasingly standard JT™ file format. Many application functionality and data management integration is
of the best CAD/CAM applications either use or create JT files to operational as expected.
allow easy access to their models for 3D viewing. This can provide a
key step in establishing the basis for collaboration among multiple
roles across the process. The generic name Siemens has adopted to Analyst Mold/die
FEA NC
designer
refer to this extended information and process management capability programmer
Part Machinist
is the managed development environment (MDE). It can be applied in designer
other industries, but here it as a core capability to underpin the
Advanced Tooling Solution. The MDE provides the software
framework that enables managed interaction between the key roles in A managed
Process Quality
the process and the digital applications used in those steps. planner environment for inspector
component manufacturing

All participants in the process may not be

Fixture Tool
co-located; as a result, the managed development designer Shop manager
forman
environment (MDE) supports globally distributed
teamwork.

8
 Summary References

Siemens PLM Software is able to offer the functional applications for Alan M. Christman, May 2004, “NC Software and Related Services Market
tool design (injection mold, stamping die and progressive dies) and NC Assessment,” Version 13, CIMdata
programming (CAM) that compete with the best in the world. These
Siemens applications are all built on the same software platform Christina Fuges, April 2005, AMBA-sponsored panel discussion (Steve
DeHoff, Roger Klouda, Stuart Oxer, Steve Rotman), “An Examination of
offering the benefits of a unified application set – data interoperability,
the OEM/Mold Manufacturer Relationship to Better the Moldmaking
easy change propagation, common style and one vendor to work with.
Process” <http://www.moldmakingtechnology.com/articles/060505.html>
Siemens, as a major supplier of PLM solutions, is able to complement
these best-in-class applications with proven data and process Edwin Gasparraj, October 2004, “Is Your HSM Investment Paying You
management software. Extended from product data management Dividends?” Tooling and Production
(PDM) technology developed in the 1990s, the latest generation of
software in this area is specifically created to manage the tooling HBS Publishing, 1998, “Nokia Mobile Phones: Supply Line Management,”
design data and machining process data, while providing all of the IMD Multimedia Case, IMD-701, Boston, MA
appropriate tools for change management, configuration control,
access management, connection to production and the shop floor. Research Triangle Institute, March 1999, “Interoperability Cost Analysis of
the U.S. Automotive Supply Chain,” 99-1 Planning Report, NIST (National
Institute of Standards & Technology) U.S. Department of Commerce
Technology Administration

Sherry L. Baranek, June 2005, “Conquering CAD/CAM Challenges,”

Moldmaking Technology

More information about Siemens PLM Software and NX™ tooling

products and solutions can be found at: www.siemens.com/nx

9
Siemens PLM Software
Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry
Automation Division, is a leading global provider of product
lifecycle management (PLM) software and services with
6.7 million licensed seats and more than 63,000 customers
worldwide. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Siemens PLM Software
works collaboratively with companies to deliver open solutions
that help them turn more ideas into successful products. For more
information on Siemens PLM Software products and services,
visit www.siemens.com/plm.

© 2010 Siemens Product Lifecycle Management

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