Optimized product configuration in mechanical engineering

Manage variants, increase efficiency

When it comes to product configuration, i.e. CPQ, design automation or parametric CAD configuration, we often see a paradigm shift. Instead of copying "just like back then", calculations, quotations, CAD models, drawings, parts lists or work plans are generated on the basis of order-neutral template and master structures. This means that these neutral templates are individually customized by means of a stored logic or several rules.

This has the advantage that the results are always correct, do not contain any errors and the time required is reduced by a factor. Standardization and automation effects are therefore often cited as the goals of product configuration, whether in sales, project planning, design, production or service. The aim is also to achieve the associated data consistency between the IT systems from the inquiry to the service.

The right configurator for the right application.

Since the configuration solutions must be selected and aligned individually depending on the organizational structure, product, process and IT systems, we define the objectives, orientation and tasks together at the start of a configuration project.

A picture is worth a thousand words
Sophisticated standard configuration solutions already enable orientation from the user's perspective with subsequent configuration and quotation creation on the web, possibly with integrated design and calculation. The customer-specific variant can be impressively presented online as a 3D representation on the web at runtime, whether component, machine or entire system.

Without data breaks between sales, design and production
Order processing can be based directly on the CPQ results or the quotation data from sales - without interface losses. Depending on adaptation requirements, preconfigured solutions in the CAD-PDM engineering environment, including duplicate checks, can still be adapted or new articles can be created in the ERP system (keyword Engineer To Order). This is followed by the conversion of the design parts list or the automated generation of the order parts list and the production drawings.

Product configuration - We support you step by step - right across the finish line
We work together with selected standard solutions and established partners, whether quotation configuration / CPQ (sales automation), CAD configuration (design automation) with 3D CAD model, parts list and drawing generation or ERP parts list configuration.

On request, we can create an initial proof of concept (POC) or a configuration prototype for you. With many of our customers, however, we also go the whole way from analysis and conception, through implementation and realization, to training and going live.

... and accelerate the project with targeted services
Depending on requirements, we take on content-related topics such as

the standardization and structuring of products
the definition and modification of processes
analyzing and documenting product knowledge
setting up the CPQ system and/or the CAD configurator
setting up neutral CAD model masters
mapping the rules and regulations in the respective configurator
or the integration of adjacent areas such as web, CRM, design and calculation, PDM or ERP.