future of automotive design transportation whitepaper

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ABSTRACT

For over 20 years, automotive manufacturers have beenharnessing the power of 3D to help create, optimize andproduce great vehicles. Product Lifecycle Management(PLM) capabilities such as concurrent development,seamless integration, simultaneous engineering, single

source database, and real-time visibility have long beencapable within the automotive development process.However, the reality is that these tools have existed for aselect few within a corporation, and have never beenpervasive to every person involved in a productsdevelopment process.

Today, there are certain market drivers requiring morefrom PLM technology. This includes the fact thatcompanies must drive innovation to survive in todaysincreasingly competitive and global auto industry. Thenext generation of 3D PLM tools, referred to as PLM 2.0can bring real-time, global collaboration to life withfeatures such as a single PLM platform for Intellectual

Property (IP) management (one database and oneserver), and the open Server-Oriented Architecture(SOA) development platform. With only a webconnection, product authoring and collaboration areenabled for real time, concurrent work, across multipleremote locations all in a 3D lifelike environment.

This presentation will point out how by expanding 3DPLM beyond engineering and manufacturing to includeeveryone who has a role in the life of a vehicle frombusiness users to end consumers, vehicles will bedeveloped in a shorter time frame, and better-suited tothe public desires, with improvements made along the

whole product development process.

INTRODUCTION

With the intense competition in todays global marketplace in addition to recent economic events, the autoindustry is under extreme duress to improve theefficiency and effectiveness of the way it designs andbuilds vehicles. Whereas North America, WesternEurope and Japan accounted for nearly 90 percent o

global production earlier in the decade, these are maturemarkets that have clearly experienced over-capacity.China is now the worlds third largest producer of cars

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bypassing the United States. Despite the curreneconomic crisis, growth opportunities for vehicleproduction in emerging markets such as Latin AmericaIndia, Russia, and China is still expected to grow.

All of this makes the competition for the North Americanvehicle buyer even more fierce. Although this market hasa large number of automotive styles to choose frommany seem to be similar in looks, function andperformance. Successes of cars like the Chrysler PT

Cruiser and Chevrolet HHR will continue to fragment themarket, yet provide OEMs the ability to differentiatethemselves in order to gain customer loyalty and markeshare. With tightened credit markets, buyers will bemuch more select in their new vehicle purchasedecisions. The bottom line is that vehicle manufacturersmust deliver what the consumer wants, when and wherethey want it, at a price point they are willing to pay.Global product development strategies are implementedby every major vehicle manufacturer with the Tiersuppliers following suit. Work can be performed aroundthe clock to, supposedly, reduce product developmentime. However, globalization comes with its own set ochallenges for manufacturers, including differingcompliance requirements, materials availability andcultural issues that affect vehicle styling and features

2009-01-0476

The Future of Automotive Design & Development: 3D for Al

Kevin BaugheyDassault Systmes ENOVIA

*9-2009-01-0476*


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Expanding the number of partners involved, especiallywhen they speak a different language, brings increasedrisk of miscommunication. Meeting the needs of vastlydifferent consumer markets requires the design andproduction of additional vehicle styles while ensuringproduct quality and regulatory compliance. Additionally,design and production facilities are spread across theglobe, requiring a central system of consistent andcurrent information. Everyone must be working from thesame page.

These global product development strategies have beengreatly enabled by the deployment of modern computer-aided design, manufacturing, testing and simulationtechnologies, helping OEMS gain both financial andoperational efficiencies. By employing integratedCAD/CAM/CAE tools across the entire product lifecycle,companies can better automate, manage andcollaborate. This leads to increased innovation increative product design as well as efficiencies inmanufacturing considerations.

As globalization of the automotive industry continues,

global centers of excellence are developing, making thestandardization and sharing of disparate, yet relatedinformation even more critical. In order to innovateefficiently, companies must maximize the use of theirintellectual assets that are spread across the world toshare the knowledge base and intellectual properties,spurring frequent, global, ad-hoc collaboration, leading toinnovation.

While collaborative innovation is a critical factor inmaintaining competitiveness, it must be achieved withinan environment where overall product related costs mustbe reduced across development, production, and servicein order to sustain a companys operational excellence.

Achieving and sustaining business success requires theability to increase the pace of innovation and newproduct development. To do so, companies must opencommunication channels, standardize processes andoffer technologies that foster a continuous improvementenvironment. The challenge is to have everyone -- fromplanners, designers, and analysts to manufacturers,service personnel, and importantly, the consumer, to beable to see and participate effectively in the completeproduct lifecycle.

MAIN SECTION

THE ROLE OF PRODUCT LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT(PLM) -- Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is definedas a strategic business approach that applies aconsistent set of business solutions support thecollaborative creation, management, dissemination anduse of product definition information. It also supports theextended enterprise (customers, design and supplypartners) and spans the concept of end of life for aproduct, integrating people, processes, businesssystems and information.

2 The goal is to capture every

aspect of the automotive development cycle in a way that

can automatically convey, not only how designmodifications affect manufacturing planning but alsohow changes in materials cost and labor, differingenvironmental regulations, etc., can affect the deliverymaintenance and cost of a vehicle.

Whereas early implementations of PLM were typicallycustomized programs of functionally-focused applica-tions to address specific issues (primarily CAD filemanagement), most current PLM includes managemen

of all product-related information from design tomanufacturing deployment to maintenance to compliance requirements. PLM solutions link information frommany different authoring tools and other systems to thedeveloping product configuration. However, even withthis level of sophistication, both PLM and PDM (ProducData Management) solutions are typically document-focused solutions delivering a CAD part, a Word file oExcel spreadsheet something that is textually-based(Fig.#1) This can be a potential problem in a globaworkspace.

Fig. 1 Quality Process documentation

Also, the idea of a single source database from which alother data throughout the lifecycle process is based, hasbeen elusive. There has always been an issue of movingthis data from one application into another applicationAlthough a successful strategy, there is a time factorinvolved as well as a potential loss of data richnessdepending upon the various applications.

As the progress in adopting 3D PLM technologies hasexpanded throughout the automotive industry and into

the supply base, it has become increasingly importanthat this product, process and resource information bemade easily accessible to a wider audience of users --both externally to vendors and internally to purchasingagents, executives, field service technicians, omanufacturing personnel. This demand has put pressureon PLM solution suppliers to develop solutions that allownon-engineers to also be part of the collaborative producdevelopment process. Additionally, to involve thisextended audience in the product development processwould require a simpler, more intuitive user interface.


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A first step in this process was the development oflightweight XML-based CAD files that enabled users toshare accurate 3D data quickly and easily, via email thatthen allowed the opening programs in typical Microsoftapplications such as Word or Excel. This was, and stillis, an excellent communication tool to involve purchasingand executives in the process, but it is not a real-timecollaborative tool.

Dassault Systmes then leveraged that technology to

develop 3D Live, which not only had a new, simplerintuitive interface, but was the first solution to allowcompanies to conceptualize, develop and deliverproducts in a shared environment over the Web,communicating with partners in real-time.

Studies have found that implementation of an integratedPLM solution can significantly improve a companysperformance to affect these types of savings:

Data searching reduced by 20-60%

BOM accuracy improved by 40%

Entering and rekeying of data reduced by 75%

Cost of launch delay positively impacted by 30%

Product development time easily decreased by60-70%.

Results like these would make any CEO take notice.However, it is a known fact that disparate IT systemsincrease the cost of business application ownership.This fact has led many OEMs to go to a single CAD orERP system, yet with PLM solution process there aremany, many niche players.

For a successful PLM strategy implementation, it isnecessary for these solutions to accommodate a widerange of applications -- not only those developed by the

PLM solution partners, but from the existing applicationswithin the enterprise such as ERP or Financial solutions.In addition, thousands of legacy applications are inwidespread use, which has been a key reason forcorporations to not implement and streamline solutionsacross the corporation -- the integration has just beentoo difficult.

CURRENT LEVELS OF COLLABORATION -- Varioustypes of collaborative processes and tools have longexisted within the automotive industry, fromsimultaneous engineering to concurrent development,single source database, seamless integration, and real-time visibility. These are all enabled by aproduct/process and resource data hub, where all theknowledge about the product is produced andmaintained including the Engineering BOM,Manufacturing BOM, manufacturing process, productroutings, tooling requirements, sourcing information, etc.These various engineering data are all interconnected,so that the impact of a change in one data type is visiblein the other data processes. This allows the change to beeasily examined and propagated, leveraging relationaldesign and manufacturing capability.

All data sources are integrated but, true collaboration hashad to be structured and scheduled such as in a webexor video conference, which works well when you wanefficiency, control and accuracy.

Also, the data involved in the product developmenprocess is limited to a select few within the corporationAs mentioned earlier, delivery formats are typically text-based, resulting in potential language issues in a globaenvironment. The idea of flexible, unstructured or ad

hoc collaboration has not been possible, and the idea ofmaking data available throughout the enterprise wouldbe very difficult given the limitations of bandwidthavailable to email large files of information.

Additionally, the idea of real-time data has not truly beendeliverable. In past platforms, every time a file is workedupon, an engineering change order must be recordedFiles are checked out to be worked on, changes madeand then files checked back into the PDM. The systemthen checks all files that have been changed andupdates accordingly. But, while the design engineer isworking on File A, the manufacturing engineer has no

way to know that File A is being changed. So, he is stigoing forward with his tooling based upon the lasconfiguration.

PLM 2.0: UNIFIED LIVE COLLABORATION -- We haveall become comfortable with the idea of Web 2.0, whereusers can do much more than just retrieve informationfrom the Internet. They can run software applicationsentirely through a browser and own the data on a Web2.0 site, exercising control over that data. These sitesmay have an "Architecture of participation" thaencourages users to add value to the application as theyuse it. User-developed content and online applicationsprovide a significant leap in interactivity and powebeyond the initial wave of Web content.

The same concept is being applied to PLM, with the ideaof PLM 2.0 or as Dassault Systmes refers to it, PLMonline for all. With the implementation of DassaulSystmes V6 platform, PLM 2.0 becomes a reality. V6 isan enterprise-level platform that provides a singleenvironment in which product-related information createdin both DS and non-DS applications can be consolidatedand collaboratively used by participants from all businessfunctions and areas of the extended enterprise that areinvolved in the product lifecycle.

What truly makes this platform different from previousgenerations, is that in this environment, people can workconcurrently in real time via a simple Web connectionrelying upon a single server.

The V6 (SOA) enables global deployment whilecentralizing the meta data in a single master siterepository and distributing the file within the differenremote locations. This centralized dataset is accessibleto all users, regardless of location. The different distansites use a local file server to load large representationfiles, eliminating time consuming network transmissions.


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Fig. 2 Centralized Database Architecture w/distributedfile stores

Heavy CAD files are replicated, but, the logic on howthey are composed is held in one single file, which iscached at the local file servers. This is achieved throughoptimized performance features including low memoryconsumption, optimized packet transport, and a smartcaching mechanism.

Main benefits of this approach include:

A single platform approach reduces costs byeliminating the complexity and replicationrequired with a distributed system

The HTTP connection provides stableperformance and access globally to alwayscurrent data

Memory consumption is stable, enablingcompanies of all sizes to take advantage V6

Response times are quicker enabling enhancedcollaboration

Graphical Interface -- Another difference is that ratherthan searching through documents or text to find the partyou need to work on, you can navigate the productstructure in 3D. With this 3D interface, based upon the3DLive application, a graphical turntable visual allows forproduct information navigation. (fig.#3) Users simplyclick on the 3D vehicle and it opens up into variousmodules, which then break down into variouscomponents and so on, allowing users to drill down tothe exact area that needs modification. (fig.#4) Thiscapability goes beyond design into the engineering BOM,manufacturing BOM, and attributions like weight, cost,and supplier involvement. This furnishes companies witha powerful data warehouse indexing and search

capability to amass IP across all business processdomains into a single meta-model. Users across theextended enterprise can easily and quickly find productIP-based on key words and file content regardless ofhow it was originally created. Indexing readies theinformation for ultra-fast on-demand response.

Fig # 3

Fig. #4

In this application, the object-oriented architecture allowsusers to simply check out only the features that arenecessary for their part of the project such as only aparticular spot weld attribute. Information is sent out insmaller bits, eliminating the need to continually transferlarge files, thus speeding the process. There is no longerthe need to always check back in and update thedocument -- everyone involved in the process is alwaysconnected to the same central source of truth. In PLM1.0, there is a design-in-context capability to ensure thainterfacing parts that share common design elements

match up perfectly. However, it typically requires theimplementation of digital mockup. With PLM 2.0designers are always working in context. For exampleone engineer can work on a trunk lid opening, whileanother is working on the hood opening that are part ofthe same stamping. Working in context is the norm.

This approach provides in-context visibility and accessto information that allows for data viewing, data analysissearching, collaborative sessions, chats, and buddy listsas well as context-sensitive searching for experts and for


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assistance. In previous systems, many digitalmanufacturing and CAE activities were not in sync withthe product development cycle, but lagged behind,awaiting current product definition data. V6 offersincreased functionality across product design,manufacturing planning and performance simulationthrough a single integrated environment. Changes to anyof these areas is relayed to the central repository andpropagated across the user universe. This helps toeliminate costly design and manufacturing errors.

The emphasis with V6 is on providing an onlineenvironment for virtual experience in 3D from anywhere,creating a user experience that makes it easy foranybody to participate in the product lifecycle designers, supply chain or end customers.

Since V6 is built on SOA, it allows the integration ofengineering practices with enterprise businessprocesses on a single platform that spans the entireproduct lifecycle from program management tocompliance management to sourcing. This includes themanagement of all product-related information such as

requirements, recipes and BOMs during the work inprocess, synchronizing this information from conceptthrough planning to production. In addition, as it providesinteroperability with virtually any other enterpriseapplication, users can access and leverage diverse datasources to be used in the context of PLM.

The old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words isemphasized through this application. The V6 graphical3D approach is intended to simplify the user experienceand more consistently guide users into their ownfunctional domain space, such as mechanical design,simulation and analysis, digital manufacturing, etc. DSnew user interface can be run as a lightweight, onlineWeb application, and is usable by individuals no matterwhere they are working from. This increasescollaboration in real time with people also communicationvia chat windows or other means such as Lotus notes.

Single Source/Single Language -- A key aspect of V6 isthat it extends to intellectual property (IP) authoringonline, making full PLM solutions accessible fromanywhere. For example, a designer with CATIA on theirlaptop can log-in from home and directly edit a modelwhich resides in the central office database. This workcan also be done concurrently with other members onthe team.

This online collaboration and IP authoring and modelingis facilitated in V6 via an architecture in which all IP ismaintained within a single, integral database designed sothat associates can work with the same IPsimultaneously, regardless of their physical location.

All applications within this system are interconnected anddesigned to function together as a united whole. Thisseamless ability to access current data will facilitate andencourage frequent, ad-hoc collaboration amongindividuals, regardless of their physical location, and to

empower collaborative, online communities, which hasthe capability to significantly reduce engineering changeorders and product launch time. Key benefits of thisapproach include:

Global collaborative innovation, expanding PLMto include business users and consumers,bringing together requirements and thefunctional, logical, and physical definitions of theproduct

A single PLM platform for managing intellectualproperty (IP) with modeling applications thatspan all engineering disciplines and businessprocesses

Collaborative online creation in real time usingWeb technology

Ready-to-use PLM business processes thatconsolidate engineering and enterprise bestpractices

Lower cost of ownership with a single database,an open service-oriented architecture (SOA),and ease of installation.

Lifelike experience with 3D products looking andbehaving as in real life, plus an intuitive interface

to find, communicate, collaborate, andexperience products in 3D

Universal language of 3D

Everyone is accessing real-time 3D data, understandableto the viewer no matter what language he speaks. In theUnited Kingdom, they may call a car hood a bonnet; inGermany, its an auto haube. However, via a 3Drendering, everyone knows which part they are workingon.

For example, the designer of an axle is situated inDetroit, and he has a product review with a quality

engineer in Paris. Both of these engineers can belooking at the same 3D CAD model at the same timeand can be communicating via an open instanmessaging window. With a conventional PDM systemthe quality engineer would review the file and then checkit back into the PDM with the requested changes. Thedesign engineer would then access that file, make thechanges, post it back to the PDM system and so on andso forth until the two parties are in agreement. Now, theentire process is worked out via one online collaborativesession with engineers both working on the same livedata delivered via the Web, resulting in one engineeringchange order as the issue is resolved. Based upon earlyfindings of customer implementations, the V6 platform isachieving up to an 80% reduction in engineeringchanges.

Sharing Knowledge -- A primary feature of V6 is itsfederation capabilities, which allows user to harnesscollective intelligence from diverse communities. Whathis means is that data can be collected from a widerange of different data sources into a singleconsolidated/ comprehensive view, thus supporting thirdparty applications.


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This approach also allows for the incorporation of datafrom legacy systems and the wide range of product-related applications that already exist across thecustomers enterprise to expand the view and use ofinformation from within the V6 environment. This data isthen classified and standardized within a companys PLMplan so, for example, similar parts are grouped together.This consolidated data view is then displayed in aconsistent form via the common user interface. Theobjective is to enable companies to collect all product-

related information and knowledge (intellectual property)across both DS and non-DS applications to expandcollaboration among diverse and distributed groups.

File sharing and open communication also requireincreased security standards. From the first develop-ment of a new program, the components and featuresthat will be accessible to other people is configured intothe system. There are lock-out aspects that allow onlythose involved in a particular area to have access to thatarea.

Successful companies will be the ones that can

efficiently share and repurpose data in ways that lead toimproved operations, new products and greater revenue.Cross-leveraging information can produce new ideasacross disparate domains within a firm. Studies showthat there exists a strong correlation between acompanys ability to find new uses for information and itsability to innovate.

Incorporate the Consumer -- One of the most valuableand interesting aspects of this platform is the ability toinvolve customers in the product development process.As stated earlier, todays vehicle buyer is faced with amultitude of choices. Vehicle makers struggle toleverage every niche demand of the consumer in hopesof maximizing profits against expanded productsofferings that complicate manufacturing and the supplychain. In a quest to innovate, OEMs continuously collectand analyze data, but by the time a product comes tomarket, it may no longer be relevant. As an example,according to a recent Consumers Reports survey, 79%of consumers are interested in buying a more fuel-efficient vehicle, such as a hybrid or diesel. A year priorto this study, that number stood at a mere 47%. Beingable to react quickly to consumer desires is paramount toremaining successful and viable in todays market. Plus,with the next generation of car-buyers raised onNintendo and Wii, instant gratification will become a

standard.

With this PLM 2.0, 3D Online for All platform, vehiclebuyers can see and participate in the productdevelopment cycle. Every person can understand thelanguage of 3D pictures. Consumers will be able toexperience the product online virtually, yet with all theconstraints of the real (physical) world. This is a newparadigm from traditional PLM tools where environmentswere typically limited within the world of the OEMssupplier chain.

The value of enabling a companys consumers to see avehicle as it is being conceived, experience its operationin a virtual world, and then provide direct feedback thacan significantly improve its market attractiveness andperformance is immeasurable in an economy thatdemands faster and more effective responses to markeopportunities. This approach will help to more effectivelycapture and define real end-user requirementsimproving the success rate of the product developmentprocess.

Closing the consumer desire loop -- Imagine that there isa consumer in Los Angeles who has just providedfeedback on a vehicle maker website by choosing hispreferred interior environment. A market analyst inDetroit analyzes this consumer feedback and providesthe design studio with the U.S. consumers interiordesign expectations. The designer, who is located inLondon, takes this consumer request into account, andrestyles the top of the console and posts it back on thewebsite.

Next, a program manager in Detroit investigates the

impact of integrating a new parking assistant on anexisting car being manufactured in Brazil. The systemsengineer for this vehicle, who is stationed in Indiadevelops a new system that includes a camera and newsensor on the rear bumper, which is immediatelyaccessible to the other parties. A simulation expert inGermany then performs an interior NVH optimizationvibration, safety, thermal trade-off while a processplanner at the manufacturing plant in Brazil checks theimpact of this new park assistant on the existingassembly line, causing him to request new tooling fromthe supplier. The maintenance manager in Braziupdates the technical documentation for maintenanceand end of life request.

Designer (London)

Consumer (LA)

Marketing (Detroit)

Program Mgr (Detroit)

Process Planner (Brazil)

Maintenance Mgr (Brazil)

1

4

2

3

6

8

7

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10

Consumer (LA) chooses its preferrinterior environment from

car maker website1

Marketing (Detroit) Analyzesconsumer feedbacks and provid

design studio with US consumerInterior design expectations

2

Designer (London) takes into accothe consumer request, re-styles th

top of the console and post it on wsite

3

Program Manager (Detroit)investigates impacts to integrate n

parking assistant on existing caproduced in Brazil

4

System Engineer (India) developsnew system for parking assistant tincludes camera and new sensor

the rear bumper

5

Process planner (Brazil) checks th

impact on the existing assemblyliand request its supplier to produc

new tooling

Project Manager is taking decision

launch the program basedon 3DLive dashboard indicator

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Maintenance Manager (Brazil)updates technical documentation

maintenance and end of life reque

8

Simulation Expert performsInterior NVH OptimizationVibration, Safety, Thermal

Multi-Attribute Trade-Off

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6

Consumer (LA) test drives theapplication

Back to customer lifelike experien10

Voice of Customer

Mktg/Style Collab.

Design Update

Program Management

System Engineering

4 3

2

1Simulation/Analysis

Manufacturing

TechnicalD ocumentation

Program Management

Feed-back to CustomerLife-like Test-drive

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9

8

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6

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System Engineer (India)

Simulation expert

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*to show globalization,ENOVIA IP Serveris located @ GMT+1

Fig. #5 Global Collaborative Product Development

The consumer in Los Angeles performs a virtual tesdrive on the application and provides his feedback, andthe information continues to be shared. Not only doesthis allow the vehicle maker to be much more in-tunewith the customer, but the seamless sharing oinformation reduces the product development cycle.


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Prior to the V6 platform, many of these activities,although collaborative, would have been performedsequentially. Now, with a single database and commonserver, all of those involved in the process can truly beworking simultaneously to deliver what the consumerwants in a much reduced time frame.

SCHULER CASE STUDY: LEVERAGINGINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN PLM 2.0 Schuler isthe worlds leading manufacturing of press systems andmetal forming solutions, and is at the forefront ofdeveloping transfer and servo presses widely usedacross the automotive industry. The company has tenforming system sites in Germany, sites in Brazil andChina, as well as advanced technology sites in Germanyand the U.S.

Schulers number one business challenge is trying tosatisfy the ever-changing requirements of its automotivecustomers. To maintain its lead in the metal formingindustry, it must constantly demonstrate its commitmentto innovation, product quality and customer service. Thisrequires reacting quickly to new marketing opportunitiesand delivering technologically superior products.

Schuler is a long-time user of Dassault Systmessolutions, experiencing success with both the V4 and V5platforms. Schuler believed that V6 PLM would enablethe company to further leverage worker knowledge andskills, providing its global development teams with theright tools for concurrent engineering. The companywanted a solution that would leverage its intellectualproperty to enable all stakeholders to work together andrun with new ideas.

With V6 PLM, Schuler has benefitted from the singleService Oriented Architecture platform that serves bothits multi-discipline engineering groups and its extended

enterprise. This collaborative approach delivers flexibility,open standards, scalability and industry-specificsolutions. It helps to accelerate product innovation bybridging the companys enterprise business processesand engineering practices.

Schuler can manage all of its product and process IP,from idea to product experience, from this single platformgrouping all this information in a single environment.Schuler stakeholders can create and collaborate in real-time from remote locations via a basic web connection.For example, engineering teams can display, manipulateor design parts concurrently in Germany and Brazil.

Online, remote collaboration allows for more flexibilityand reactivity. Work can easily be allocated to sitesaround the world where resources or expertise areavailable. Schuler also uses outside designers to meetdemand, and V6 helps to simplify the process ofconnecting these small suppliers into the process.

The intuitive user interface brings Schulers IP to life in3D for both technical and non-technical staff, noting that

its easier to work with geometry on the screen than withwords that you find in a traditional interface.

With a single platform requiring only one server to installand maintain across all IP modeling and collaborative

business process applications, V6 PLM delivers asubstantial increase in ROI by lowering the cost foadoption and reducing the time necessary to deploy a fulPLM solution.

CONCLUSION

The PLM online for all strategy, enabled by the V6platform, brings product-related knowledge from ideas toproduct experiences, to life. It merges the real andvirtual in a immersive lifelike experience, interpreted bythe universal language of 3D to help vehiclemanufacturers:

Enable collaboration among virtual productteams spread around the world so that they canconduct product development and support 24/7.

Leverage intellectual assets effectively acrossthe entire product lifecycle.

Create a virtual, global value chain with no time,distance, or organizational boundaries.

Continually innovate and improve products, andthe processes used to design, produce andservice them.

Ensure that product innovation and developmentis based upon current customer desire at areasonable price

The automotive industry may be ahead of all otheindustries in both conversion to 3D and in the way that itmanages IP data. However, todays market is brutallyintense given the current financial crisis, the acceleratedrate of change, the rising costs of material and laborenvironmental regulations, and the intense competitionfor fickle consumers and marketshare.

To meet these demands, vehicle makers musstreamline processes, capture knowledge across thei

enterprise and make this intellectual capital available toall parties involved in the product development processWithin the organization this means collaborative onlinesessions that add to creativity while reducing processtime and cost. Outside of the organization, it meansinvolving the consumer in the process in order to makesure that manufacturers are delivering the right producat the right time with an acceptable pricing schedule.

REFERENCES

1. Booz, Allen & Hamilton (1999), ChallengesFacing the Global Automotive Industry

2. The International Organization of Motor VehicleManufacturers, 2007 Global Production Vehicledata

3. Definition of PLM CIMData,http://www.cimdata.com/plm/definition.html

4. Ranjay Gulati, James Oldroyd, PhanishPuranam (September 22, 2008) Staring You inthe Face, Wall Street Journal

CONTACTS

Kevin Baughey, Dassault Systmes ENOVIA Corp.Director Automotive Industry Solutions1-517-960-3425, [email protected]

future of automotive design transportation whitepaper

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