PLM Systems and Tecnomatix Plant Simulation, a Description of the Environment, Control Elements, Creation Simulations and Models

Veiw figure View Figure

3. PLM and Its Application in Practice and in Everyday Life

PLM systems used today not only in the field of engineering, aviation, automotive industry, but also in many other areas. For example, in the field of motorsport. PLM systems and reliable long-term used teams Formula 1 Through these software planning and simulating pit stops, also the production and treatment of aerodynamics the cars separate, for each race in the series World Championship .Another important area where they were used PLM systems, as for example development of interplanetary vehicles Curiosity, which explores the surface of Mars. Throughout the development of this vehicle scientists from NASA used PLM software. Thereby saved the cost and amount of time when making and testing prototypes and adapt his possible errors. The system ensures that all necessary components are correctly made and properly fit into one another. By ensuring the correct operation of the vehicle in difficult conditions in which it is used. Software could help to model and simulate the processes of vehicle parts production of . Also, his activity carried out by the Martian surface, allowing its virtual testing before starting the operation in space.

Figure 2. Use of PLM systems in practice (vehicle NASA Mars Curiosity)

Download as

Veiw figure View Figure

4. Plant Simulation, a Tool for Creating Dynamic Simulations

The paper deals with a separate Plant Simulation module, which deals with the field of dynamic simulation, used to optimize production and its performance also correcting logistic flows and creating their digital models ^[2]. These enable to perform various experiments and scenarios in production, still in the planning phase of production, before the real start of construction of a factory or production unit. It provides extensive analytical tools to analyze obstacles, statistics and graphs, enabling to assess profitability of individual experiments in the scenarios of production planning and optimize them in the most appropriate form. This module can help in the planning of production lines, their parts, as well as the planning of global manufacturing plants.

Figure 3. The opening screen of Plant Simulation module

Download as

Veiw figure View Figure

The working environment consists of 5 main parts in (Figure 3 )

1^st part: Master control bar, which serves to control the program and allows you to store and set all parameters in the program. There is a basic menu in which the user selects and describes the various requirements, such as language, extent, tools, insights, assistance and other attributes necessary for basic settings.

2^nd part: The basic structure of the model that is created when you open a new document, where are all items of a model. It has a tree structure for better transparency in dealing with complex models. Area is called class library, in which the icons, used as elements of the process creates the simulation. In options there is possibility of selecting the icons of material flow, resource, information flows, user interface objects, models and frames. Last mentioned elements are essential in addressing the simulation itself. Frame is an area into which is inserted a simulation, and can be the basis for a complex process. By creating and by connecting of multiple Frames we creates a complex process.

3^rd For user is the most important this part. We can find there the necessary elements to establish the simulation, layout drawing of halls and setting of the simulation. The zone contains the same elements as Class Library, but in a visually different form. Processes commonly used in the simulation of simple and complex production processes, inputs and outputs in the production, simple and parallel process, assembly and disassembly, transfer stations, conveyors, access roads and connectors of all processes .

4^th The area in which is plotted the manufacturing process looks like this: we can choose between two basic areas, or with a simple grid. Of course there is also setting a custom wallpaper that can match the footprint of buildings drawn with CAD system, it often works like AutoCAD sw. This area can be called essential. It is necessary to pay attention in the moment of loading some layouts ( floor plans ) buildings into the field . There it is necessary to select new models by the Tools icon and choose Scaling Factor and set its value to desktop size, which must be identical to the dimensions of the layout. Otherwise we get distorted data of a model, which will be unusable for us. Simply we can say that, it is necessary to set the correct scale in floor plan to create a usable layout of production that we are going to create.

5^th Console for recording a change in a simulation and easy control of these changes.

5. To Work with the Icons We Can Use Keyboard Shortcuts

Some auxiliary controls button in the software:

• Click the icon of the machine + F6 - statistics of the element.

• Click the icon of the machine + F8 - the methods used forthis element.

• CTRL + T – rotating icons.

• CTRL + * - enlarging icons.

• CTRL + / - reduction of icons.

• Submit comments and its signing - CTRL + Left Arrow or Down - increase your desktop.

According to this brief (short) guide we can create simulations and models of production shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Simple 2D simulation in Plant Simulation module

Download as

Veiw figure View Figure

When we switch to 3D mode on the desktop No.1 we create simple model of simulation shown on Figure 5, Figure 6.

Figure 5. 3D Simulation in Platn Simulation

Download as

Veiw figure View Figure

Figure 6. Simulation in 3D mode – Detail of inter area mode of transport and handling activities robots

Download as

Veiw figure View Figure

In this way it is possible to create a similar simple simulation and the use of other methods and programming options offered by the program can be designed in any production line and production process (Figure 6). By Plant Simulation module we can generate a large amount of statistics and data to help optimize production for each item inserted into the model.

Figure 7. complex 3D simulation of the production hall

Download as

Veiw figure View Figure