Model Based Enterprise - Model Based Definition : Definition and Approach

Model-Based Definition (MBD) is an approach that documents a product using exclusively enriched 3D data. This system combines 3D geometry, Product Manufacturing Information (PMI), and metadata to create a single source of complete information. MBD relies on 3D annotations, including dimensions, tolerances, roughness, and other attributes essential to manufacturing. Additionally, 2D documents such as lists, diagrams, or matrices can be included in a Technical Data Package (TDP), which centralizes all the necessary information to fully define a product and its requirements.

The Advantages of MBD and MBE

The MBD approach represents a true revolution in the CAD/CAM/CAE field. Annotated 3D models and 3D TDPs are gradually replacing 2D drawings as the sole source of all design information. When an MBD approach is deployed from the early stages of the product lifecycle and reused throughout the company and its supply chain, it enables faster, more consistent, and cost-effective product development, from design to disposal.

This transformation leads to the creation of an environment called Model-Based Enterprise (MBE). In an MBE environment, MBD becomes the design reference or product authority. Transitioning from 2D drawings to a 3D model with annotations reduces errors, rework, and the costs associated with creating physical documents. Collaboration between stakeholders is optimized, and data is shared more efficiently.

Challenges in Transitioning to MBD

While the implementation of MBD is promising, it involves many challenges. Companies must not only migrate their legacy 2D/3D data but also ensure the reuse of MBD data throughout the supply chain. This requires rigorous data management and the adoption of new standards for creating and sharing 3D annotations. Technical Data Packages (TDPs) must be compatible with all CAD systems used to ensure seamless interoperability with partners and suppliers, regardless of the platforms they use.

The Importance of Data Quality in MBD

It is essential to ensure data quality in 3D models and TDPs. The goal is for all model users to share the same information unambiguously, enabling smooth and error-free collaboration. If the original design intent is faithfully maintained within the 3D model, the risk of downstream issues, especially in production, is minimized. This also reduces the need for exchanges of questions and clarifications between teams.

CAD Interoperability Solutions from CAD Interop

To facilitate this transition to an MBD environment, CAD Interop offers a wide range of interoperability solutions. These solutions help companies migrate their legacy 2D/3D data, ensure MBD data compatibility across various CAD systems, and maintain high-quality data transfer for design information.

3DViewStation: a powerful tool for MBD model visualization, allowing for in-depth analysis and easy reading of PMI directly within 3D models, with multi-CAD format compatibility.
CADIQ: a dedicated solution for MBD model validation that ensures critical design and manufacturing information (PMI) is accurately represented and meets requirements, while detecting discrepancies between models.
Proficiency: a CAD conversion solution capable of preserving the construction history, including PMI, to ensure smooth and complete MBD model migration between different CAD systems while maintaining essential design information.

CAD Interop identifies and resolves issues related to MBD data migration and reuse throughout the product lifecycle, ensuring seamless data sharing with partners and suppliers.

Concrete Benefits of MBD with CAD Interop

Adopting the MBD approach with the solutions distributed by CAD Interop offers several concrete benefits for companies:

Improved communication: All critical information is centralized in a single 3D model, facilitating collaboration between engineers, designers, technicians, and project managers.
Reduced cycle times: Eliminating redundant steps and minimizing errors accelerates product development, from design to production.
Cost optimization: The removal of paper documents and the reduction of production errors help reduce costs related to rework and physical archiving.
Management of large data sets: CAD Interop’s solutions efficiently handle large 3D datasets, ensuring smooth manipulation of complex models without performance loss.

A Successful Digital Transformation

The transition to an MBD environment represents a major evolution for companies, offering tangible benefits in terms of productivity, efficiency, and cost reduction. However, this transition is not without challenges, and companies must ensure rigorous data management and interoperable compatibility across all their systems. Thanks to CAD Interop's interoperability solutions, this transformation becomes an opportunity for continuous improvement, enabling companies to remain competitive and optimize their processes throughout the product lifecycle.

In an industrial world where the complexity of technical data continues to grow, the 3Di PDF format emerges as a revolutionary solution allowing for effective communication of design intent throughout the value chain. This technology represents a major advancement in the management of Technical Data Packages (TDP), reducing technical communication costs by up to 30%. Combining the richness of annotated 3D models with the universal accessibility of the PDF format, 3Di PDF radically transforms the exchange of complex technical data between different industrial stakeholders.

Navigating the complexities of CAD collaboration and manufacturing often feels like a high-stakes chess game. From maintaining robust models to reducing engineering errors, businesses are fraught with challenges that could potentially cost a fortune if not addressed promptly. Recent discussions with ITI partners and industry professionals confirm that while these topics are undeniably crucial, they are often sidelined due to budget constraints and a lack of expertise. What if we told you that ignoring these could lead to far graver repercussions than the cost of dealing with them? Dive in to unearth effective solutions for overcoming these hurdles and why making an early investment could save you big in the long run.

There will always be differences between the design model and the manufacturing model. Zero article inspection (ZAI^TM) answers the important and potentially costly question: Are differences between the design and manufacturing model acceptable?

Today, the evolution underway for many engineering enterprises is the implementation of 3D Model Based Design (MBD), using applications such as Catia 3D Master, where all Product Manufacturing Information (PMI) such as functional tolerances, dimensions, and annotations are stored in the 3D model rather than in the linked associative 2D drawings.

In the modern manufacturing industry, a design error can cost millions of euros in production delays, rework, and defects in finished products. CAD model validation represents a major strategic challenge today to ensure the integrity of digital data throughout the development and manufacturing cycle. At the heart of this issue is PMI (Product Manufacturing Information), the digital passport of the product containing all specifications necessary for its manufacturing.

According to a recent study, more than 42% of problems encountered in manufacturing are directly related to errors or inaccuracies in CAD models. These defects, often invisible to the naked eye, can seriously compromise the quality, functionality, and compliance of products, particularly in demanding sectors such as aerospace, automotive, or medical.

The evolution of Model-Based Definition (MBD) has redefined the industrial landscape. 2D drawings are giving way to 3D models enriched with Product Manufacturing Information (PMI). 3DViewStation has emerged as a key player in this revolution, offering sophisticated tools to visualize and interact with these annotated 3D models, meeting the interoperability and complex data management requirements.