CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
10 January 2013
Product News
Lattice Technology Releases Lattice3D Reporter™ v6
Lattice Technology, Inc. announced the availability of their latest release ofLattice3D Reporter™, v6. This product is a software plug-in that allows manufacturing companies to quickly and easily embed ultralightweight, interactive versions of a 3D CAD model and related part information into any Microsoft® Excel® file.
The 3D embedded information may include multiple bills of materials (eBOM, mBOM, sBOM), work instructions, assembly animations and 3D interactive snapshots. Unlike comparable solutions, the embedded 3D models are accurate for measurement and other functions. One of the key features of Lattice3D Reporter is that templates automate the publishing process, allowing users to define how models and their associated information will be represented in Excel. This solution is powered by the industry’s most compressed, secure and accurate 3D format—XVL developed by Lattice Technology.
The embedded Excel files may be viewed with Excel using the free Lattice Technology plugin, Lattice3D Reporter Viewer™. Using this plug-in, anyone can review and interrogate interactive 3D models and their associated information via Excel, one of the most commonly used information tools. The result is immediate improvement in communication, accuracy and time-to-market.
“Lattice3D Reporter is a leap forward for the manufacturing industry because it provides unprecedented clarity of information across the extended enterprise,” stated Bill Barnes, Lattice Technology general manager for Americas and Europe. “By combining the industry’s most lightweight, accurate 3D format with a tool as ubiquitous as Excel, we deliver an easy to use solution that provides invaluable data to anyone inside or outside of the company.”
The latest version of Lattice3D Reporter enables even greater productivity, ease of use and communication with updates to the following key features:
- Powerful lightweight format—All 3D graphics load quickly, allowing users to locate a part visually, instead of remembering long numeric IDs. Thumbnail “snapshots” give users alternate perspectives, assembly relationships or animated instructions.
- Expanded Excel toolset for 3D—Build 3D spreadsheets within Excel, saving all information with the “.xls” extension. Information can be used in an interactive 3D environment or printed in 2D, giving users unprecedented flexibility.
- Automated updates of spreadsheets—When engineering data is updated and released, previously created spreadsheets are automatically updated, saving time and eliminating the possibility of costly errors.
- Integration with existing IT infrastructures—3D data from engineering is rapidly integrated into existing ERP, PLM and other IT infrastructures, improving productivity and communication throughout the extended enterprise.
KCMA Corporation (Kawasaki Construction Machines, www.kawasakiloaders.com) fabricates and assembles front loader heavy equipment in their plant in Newnan, Georgia. When a joint-venture resulted in a total redesign of all their models, KCMA implemented Lattice3D Reporter to shorten the learning curve, reduce assembly time and ensure quality as workers implemented the new designs.
“Using Lattice3D Reporter, we have seen a forty percent reduction in start-up assembly time for new products at our plant,” explained Tony Endo, Assistant for Vice President at KCMA. “In addition to saving time, the 3D models and related parts lists help us maintain the high quality standards of Kawasaki products.”
Lattice3D Reporter is a Microsoft Excel plug-in which is available for purchase as a floating or node-locked license.Lattice3D Reporter Viewer is an Excel plug-in available as a free download from the Lattice Technology website.
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