Written by Ralph Grabowski
I listened in as John MacKrell, chairman of CIMdata PLM, talked about the ‘M’ in MBx, short for model-based anything. Here are the notes I took, and so of necessity they are a paraphrase of what Mr MacKrell said. To listen to the complete seminar, go to attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/5581930675472864258 (requires registration).
As products become more complex, MCAD becomes a smaller part of the design process. In today’s automobiles, more is done electrically than mechanically: actions like adjusting the heating system and changing gears are all embodied by software. By changing the software, we change the characteristics of the car.
MBx is short for “model-based anything.” Model-based initiatives must cover form, fit, and function. Form is not just the shape of the product, but also how things operate together, such as the control system of the product.
Many people believe that a “model” has to be a 3D model. It doesn’t. It can be a software model, a financial model, an optical model, a heat transfer model, traffic flow model, and so on. The figure below shows how various kinds of models can be used together.
The various kinds of software models for design projects
Some or all of these are needed for complex models, such as manufacturing models, which answer the question, “How am I going to build this?”
Treating ‘M’ as a 3D CAD model limits the value of model-based strategies, because design occurs relatively late in the development cycle. See pink area in the figure below. You are creating a product that may or may not work. Modifying the CAD model may mean going as far back as changing things like system requirements.
The “V” model of product development
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