Consulting
Precisely Tailored and Together for the Optimal Process
Our unique business model is made up of software, consulting and services. With this model, we unite worlds: We speak the language of the users, understand the processes and master the IT. This enables us to provide customers with comprehensive advice, including on the topic of digital mock-ups (DMU), and to develop the best solution together.
As an absolute specialist in digital product development, we are your perfect partner for digitalising your DMU processes. Benefit from our more than 25 years of experience in process consulting. We are convinced that a change is only successful if the analysis is done correctly. Our experts systematically analyse the current status and meticulously search for potential. In doing so, we always pursue the goal of strengthening your competitive position with automated processes. 100% digital product development is in our DNA!
You Want to...
... optimise or automate your process.
... introduce a new technology / innovation.
... Replace your old system.
Our Consulting: Process Analyses, Methods and Concepts as well as Feasibility Studies / Proof of Concept (PoC)
Process Analysis – Current Status
We always start with a systematic as-is analysis. This includes structured workshops and interviews that ensure transparency and present your processes as they currently are. Decades of experience in product development provide us with the necessary practical relevance. Our expertise in process automation helps us to identify the main weaknesses on an individual basis. With our expertise in software development, we can assess what is feasible in each individual case.
We find out ...
- ... how the process is structured.
- ... which persons are involved.
- ... what roles the participants have.
- ... which systems and interfaces are currently available.
- ... what the flow of information and data looks like.
Process Analysis – Potentials
On the basis of a complete as-is analysis, we suggest how existing processes can be optimised and what innovative alternatives are available. Our focus is on eliminating manual, time-consuming and expensive processes. Our primary goal is to automate manual work. To achieve this, we use VT-DMU and our self-developed artificial intelligence.
You will only receive optimisation and innovation proposals that are evaluated in terms of the expected costs for the change and clearly show what the process change will achieve or bring in terms of efficiency. We compare costs and benefits in the short and long term.
Of course, we also check the technical feasibility in advance when evaluating the proposal.
Methods and Concepts
Coherent concepts are the foundation for successful implementation. We are passionate about developing new methods and processes in precisely the environment in which we know our way around – virtual product development.
We know what makes a good concept because we unite the two worlds of engineering and IT. We use the software ourselves and speak the language of the users. We are a successful technology company and know what makes future-proof software.
Our specialisation is your advantage!
The Result of Our Consultation is a Detailed Concept for ...
... a new process
Your new process is sustainably more efficient compared to the previous way of working.
... a new method
We redefine or automate previously manual processes.
... a process extension or process enhancement
We integrate software modules from VT-DMU into an existing process.
Detailed Conceptual Answers
Regardless of whether it is a new application or a new process, we think outside the box and consider all aspects that make up a good concept:
- Application: Together with the users, we coordinate the optimal operation / interaction with the software.
- Process interfaces, performance and automation: Data must flow efficiently and be processed quickly and as automatically as possible.
- Architecture: The architecture of the application is designed on a modular basis with a view to long-term use and favourable maintenance and operating behaviour.
- IT infrastructure: Of course, your IT infrastructure and your framework conditions play a key role in the design.
- Migration: The transfer of an existing data status to the new process is also part of the concept.
Your advantage: In addition to our experience, with VT-DMU we also have a modular software system. This enables us to implement new solutions faster and more efficiently. Our modular system has received multiple awards, including the German Innovation Award 2016 for the technological concept and architecture.
Feasibility Studies / Proof of Concept (PoC)
Living Digitalisation Directly With Your Data
The innovative concept can now be experienced with feasibility studies and a PoC. Our experienced consultants and software developers implement a customised solution hand-in-hand. The centrepiece is the software, which can be used directly on your premises with your data. For the first time, you can experience live what you have previously read about in the concept.
Minimum risk – maximum effect – successful digitalisation strategy!
Using the Results of the Software Prototype Efficiently
The software prototype proves whether a previously developed concept works. On the one hand, the prototype must be available quickly and cost-effectively, which is why we use standard modules from our VT-DMU modular software system as often as possible. On the other hand, the software should be used directly by you – with your data.
Once the prototype is available, selected users (power users or a small group of users) analyse whether the software meets the customer's requirements. They check the functions and usability in detail and run through the use case.
As we work directly in your system environment with real data, we can immediately check whether your expectations are met. You will also realise at this point whether additional functions are required or whether the process needs to be changed. The feasibility study / PoC is worth it!
Ultimately, it is at this point that you decide whether or not a production version should be implemented and rolled out. If so, you can introduce changes here that will further improve the application or process. The benefits are transparent and the further costs and risks can be planned and calculated.
Customer solutions developed based on VT-DMU
Automated Screw Checks: Task and Goal
- Automatic AI-supported inspection of small parts and fasteners such as screws, bolts or clips
- The targeted use of artificial intelligence minimises risks and increases the quality of digital prototypes and the end product
All screw connections are automatically analysed for possible problems.
Solution:
- With small parts such as screw connections, the risks often lie in details that are not visible from the outside. If, for example, a hole in the component is changed slightly, the intended screw may no longer fit correctly.
- In traditional development processes, such cases have to be identified and checked manually in the CAD system, an enormously time-consuming and error-prone process.
- Our solution automates this process: it recognises relevant fasteners with the respective environment, groups them contextually and checks them based on defined criteria. It not only recognises obvious conflicts, but also geometric deviations such as incorrect alignment of the screw axis in relation to the hole, whether the components are correctly seated and whether the screw connection is complete.
Benefit:
- Many different criteria are checked automatically and systematically: The results are comprehensible and experts receive targeted support in practice during manual checks.
- The automatic checks are always up to date: they run continuously in the background and check every change in the virtual product.
- No reworking of the hardware is necessary: Digital quality standards can thus be established and continuously improved throughout the entire company.
Geometry Subtraction for automated Installation Space Analysis: Task and Goal
- Geometry subtraction enables the automated analysis and identification of free installation spaces in digital prototypes.
- The precise identification and utilisation of free installation spaces was a customer requirement in the development of complex technical systems. Changes in the product architecture or new requirements demand quick and reliable decision-making bases from the customer.
- The aim was to clearly identify and geometrically visualise usable areas within an assembly.
Solution:
- Geometry subtraction is used to automatically process replacement bodies for free installation spaces. The process analyses the existing product geometry, identifies unused volumes and displays them as precise result geometries.
- These can be used immediately for further work steps such as design, installation space or package analyses.
- Geometry subtraction can be integrated into existing systems via APIs.
- At the same time, the function is a component of the modular VT-DMU software toolkit and extends its range of functions with an automated method for geometric difference analysis.
Benefit:
- The automatic generation of the resulting geometries reduces installation space conflicts and minimises manual inspection work.
- Decisions on the placement of new components are made on the basis of transparent, digitally available geometry data.
- Geometry subtraction provides clear, comprehensible results and creates a consistent data basis for downstream development processes.
Leakage finder: Task and Goal
- Detecting leaks with VT-DMU
- Problems with leaks often occur in product development: for example, sound spreads unintentionally and gas leaks occur. "Leakage Finder" enables the complete digitalisation of this process. With the help of this function, VT-DMU can reliably and quickly calculate whether, how and where sound, gases or other substances are spreading. Until now, this was a manual process that often required expensive hardware.
Solution:
- Users can select the input data to be analysed for sound bridges as well as a leakage source (e.g. outside the product), a leakage receiver (e.g. inside the product) and other settings.
- Once the files have been read in, the algorithm automatically fills in existing cavities to identify leaks. All gaps and connections of a geometric data set that are relevant in practice are calculated, such as openings through which sound can escape and propagate unintentionally. This is particularly important in the development of new vehicles.
- The calculation result contains all relevant information on the route from the sound source to the sound receiver. The most important findings are clearly highlighted in colour to make the presentation as clear as possible for users. The result file can be analysed with common 3D viewers or imported into PDM systems for further processing.
Benefit:
- Thanks to the intelligent calculations, sound bridges can now be accurately identified. This allows changes to be made directly to the product, for example to avoid disruptive noise transmission.
- The algorithm is flexible and can be adapted to different use cases across all industries. In vehicles in particular, a lower background noise level contributes to the well-being of the occupants and thus increases driving comfort.
Delta belts: Task and Goal
- When cast parts are developed, this is associated with special challenges: Due to the manufacturing process, a machining allowance must be added as precisely as possible in order to produce exact surfaces on the finished part. If the allowance is too large, material is wasted. If it is too small, the required surface cannot be produced.
- Currently, many users measure possible differences in allowances by manually checking the design in the CAD software. This process is time-consuming, laborious and, above all, very error-prone.
- The customer wanted to check the machining allowances automatically.
Solution:
- At the customer's request, invenio VT has developed a workflow that detects and visualises deviations in the material at an early stage: The VT tool uses adjustable areas, so-called delta bands, to check the current status of the design and transparently indicates any need for action.
- The VT solution automatically saves all deviations in a 3D model.
- The user interface is intuitive and can be operated without training: raw and finished parts are added via drag and drop, and then only the parameters need to be adjusted.
Benefit:
- Users receive a quick and reliable statement about the quality of the machining allowance at the touch of a button. Different colours in the calculation result make it clear where deviations occur.
- The calculation parameters can be saved individually for each product and reused to perform further calculations.
- The tool is compatible with common data formats.
- The validation of processing allowances is automated.
Solid envelopes: Task and Goal
- The customer wanted to replace a time-consuming, manual CAD process with an intelligent and integrated solution that fully automates the process.
- The aim is to pass on geometric assemblies to suppliers so that they can design their components to match the existing buildings.
- The challenge here is to pass on as much information as necessary (design of neighbouring components), but at the same time to pass on as little additional detail as possible (about the design of the assembly passed on).
Solution:
- The VT-DMU module "Solidhüllen" combines data protection and data reduction. To achieve this, invenio VT has utilised and further developed existing algorithms.
- "Solid envelopes" reduces the data within an assembly in such a way that each component is retained and all internal geometries are removed. Open areas are filled with a replacement surface.
- The time-consuming and manual closing of holes in the CAD programme is completely automated by the VT solution.
- The algorithm receives the BREP information (BREP = Boundary Representation) when generating the envelope.
Benefit:
- Users receive individual, data-reduced components and can forward them internally and externally without hesitation - the internal expertise is protected and the result can be used flexibly wherever exact surfaces and points are essential for further processing.
Example of an Innovative, Exclusive Customer Solution
Digital Hardware Generator: Task and Goal
- Digital images of all hardware vehicles, directly available in the PDM system
- All prototype vehicles with a known configuration were set in the PDM system to virtually represent the hardware prototype. During ongoing testing, however, the real vehicles were often physically modified in the workshop. The digital prototype in the PDM system then no longer matched the actual vehicle on the road. For this reason, problems occurring in the hardware prototype could no longer be reliably reproduced in the digital prototype, meaning that the data statuses were inconsistent.
- In order to immediately reflect all changes to the real vehicle without manual rework, Mercedes-AMG wanted to create fully automated digital images of the real vehicle prototypes
Solution:
- Together with invenio VT and with the help of the VT-DMU modular software system, Mercedes-AMG developed a process for automatic 3D data processing: invenio VT programmed software for this purpose, with which the 3D data supplied for the modifications to the real vehicles is mapped fully automatically in the digital prototype.
- The powerful VT algorithms also contribute to correct component positioning in order to provide Mercedes-AMG with a digital image of all hardware prototypes at all times. Build statuses of older vehicles are also displayed seamlessly and at the touch of a button. Internal conversions and test components can thus be easily incorporated into the digital twin.
Benefit:
- The virtual vehicle is automatically updated based on the information from the workshop as to which components have been replaced or changed and is therefore always up to date. The data also stores all information on the conversion history – for example, it is possible to digitally visualize which components have been replaced and at what mileage.
- The digitally created prototypes are currently being used in the development workshop, simulation, certification and overall vehicle design, among others.
- invenio VT is using this cooperation and the findings from the project to continuously improve and expand the functionality of the Digital Hardware Generator, currently with a web interface and cloud integration, among other things.
Delta Tapes: Task and Goal
- When cast parts are developed, this is associated with special challenges: Due to the manufacturing process, the most precise machining allowance possible must be added in order to produce exact surfaces on the finished part. If the allowance is too large, material is wasted. If it is too small, the required surface cannot be produced.
- Aktuell messen viele Anwender:innen mögliche Unterschiede bei den Zugaben, indem sie manuell die Currently, many users measure possible differences in allowances by manually checking the design in the CAD software. This process is time-consuming, laborious and, above all, very error-prone.
- The customer wanted to check the processing additions automatically.
Solution:
- At the customer's request, invenio VT has developed a workflow that detects and visualizes deviations in the material at an early stage: The VT tool uses adjustable areas, so-called delta bands, to check the current status of the design and transparently indicates any need for action.
- The VT solution automatically saves all deviations in a 3D model.
- The user interface is intuitive and can be operated without training: raw and finished parts are added via drag and drop, and then only the parameters need to be adjusted.
Benefit:
- Users receive a quick and reliable statement about the quality of the machining allowance at the touch of a button. Different colors in the calculation result make it clear where deviations occur.
- The calculation parameters can be saved individually for each product and reused to perform further calculations.
- The tool is compatible with common data formats.
- The processing additions are secured automatically.
Solid Envelopes: Task and Goal
- The customer wanted to replace a time-consuming, manual CAD process with an intelligent and integrated solution that fully automates the process.
- The aim is to pass on geometric assemblies to suppliers so that they can design their components to match the existing buildings.
- The challenge here is to pass on as much information as necessary (construction of adjacent components), but at the same time as few additional details as possible (about the construction of the assembly passed on).
Solution:
- The VT-DMU module "Solidhüllen" combines data protection and data reduction. To achieve this, invenio VT has used and further developed existing algorithms.
- "Solidhüllen" reduces the data within an assembly in such a way that each component is retained and all internal geometries are removed. Open areas are filled with a replacement surface.
- The VT solution completely automates the time-consuming and manual closing of holes in the CAD program.
- The algorithm receives the BREP information (BREP = Boundary Representation) when generating the envelope.
Benefit:
- Users receive individual, data-reduced components and can forward them internally and externally without hesitation – the internal know-how is protected and the result can be used flexibly wherever exact surfaces and points are essential for further processing.
Would you Like to Find out more about our Consulting Services?
Would you Like to Find out more about
our Advisory Services?
Michael Pretschuh will inform you and cater to your needs.
- personal contact person
- live or via video call
- clarify all your questions directly
Our Service: Directly in Product Development in your Projects
Have We Introduced New Software or Optimised Processes for You? We Would Be Happy to Take Over the Service for You.
We have focussed on six core topics: Virtual product, virtual geometric validation, construction space / package, digital buildability, digital service and graphics / animation.
We have decades of practical experience in customer projects in all of these areas and have continuously expanded our range of services: We build the digital product, check the quality and consistency, digitally secure the buildability and serviceability in advance and create technical graphics or high-end animations.
- Virtual Product
- Virtual Geometric Protection
- Installation Space / Package
- Digital Buildability
- Digital Service
- Grafic / Animation
- Product structure: Your result is a coherent organisation of a product according to specific criteria.
- Database: Your result is a clean and high-quality data structure for real-time processing.
- Positioning: Your result is the correct placement of components in the overall context of a virtual prototype.
- Status query: Your result is an interim status of the development progress of a product that can be called up at any time.
- PDM system: The CAD data to be evaluated is stored in a PDM system, usually by the client.
- Geometry checking software (Quality Monitor): Direct access to the data (CAD and structure) and calculation of the relationships between the components.
- Results management: Logical and meaningful display of the relations with documentation after the visual inspection.
- Visualisation tool: Manual inspection, evaluation and subsequent documentation in the results management tool
- Evaluating concept approaches from the specialist areas
- Reviewing feasibility studies with the specialist department and suppliers
- Creating specifications for the design
- Creating specifications for the specialist departments
- Interface coordination
- Installation and removal analyses
- Assessment and specification of service and legal issues
- Change management
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Automatic calculation of motor shaft envelopes
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Dynamic envelopes as placeholders for assembly routes
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Automatic determination of assembly sequences (with different sets of rules)
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Creation of non-designed but assembly-relevant geometries (e.g. welded or glued seams)
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Comprehensive process for safeguarding assembly tools (e.g. welding guns)
- Disassembly scopes with 3D models instead of physical prototypes
- Guarantee of service-compliant design up to 53 months before series production
- Accompanying the development process from the first geometry to the finished product
- "difference-inVT"-algorithm shows development progress in seconds
- Preparation of repair concepts taking into account the warranty, maintenance and repair costs or the insurance classification
- Development of repair methods that are documented in repair instructions
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Visualisations for animation and print
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Visualisation with CAD data
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Partial/automated data preparation
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Training documents and assembly instructions
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Repair and operating instructions
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Applications for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR)
Andreas Böttge
Your sales contact
invenio Virtual Technologies GmbH
Robert-Bürkle-Straße 3
85737 Ismaning
+49 (151) 11266086
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