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Dainippon Screen
Combating Shorter Product Lifecycles with CoCreate
"The competition is intense and we are challenged to quickly release popular products with high quality. The CoCreate platform is essential for doing this."
Mr. Hirofumi Tano, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd
The Complete Story
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Product lifecycles for high-tech electronic imaging equipment have drastically compressed; what used to be almost 10 years is now down to three. Companies must develop successful products quickly in order to survive in this market.
To combat these pressures Dainippon Screen relies on CoCreate for its competitive edge in product development.
"The competition is intense and we are challenged to quickly release popular products with high quality. The CoCreate platform is essential for doing this," said Mr. Hirofumi Tano, Media Technology Company, Dainippon Screen Mfg.
One such product brought to market using CoCreate's product development platform is the PlateRite 8800II.
Transforming the Workflow of Production Printing
The PlateRite 8800II is Dainippon Screen's flagship model within their computer-to-plate (CTP) thermal plate recorder lineup.
In addition to supporting a variety of output sizes, the PlateRite 8800II is equipped with state-of-art technology including GLV™ to output an impressive 30 plates per hour.
The process of creating plates for printing presses formerly required a multi-step plate production process that involved first printing the document onto film. Dainippon Screen's thermal plate recorders transform the workflow of production printing by imaging digital documents directly onto printing plates. The reduced number of steps cuts production costs and improves workflow efficiency.
Eliminating $10,000s in Plate Modifications
The Media Technology Company first implemented 3D product development in the 90's. The momentum behind 3D design was increasing due to intensifying market competition, and the company standardized upon CoCreate OneSpace Modeling.
The deciding factor in choosing the CoCreate platform was its ease of use and a quick learning curve. Users' skills naturally improved following only 2 days of training, allowing them to be effectively left to their own to immediately focus on design.
Although little time was required for training, the design environment was not transformed overnight. This was because there was still strong support for 2D in the organization.
Mr. Hirofumi Tano, who was responsible for promoting the implementation of 3D design in the Media Technology Company came to the conclusion that "transforming awareness is more important than transforming technology” and gathered employees in a CAD committee to conduct additional talks.
Around that time, the benefits of 3D product development began to appear. The molded component that forms the CTP head was designed in 3D using OneSpace Modeling. The design was sent to post processing following detailed analysis, and moved all the way into production without the mold being sent back for modification. At the time it was normal to have 2 or 3 mold revisions, so this was an astonishing achievement saving tens of thousands of dollars in mold revision expenses.
OneSpace Modeling's wave of success within the company caused the use of 3D to quickly grow.
Mechatronics: Mechanical, Electrical & Software
While Dainippon Screen relies upon OneSpace Modeling for speed within 3D product development, it is CoCreate OneSpace Model Manager that orchestrates the overarching development process for the company.
Development of high-tech electronics, such as the PlateRite 8800II, combines the expertise of a broad group of disciplines for mechanical, optical, electrical and software systems. Just as many disciplines come together to create one product, Dainippon Screen uses one solution to collectively manage all 3D components, wiring, circuit board diagrams and firmware source code that go into the development of products.
Well managed revision and state control has not only increased sharing of development information across the team, but also shortened development times through better process management.
The excellent user friendliness of both the tightly embedded and standalone desktop applications for OneSpace Model Manager proved easy to learn for all disciplines – including non-engineering departments that leverage released design information, such as procurement.
OneSpace Model Manager is also linked to the company's ERP system, serving as the front end of the technology development center and streamlining the company's lifecycle management process.
The company has now extended collaboration to include CoCreate OneSpace.net, which the company is effectively using to conduct design reviews focused on analysis and digital simulation.
The precious time already saved in averted travel and misunderstandings has set high expectations, and the company has created plans to expand its use to plate and mold partners, subcontracted designers and the CTP production plant that is located in China.
Company Profile
Dainippon Screen is one of the world's top high-tech electronics companies for semiconductor production equipment, computer-to-plate (CTP) digital printers, and other printing and prepress machinery. The company has annual sales of nearly 250 billion yen ($2.3bil USD) and over 4,500 employees (fiscal year ended March 31, 2006).
Dainippon Screen Mfg broadened its operations in a variety of fields, advancing from printing and prepress-related equipment into electronics industries that leverage their core image processing technologies.
The company's CTP product line is the embodiment of the company's technology, transforming the workflow of production printing.
The company was quick to implement the CoCreate platform for 3D product development, and has now built its infrastructure to enable digital product information to flow from design, through production technology, to procurement.
For more information, please visit: www.screen.co.jp.
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