XAL supports growth with CAD

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Manufacturing

Case Study:

XAL supports growth with CAD

20 November 2007

Converting to Solid Edge enabled lighting provider Xenon Architectural Lighting (XAL)to speed up responses and support for rapid growth.

XAL is a single source supplier of technical lighting for interior and exterior applications around the world. Based in Graz, Austria, XAL prides itself on innovation, research and development, and emphasis on design, technology and quality.

XAL’s 3D design software for product development tasks could not keep up with its rapid growth. Performance, service and maintenance problems, and cost issues drove XAL to look for a long-lasting follow-on product. XAL wanted a full package of computer aided design (CAD) and product data management (PDM) functionality, with the option of importing data from its own Navision ERP system. It was essential that as the company grew, new employees could find information and integrate quickly, easily and efficiently.

After a test phase and reports from existing users, XAL chose Siemens PLM Software's Solid Edge software, with its Insight builtin cPDM system offered as an integrated solution for design data administration and a problem-free linkup to the ERP system.

Insight provides seamless integration of CAD, data administration and Web-based collaboration in a single tool. It also removes the barriers to successful PDM introduction and provides all the functions needed for effective design data administration. With no need for additional user training, Insight increases employees’ satisfaction with the modular tool based on Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services and SQL Server database, which currently manages 50,000 documents.

One challenge lay in transferring data from XAL’s previous system. With a lack of standards in 3D design data from different systems, there was only one follow-on method available – Siemens distribution partner ACAM Systemautomation GmbH provided the basic transfer of 30,000 documents to Solid Edge, after which XAL design engineers reparametered article data as and when required.

A seamless link-up to XAL’s Microsoft Dynamics NAV commercial software environment aids further automation of design tasks. ACAM created a direct interface giving direct access to construction details from the commercial environment software system. This guarantees access to the most upto- date documents in production, even when changes have been made only seconds before.

The solution has enabled XAL to preserve its competitive edge over larger mass producers, reacting quickly to demands despite constant growth and ever-broader distribution of knowledge within the company.

Simple, optimised knowledge management and intuitive operation allow design engineers to devote their attention to the technical challenges at hand. This facilitates the harmonisation of quality and price requirements placed on XAL products, ensures competitiveness in the face of global competition, and contributes to XAL’s continued growth and innovation.

This article first appeared in the Winter 2007 issue of Prime magazine.