A foundation for global expansion NX and Teamcenter provide a single source of accurate product information that facilitates standard practices around the world www.siemens.com/plm High tech and electronics REICHLE & DE-MASSARI AG Siemens PLM Software Business initiatives New product development Enterprise data management Business challenges Globalization Faster time to market Efficient resource utilization Keys to success Worldwide exchange of product and process data Fewer prototypes Automated processes Standardized tools Excellent technical support Results Huge time savings Uniform data worldwide Use of resources improved Cabling solutions for maximum network availability Reichle & De-Massari AG (R&M) is a leading supplier of passive cabling solutions for high quality communication networks. Its copper and fiber optic systems make a significant contribution worldwide toward ensuring maximum network availability. With excellent products and forward-looking system design, the family-run R&M ensures that networks are sustainable and that investments are safeguarded in the long term. R&M has doubled its revenue in the last five years and improved earnings before interest and tax to around 10 percent of revenue. Worldwide, almost 700 people work for the company, one-third of them outside of the company’s base in Switzerland, with significant revenue generated internationally. R&M has an aggressive growth strategy, operating in 110 countries on all continents.The goal is continued strong revenue growth and increased market share in the next five years. Migrating to NX Innovative products and solutions are the tradition at R&M and the foundation for the company’s future. For this reason the cabling specialist has always worked with the most powerful software. It adopted the I-deas solution in 1995, starting with 2D and later upgrading to 3D and integrated data management with Team Data Manager. After careful deliberation,the company decided to follow the migration path suggested by Siemens PLM Software and switch to the NX ™ digital product development solution. “The procurement of a new CAD system is an important process and the decision must bear up for many years,” says Andreas Birrer,manager of material lifecycle management.“It’s not just about being able to draw as simply and efficiently as possible.We also have to prepare
Transcript
A foundation for global expansionNX and Teamcenter provide a single source of accurate product information that facilitates standardpractices around the world
www.siemens.com/plm
High techand electronics
R E I CH L E & D E -MA S SAR I AG
Siemens PLM Software
Business initiatives
New product development
Enterprise data management
Business challenges
Globalization
Faster time to market
Efficient resource utilization
Keys to success
Worldwide exchange ofproduct and process data
Fewer prototypes
Automated processes
Standardized tools
Excellent technical support
Results
Huge time savings
Uniform data worldwide
Use of resources improved
Cabling solutions for maximumnetwork availabilityReichle & De-Massari AG (R&M) is a leadingsupplier of passive cabling solutions for high qualitycommunication networks. Its copper and fiber opticsystems make a significant contribution worldwidetoward ensuring maximum network availability.With excellent products and forward-lookingsystem design, the family-run R&M ensures thatnetworks are sustainable and that investments aresafeguarded in the long term.
R&M has doubled its revenue in the last five yearsand improved earnings before interest and tax toaround 10 percent of revenue. Worldwide, almost700 people work for the company, one-third ofthem outside of the company’s base in Switzerland,with significant revenue generated internationally.R&M has an aggressive growth strategy, operating in110 countries on all continents. The goal iscontinued strong revenue growth and increasedmarket share in the next five years.
Migrating to NXInnovative products and solutions are the traditionat R&M and the foundation for the company’sfuture. For this reason the cabling specialist hasalways worked with the most powerful software. Itadopted the I-deas solution in 1995, starting with2D and later upgrading to 3D and integrated datamanagement with Team Data Manager. After careful deliberation, the company decided tofollow the migration path suggested by Siemens PLM Software and switch to the NX™ digitalproduct development solution.
“The procurement of a new CAD system is an important process and the decision must bearup for many years,” says Andreas Birrer, manager of material lifecycle management. “It’s not justabout being able to draw as simply and efficiently as possible. We also have to prepare
ourselves for future demands and conditions. We took part in courses, bought test licenses, spoke toproviders and compared leading software packages.”
Andreas Ryser, head of the development department in Wetzikon, adds: “Although the functions ofother CAD systems would have been adequate for us at first glance, it was mainly the ability toleverage all of our legacy data, the license neutrality and the completely integrated modules that spokein favor of migration to NX at that time.”
A further argument was the simplicity of data exchange with suppliers; many tool manufacturers andplastic injection molders were already working with NX. “Besides that, we are positioning ourselves asa high-end provider of cabling solutions, so we also want to work with a state-of-the-art tool, that is,with a high-end system,” Ryser adds.
“We could not immediately grasp the changes and influences in converting to the so-called mastermodel concept by NX, and Siemens PLM Software’s broad experience was very helpful to us,” says
Rolf Heusser, the CAD administrator. “Siemens PLMSoftware assisted us even before the system decision... insearching for solutions to the inconsistencies of the olddatabase, in the preparation for the conversion and inproviding us with contacts of other customers inSwitzerland who had already performed the migration.”
R&M followed Siemens PLM Software’s recommendationand performed the migration in several steps. First, TeamData Manager was converted to NX Manager, theTeamcenter® software basic module for the administrationof design data. I-deas was subsequently replaced by NX.“Hundreds of drawings were checked, adapted andconverted to a uniform structure. We didn’t want tocompromise at all and we were sure that only thisprocedure could be successful and provide the basis forthe greatest possible benefit. Following very good,extensive correction of the data, we converted to NXovernight – the migration was very successful,” saysHeusser proudly.
SynchronousTechnologySiemens PLM Software has proved once again that datacan be excellently migrated from another CAD system toNX. The exchange of data has become even simplerthanks to the new Synchronous Technology in NX.Imported components can be parameterized, facilitating
the work of tool and mold makers. Existing data can be transferred to the new environment andchanged using Synchronous Technology. “This work is finished at R&M, but all companies that want tochange from I-deas or another system to NX can look forward to it,” says Ryser. “SynchronousTechnology is a milestone in digital product development.”
“SynchronousTechnology is amilestone in digital productdevelopment.”
Andreas RyserHead of DevelopmentReichle & De-Massari
High techand electronics
The conversion to NX was completed very quickly. All new product development is now doneexclusively with NX, and I-deas is used only for migration work. R&M is well equipped for thefuture. In addition to NX for product development, the company uses the integrated analysis andsimulation tools, NX Nastran and NX Advanced FEM. “Demand is increasing to bring productsonto the market faster; this is vital in order to survive,” says Heusser. “Thanks to simulations wesave time and money, because we use only virtual prototypes for as long as possible beforebuilding physical prototypes.”
PLM changes the data modelR&M management had originally planned to introduce a new ERP system first and then evaluateproduct data management (PDM) systems. However the question of whether product datashould be administered at the ERP level or near CAD with the Teamcenter digital lifecyclemanagement system was decided in Teamcenter’s favor.
Other factors in Teamcenter’s favor included the fact that developers could use it to increase themodularity of R&M’s products. In addition, Siemens PLM Software fulfilled R&M’s demand forflexibility, and Teamcenter integrated with NX with no interfacing problems. Managementdecided to introduce Teamcenter before the ERP system to take full advantage of itsfunctionality one year earlier than planned. Since then R&M has decided on SAP as the new ERPsolution for the administration of capital, operating resources and staff.
The introduction of Teamcenter changed the way R&M views product data, shifting the focusaway from drawings. “We haven’t just changed the system,” says Ryser, “First and foremost, wehave introduced a new data model.”
R&M had high expectations for the new software and Birrer is convinced that theimplementation has paid off. “Teamcenter is important for our future because we can standardizeprocesses worldwide across production sites, access a central source of information and reuseboth product and process knowledge to a greater extent,” he says. “We save a great deal of timeand money as a result.”
Uniform data supports globaldevelopmentNext, R&M wants to implement thelink between Teamcenter and SAPwith Teamcenter Gateway for SAPfrom Siemens partner, TESISPLMware. This way all of the datafrom both systems can besynchronized and work sequencescan be realized seamlessly acrosssystems. Ryser cannot yet put intofigures the added value gained by
“Teamcenter is importantfor our future because wecan standardize processesworldwide across productionsites, access a centralsource of information andreuse both product andprocess knowledge to agreater extent.”
Andreas RyserHead of DevelopmentReichle & De-Massari
High techand electronics
the migration to NX and Teamcenter. “We onlystarted to work with it recently; it is still tooearly for concrete numbers or results,” heexplains. “What is clear, however, is that we nowpossess uniform data and the view of this data isintegral and transparent. That is important forus, because we want to expand our businessinternationally.
“The effort appears to be large at the start ofthe conversion, particularly with regard to thelegacy data, but the work pays off later,” Rysercontinues. He has three good tips for companiesthat want to change to NX and Teamcenter.“The most important point is to correct the legacy data, without compromise,” he says. “Then it paysyou to migrate in two steps – first to NX Manager, then to NX. The schedule should not be tooambitious. New processes and structures must be introduced and the employees have to be trained.”
Besides linking to SAP, Ryser is planning one more large project – to introduce NX and Teamcenterworldwide. “The migration went extremely well,” says Birrer in summary. “Not least thanks to theprofessional support from Siemens PLM Software. We spoke to the right people at Siemens at everylevel. The cooperation was very much goal-oriented. We speak the same language and our culturesare similar.”
Solutions/Services
NX
Teamcenter
Client’s primary business
Reichle & De-Massari is a leadingsupplier of passive cablingsolutions for high-quality
communication networks usingcopper or glass fibers.
www.rdm.com
Client location
WetzikonSwitzerland
“Data can be used throughoutthe company. Downstream wehave far fewer uncertaintiesthan before and we work farmore efficiently.”
Andreas RyserHead of DevelopmentReichle & De-Massari
