Case Study
Using advanced design methods to anticipate and meet customer needs
Bonfiglioli Riduttori
NX permits rapid generation of multiple possible solutions for power transmission and control
From mechanics to mechatronics
Bonfiglioli Riduttori was founded 50 years ago as a supplier of mechanical equipment in the Bologna area of Italy. The company has since supplemented its mechanical know-how with electronics expertise to become a developer of mechatronics solutions.Today it is one of Italy’s leading suppliers of power transmission and control equipment.
Bonfiglioli also has an international presence, with associates and branches all over the world. Its worldwide expansion has been matched by an equally dynamic increase in sales, with a growth rate of eight percent for each of the last five years. Bonfiglioli Italia covers three market areas – industrial processes, automation and mobile machines – with three product lines: geared motors and helical, tapered and endless screw reduction gears (Bonfiglioli Riduttori); geared motors and epicyclic reduction gears (Trasmital); and CA drives (Bonfiglioli Vectron).
A painless change
Bonfiglioli’s use of advanced design technology dates back to 1986 with its implementation of 2D CAD. Following acquisitions of other companies, the CAD system evolved into a hybrid of multiple solutions.When company management decided it was time to standardize on one system, they also decided to upgrade to 3D modeling because this would provide more accurate information for colleagues and customers around the world.
After a thorough comparison of two systems, Bonfiglioli chose the NX® design automation solution (then called Unigraphics) from Siemens PLM Software. Enzo Cognigni, R & D manager of Bonfiglioli Riduttori explains why,“We found the Siemens approach to solid modeling to be easier and more straightforward.Also Siemens supported the migration from 2D to 3D and we had multiple 2D systems.” Other benefits of the Siemens solution were its scalability and the fact that it was possible to continue working in 2D initially, to make the transition to 3D more gradual.
The implementation of the new software took only a few months, during which time there was no loss of productivity. The implementation also included the migration of a great deal of 2D legacy data into the new system. This was done by Siemens.“Siemens performed this work on site,” says Agostino Gagliardi, the company’s marketing manager.“We found the Siemens service to be of high quality.”
Added value through automation
When Siemens made NX available, Bonfiglioli upgraded from its current version of then Unigraphics, viewing it as an evolution to a complete solution for digital product development.“We experienced no disruption during the upgrade,” says Cognigni.“And we gained new features, such as integrated structural calculation and automated assembly generation.”
Bonfiglioli uses NX drafting, modeling and assembly modeling functionality, and today new products are designed entirely in 3D.This is beneficial for Bonfiglioli’s customers.“Our customers ask for 3D models of the components they are going to acquire,” explains Cognigni.“We can now provide digital models that they can insert directly into their machinery designs.” The use of NX has been extended beyond the design departments to production areas (workshop technical services, prototype preparation, assembly and testing).
Bonfiglioli gains additional value from NX through customized solutions created for the company by Siemens. There are 15 in all but the most significant is one that automatically generates certain 3D assemblies, including the preparation of material lists, spare parts and so on. “This allows the assembler to verify the actual configuration of the reduction gear and the designer to carry out a series of tests and assembly simulations,” explains Cognigni. “It decreases the number of errors in a new product launch. Automatic assembly has become the heart of our activity. It allows us to combine many different configurations that would be difficult to draw in a traditional way.”
Another important change for Bonfiglioli has been the adoption of the Teamcenter® software’s engineering process management functionality from Siemens.Through the Teamcenter implementation, Bonfiglioli has integrated all of its CAD stations. Bill of material management and configuration management are also handled in Teamcenter.
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Challenges:
- Continue to grow through a strong market presence
- Lead the industry in the development of mechatronics solutions
- Deliver customized machines that increase customers' productivity
Keys To Success:
- Replacement of multiple 2D systems with a single 3D solution
- Ability to retain and use legacy data
- Automated design processes
Results:
- A single, open and scalable design system, implemented in record time
- Fewer design errors
- Ability to consider more design alternatives
- More accurate information sharing with suppliers and customers
Industry:
- Machinery & Industrial
Client's Primary Business:
Bonfiglioli designs and manufactures geared motors, helical and epicyclic reduction gears and CA drives.
Business Initiatives:
- Systems Engineering & Mechatronics
Solutions/Services:
- NX
- NX Design (CAD)
Client Location:
Carpiano
Italy
"The automatic assembly capability developed for us by Siemens has been particularly valuable because it allows us to propose product configurations never considered before."
Enzo Cognigni
R&D Manager
Bonfiglioli Riduttori