JOIN US IN THE MAKING IT TOGETHER ALLIANCE.

The strength of the global economy is contingent upon the vitality of the American manufacturer. Manufacturers of all shapes and sizes need to reinvent themselves and evaluate their markets. To help aid this process, Start magazine, in cooperation with other industry leaders and government figures will host their second Manufacturing and Economic Recovery Conference (MERC) this September in Chicago.

This event will develop a roadmap to survival in this tough economic climate and address how to overcome competitive hurdles, which will help manufacturers become more viable and profitable. The 3-day conference will consist of keynotes from industry experts, an awards ceremony, and plant tours around the Chicagoland area, among other things.

As part of our efforts to help you network and meet other manufacturers, Start magazine, with the help of others, has created the Making It Together Alliance. This Alliance is designed to help hard working individuals discover new ways of networking in the hopes if exchanging new and creative ideas that will spark change. With your participation, together we can dramatically alter the manufacturing landscape creating a stronger and safer tomorrow.

Now is the perfect time to join forces to forge even greater pathways to competitiveness and demonstrate THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIPS! Click here to discover how you can become part of one of the largest initiatives ever created to unite the manufacturing community. So, take the time now to join the Making It Together Alliance.

ENOVIA Corp. Publishes White Paper on Virtual Product Development Modeling

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and decision support solutions provider ENOVIA Corp., a Dassault Systèmes company announced the availability of a new white paper identifying how Virtual Product Development Modeling (VPDM) can assist companies to lower the cost of the new product development.

The paper, titled "A New Paradigm for Digital Design," studies how VPDM leverages the power of computers and integrated 3D development, analysis, simulation, and data management tools to develop products and processes without costly physical prototypes, and without capital investment in manufacturing equipment, tooling, and facilities.

In addition to VPDM, the white paper addresses how product lifecycle management solutions must provide both in-depth support for the product development process and enable communication and collaboration across the extended enterprise. The paper details how ENOVIA's PLM solutions help organizations leverage their intellectual assets to maximize their value in the marketplace.

This white paper is available in PDF format free-of-charge and can be downloaded at http://plm.3ds.com/38.0.html.

Bénéteau Group Selects PLM Shipbuilding Solutions from IBM and Dassault Systèmes

World's number one sailboat builder chooses CATIA V5 and SMARTEAM to enhance product development and innovation

IBM and Dassault Systèmes announced that Bénéteau Group, a world leader in the recreational boating industry, has selected their Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions for development of new sailing and leisure motor boats, including the well-known Bénéteau and Jeanneau brands.

IBM PLM Solutions, with CATIA V5, for collaborative product development, and SMARTEAM, for web-based product data and lifecycle management, both developed by Dassault Systèmes, will enable Bénéteau Group to develop its boats in a collaborative 3D workspace and reach its goal of introducing new models more rapidly. By sharing data among its Bénéteau and Jeanneau shipyards and reusing valuable product designs, the Group will optimize its production processes over the entire life cycle of a boat, from the initial concept stages to final customer delivery and support.

"Our customers are very demanding about performance and comfort, so we must constantly innovate and offer increasingly sophisticated products with multiple options and configurations," said Paul Rampini, vice-president, Bénéteau Shipyard. "With CATIA V5, we can address these challenges by capturing our critical corporate know-how and reusing our existing designs. Using SMARTEAM, we intend to further optimize our product development processes and focus on new, innovative designs and features."

CATIA V5's shipbuilding-specific modules will enable Bénéteau engineers to model complex shapes in context of the overall digital mockup of a boat, as well as optimize composite structures and space allocation. CATIA V5's relational design functions will permit designers to study the impact of potential design changes before making a decision. Integrated with CATIA V5, SMARTEAM will enable Bénéteau to collaborate between the different companies of the Group and with architects or suppliers for the sharing, viewing, and managing all product information.

Klaus Schaefer, vice president, IBM Product Lifecycle Management, Europe Middle East and Africa, said, "Bénéteau Group's decision to adopt IBM PLM Shipbuilding Solutions reaffirms our leadership as the unique provider of best-in-class solutions that are adapted to the needs of the boating industry. IBM will continue to develop and deliver offerings that will drive the future of shipbuilding and give shipyards, such as Bénéteau Group, the means to satisfy their customers, adjust to market forces, and position themselves for growth."

"This announcement is of particular importance to Dassault Systèmes," said Denis Senpéré, vice president PLM Europe, and Dassault Systèmes. "Not only are we delighted that the world leader in this sector has chosen our solutions, we are also pleased because Bénéteau's decision truly validates our multi-segment business strategy for the shipbuilding industry, in particular the yachting sector. Dassault Systèmes will work tightly with Bénéteau in this comprehensive program to further expand our PLM solution offering, including best practices for sailing and recreational motor boats and a consulting approach for extended enterprise collaboration."

IBM business partner, Dassault Systèmes Solutions France, will drive the partnership with Bénéteau from its Bordeaux branch office where a dedicated team for the recreational boating industry is now located. It will partner with IBM and MDTVision, IBM's wholly-owned PLM services subsidiary, to support Bénéteau with PLM implementation, integration, and training services.

About Bénéteau Group
Bénéteau has been building boats for more than one century. Originally, robust trawlers sailing out regardless of the weather because they had to; boats built with dedication to excellent workmanship, with respect, and, above all, with high regards for the safety and the pleasure of the people who sailed them. The company's history is a long series of anecdotes, successes, accomplishments, constant innovation and strong sensations. This family business is entering the third millennium with the goal of making pleasure boating accessible to an even greater number. For more information, visit http://www.beneteau-group.com

Christopher P. Sciacca
Strategic Communications, Manager
IBM Product Lifecycle Management

Aesculap Uses SMARTEAM to Manage Regulatory Compliance

IBM and Dassault Systèmes announced that Aesculap SA, the French division of B. Braun responsible for the development of medical implants, will expand use of their Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions. Aesculap has achieved international success using the virtual product development platform from IBM PLM and Dassault Systèmes to develop technologically advanced orthopedic implants that meet the strict health regulations of major global markets.

Aesculap cited the need to respect international regulations, while making continuous improvements in product quality and time to market as the main reasons for the extension of its PLM platform. In order to penetrate the highly competitive and demanding US market that boasts 50% of worldwide implant sales, Aesculap chose to increase its investment in IBM PLM Solutions developed by Dassault Systèmes. The new product development and data management platform will simplify the regulatory approval processes and streamline Aesculap's product development processes, helping the company introduce innovative orthopedic devices, such as artificial knee and hip joints, to a wider customer base.

Since the initial trial implementation of the new solutions, Aesculap has already been able to reduce the product development cycle of a typical implant by one week - a savings of 15%.

Aesculap will use CATIA V5, the world's leading collaborative virtual product development solution, combined with SMARTEAM, for product data and lifecycle management that includes regulatory approval templates. The templates store thousands of pages of design reviews, market data, and engineering information in an easily searchable and organized Internet-based platform with digital signatures for accountability. The integrated platform will improve collaboration between Aesculap's R&D and production facilities in France and Germany, and help Aesculap comply with strict ISO 9001 and EN 46001 standards for the medical device industry.

"To break into global healthcare markets, we required a complete solution for the development and delivery of our surgical instruments and implants. Additionally, delivering more than 10,000 implants and 150 other related devices for patients around the world, quality and traceability are of utmost importance," said Sylvie Plumet, vice-president, Aesculap Implants. "Automated design updates and tracking functions for strict compliance with a variety of international medical standards allow us to reduce the time necessary to develop and deliver high quality orthopedic devices. More importantly for our business, the integrated PLM platform gives us total traceability of the entire product development process boosting our reactivity and allowing us to anticipate the effect of product modification, stemming from innovation or changing health regulations, on our business."

"According to the recent global CEO study conducted by IBM, nearly two-thirds of CEOs see new and differentiated products as the key drivers for success, with new markets and new products presenting the greatest opportunity for revenue growth. IBM PLM Solutions support new product development and penetration into new markets - Aesculap is a case in point," said Klaus Schaefer, vice president, IBM Product Lifecycle Management, Europe Middle East Africa. "IBM PLM Solutions enable manufacturing companies to concentrate on product innovation, while concurrently optimizing quality, development costs, and time to market to foster growth and minimize risk."

"Complex products, intense competition, and a highly regulated environment - these are just a few of the challenges faced by life science companies such as Aesculap," said Denis Senpéré, vice president PLM Europe, Dassault Systèmes. "By combining the data management strength of SMARTEAM and its FDA Compliance modules with the cutting-edge product development capabilities of CATIA V5, Aesculap can leverage its corporate intellectual property, focus on innovation, and increase its competitiveness - all key to its advancement in established and emerging healthcare markets around the world."

Launching the Boeing 7E7 Dreamliner

In Japan, the board of directors for ANA - All Nippon Airways - approved the airline's purchase of 50 7E7 Dreamliners.

Based upon this order and the strong business case and broad market appeal for this revolutionary new airplane, our Boeing board of directors has given us the go-ahead to design and build the 7E7. We are launched!!

This is a day for everyone in our global commercial airplane industry to celebrate. Interest in the 7E7 from travelers, airlines, suppliers, financers, and investors has been extraordinary as we all have come to really appreciate how the 7E7 will dramatically improve the way we travel around our world.

Today's launch order is the largest ever for an all-new Boeing jet and is worth approximately $6 billion at list prices. Our launch customer is one of the most respected airlines in the world and has been a tremendous partner with us for many years. We are honored to have ANA as the 7E7's launch customer, and we are excited to continue working together with the airline on an airplane that will set the standard for every one that follows it.

In our wonderful history at Boeing, we are 10-for-10 in successfully bringing new commercial jet airplanes to market. The credit for that success belongs to the men and women of Boeing - to each one of you - the most talented, dedicated, and innovative people in aerospace. It is because of you that we are so confident that the 7E7 will continue our winning streak and secure our technological and market leadership in commercial aviation for many years to come.

Whirlpool Adopts Digital Manufacturing Solutions From DELMIA Corp.
World's leading manufacturer of major home appliances links design and manufacturing data for production of new microwave ovens

DELMIA Corp., a Dassault Systèmes company announced that Whirlpool Corporation is embarking upon digital manufacturing technology. Whirlpool is achieving this goal thanks to DELMIA Process Engineer and V5 DPM Assembly solutions, linked by the DELMIA Manufacturing Hub.

Anders Claesson, production manager at Whirlpool in Norrkoping, Sweden, explained, "With three new microwave platforms about to be introduced and no integration between our materials and planning system, we recognized it was a good time to move to a digital environment, allowing the sharing and re-use of data across disciplines.

"In the past, our simple database did not connect CAD data with assembly times or cost of materials and there was no link between the ordering of tools or materials. After studying the marketplace and learning that DELMIA's Manufacturing Hub could be integrated with our current PDM system, ProductCenter, we realized that product and manufacturing data could be transparently shared. In addition, we will improve our concurrent engineering using Process Engineer and V5 DPM Assembly for process verification and documentation," continued Claesson.

Whirlpool has adopted DELMIA digital manufacturing technology fro three new microwave platforms. Product and manufacturing data can be shared and re-used, helping accelerate time-to-market with faster product and process verification.

Before adopting the software, Whirlpool ran a pilot program of the DELMIA tools. DELMIA applications engineers were stationed on-site at Whirlpool, helping to implement DELMIA and the work flow around the software, as well as integration with ProductCenter. All the data entry is now complete and Whirlpool's designers are exploring their virtual prototypes in 3D.

The first family of microwaves has been completed and engineers are gearing up for the next product line. In addition to designing the microwaves in 3D, Whirlpool will rely heavily upon the DELMIA Manufacturing Hub, a data repository that stores both historic and current product, process and resource information. Engineers can continuously update and share the most current data to better manage all processes and equipment orders. Manufacturing processes that can be created and evaluated include time analyses, rough balances, ramp-up scenarios and capacity analyses. The various scenarios are stored in the Hub, allowing engineers quick access to information for reuse and to support decision making.

It is conceived that, in the future, Whirlpool's Engineering Department will be able to provide CAD models and the engineering bill of materials (EBOM) to develop the necessary assembly processes and manufacturing bill of materials (EBOM) in one seamless and interactive process. The structuring of data analyses and calculations will be handled by V5 DPM and Process Engineering applications.

"Ultimately, we anticipate that DELMIA technology will accelerate time-to-market through faster product and process verification and validation," said Claesson. "Manual data transfers should become a thing of the past and our assembly line workers may even complete their training in a DELMIA environment."