Inside COE
COE Spring 2002 Conference & TechniFair: Save $250!
General Session Highlights:
Come see the hottest industry trends for 2002 and beyond in Palm Springs, April 14-17. The COE Spring 2002 Conference & TechniFair will bring together more than a thousand users within the Dassault Systemes - CATIA®, ENOVIATM, DELMIATM, and SMARTEAM™ - community for nearly 200 user-focused training and educational breakout sessions, advanced product demonstrations, hands-on training, networking with peers from around the world, and a showcase of the latest products and services from nearly 50 solutions providers.
* Hear how famed Voyager Pilot Dick Rutan battled sleeplessness and adverse weather conditions to successfully complete the first-ever, around-the-world, non-stop, re-fueled flight.
* Find out from Dassault Systemes President Bernard Charles how 3D-PLM solutions are helping companies capture and leverage their intellectual capital.
* IBM PLM Solutions General Manager Ed Petrozelli discusses how IBM PLM customers are managing processes from the initial concept to maintenance in the field and the vision for the future of PLM.
Plus - Work hand-in-hand with Dassault Systemes developers to voice your own needs and requirements in the development of future software releases.
The regular registration discount is only available through Friday, April 5th, so act now to save $250 on your registration fee. Visit the Conference Page for easy online registration, and to view the full conference program, including up-to-the-minute details on speakers, sessions, special events, and hotel and special travel discounts.
Editor's Note In the February COE NewsNet article, COE Fall 2001 Conference & TechniFair Best Speakers Named the following speaker was inadvertently left off the list of best speakers: AC-3 Work-Based Training and Development by Joyce Tucker, Newport News Shipbuilding. COE apologizes for this error.
CATIA Operators Exchange Manufacturing Division Spring Conference Program Preview
Division Manager's Message
The program for the CATIA Operators Exchange Spring Conference Manufacturing Division is described below. This conference will feature sixteen (16) sessions that present very timely topics in manufacturing. These topics include member company MFG implementation experiences, CATIA V4 and V5 technology, implementation recommendations, and training.
See you at the Spring 2002 Conference in Palm Springs, April 14-17!
MFG Division Highlights
Dr. David Aber, IBM
This session highlights the conference manufacturing program. Each speaker and topic will be identified. All Manufacturing Division special events will be noted. Planning for COE Fall 2002 will take place and your suggestions for program topics will be gathered. We will close with the sign-up for the CATIA V5 NC manufacturing training sessions.
From V4 NC Toward V5
Jean-Luc Berry, Dassault Systemes
This session will present the practical steps customers can take to move progressively from CATIA V4 NC Products to CATIA V5 NC Products. First, the functional positioning of both solutions and the critical enhancements from upcoming Version 5 NC releases will be discussed. Then, the benefits of production deployment of CATIA Version 5 NC Products will be illustrated. We close with the products and processes provided by DS to protect customer Version 4 NC investment.
SysAdmin for V5 NC MFG
Frank Garcia, INCAT
This session will introduce the CATIA V5 systems administrator to the options available for customizing the V5 NC programming environment. All aspects of the setup and maintenance of the environment including the customization of PPWORD tables, the creation of tool catalogs, and the customization of NC documentation output will be discussed.
Post Processing in V4 and V5
Larry Jones, IBM Technical Support
This session provides a look into the output of CATIA data for post processing to specific machine tools. The session will begin with an overview of the V4 MFGPROG solution and capabilities and continues with discussion about the processing capabilities included in CATIAV5. Next, attendees will have a look at some recent developments that expand the function and access of NC data creation for the end-user.
DELMIA Products and Applications
Dr. Peter Schmitt, DELMIA
This session highlights each of the specific product offerings included in the DELMIA suite of products. Applications of these products are identified to promote better understanding of the CATIA V5 extended solution. The session is developed to provide awareness and clarity for the manufacturing end user and system implementer.
V5 Task Force Roundtable Session
Attend the V4/V5 roundtable that we are scheduling for the Spring 2002 conference in Palm Springs, California, April 14-17.
This will be your opportunity to hear first hand, real industry experiences in the rollout of CATIA V5. The format of the meeting will be a question and answer session with panelists from the various industries that are represented on the V4/V5 working group. Watch the message board at COE for meeting location and details.
Don't miss this important session.
Digital Manufacturing NC DPC Closes 45 Percent of SERS!
The Digital Manufacturing NC DPC is proud to report that 45 percent of its 45 enhancement requests have been closed. Many of these requests have been outstanding for many years.
Factors leading to this success were:
- Synergy with the NC/Mfg PIC
The Digital Manufacturing NC DPC works very closely with the Manufacturing Committee PIC chair and team. There has never been the feeling of "us and them" between the DPC and PIC. We are all manufacturing. Every conference we append our e-mail distribution list of DPC attendees. During each conference we extract all the attendee's e-mail ids from the attendance lists. We then update our existing distribution list of DPC members. During the year, when Jim or I have DPC or COE news, we e-mail everyone on the lists. This is especially effective just before the conferences. It provides the attendees a "head start" to prepare for the conference since they will know what to expect beforehand.
- Semi-Annual NC Survey monitors the NC climate
About a month before the conference Jim and I send out an informal NC Survey with questions concerning COE, the state of the art in NC manufacturing and future CATIA requirements. Taking this survey of the concerns and opinions of the attendees allows DS and the DPC chairs to identify and focus on important issues. It provides valuable input from the user community.
- DPC Agenda agreed upon before conference
Before the conference Jim and I draw up an agenda containing topics for closed and open sessions. We send them to the DS development managers for feedback. We often have a conference call to discuss our approach for the sessions. Once we have consensus, we send the agenda to all of the members on the distribution list. As mentioned before, sending out the DPC Agenda allows the attendees to plan and prepare for the DPC sessions.
See this PowerPoint presentation for more on the DPCs.
Manufacturing Division Roundtable Part III
The Spring 2002 conference will kickoff the Manufacturing Division Roundtable Part III - NC Implementation.
At the Spring Conference, April 14-17 in Palm Springs, California, some changes in format have been introduced. The MFG Division Roundtable is scheduled as a general session (G-12) on Wednesday afternoon. We will once again have a deliverable available at the close of this session to all attendees and also post to the conference proceedings. The MFG Roundtable feedback supports this effort.
The changes begin with our topic. Manufacturing Roundtable Part III will be dedicated to V5 NC Manufacturing. This is justified by the preparation efforts that are beginning in many of the COE Member companies and the V5R8 announcement. Change continues with the definition of five topic areas. Then, roundtable questions are generated within each of these topic areas.
The Manufacturing Division Roundtable Part III topics are as follows:
- CATIA V5 NC Manufacturing Installation and Maintenance
CATIA Version 5 offers the Windows NT platform and a different approach to installation and system maintenance for your CAD/CAM solution. Initial installation and maintenance for the UNIX system platform of Version 4 requires a significant amount of setup and configuration. CATIA Version 5 NC Manufacturing development efforts were focused to significantly streamline this process. What has your experience been with implementation and maintenance for CATIA V5 NC Manufacturing?
- Manufacturing Training Approach
Getting started with Version 5 NC Manufacturing is somewhat different than implementing another level of Version 4 MFGPROG. Clearly, there are manufacturing application awareness and detailed skills development that must be provided in your training program. However, the manufacturing tasks always require a level of basic model preparation and manipulation. This core functionality has change with Version 5. These requirements can provide addition challenge to your company's specific training programs. How do you see CATIA Version 5 NC Manufacturing affecting your current manufacturing training approach?
- Manufacturing User Acceptance
User acceptance is a significant part of manufacturing system deployment. This factor is a key performance index of every successful implementation. User perceptions are typically molded early with initial access to application software, training, and support. The topic generates a two-part question for our MFG Roundtable panelists. What emphasis have you placed on developing manufacturing user acceptance in your early V5 efforts? And what are your early results in user acceptance for CATIA V5 NC Manufacturing?
- Benefit of V5 NC Manufacturing to Your Business
CATIA NC Manufacturing Version 5 offers many benefits to your business. These benefits are applied differently to meet your manufacturing business goals or drivers. Some of the typical implementation drivers can be "install the latest technology", "get an NT platform", "be compatible suppliers/customers", "increase manufacturing process efficiency", wait for our requirements list to be implemented", etc. What is the real benefit driver for your company?
- Manufacturing Project Management
A typical project management plan for manufacturing implementation may include:
- Technology Awareness: Discovery and Demonstration
- Project Kickoff: Define Business Need, Solution, Team, and Project Plan
- Preliminary Design: Create Architecture and System Component Details
- Pilot Project: Pre-production
- Deployment: Production
- Technology Transfer: Education and Training
- System Support: User and Software Support
Implementations based on these general components have been proven to contribute to successful projects. The formal structure of the project management will vary based on your business environment and style. What manufacturing project management components are you giving most focus? And why?
Digital Inspection and Tolerance Providing User Requirements
The Digital Inspection and Tolerance (DIT) DPC has been working very closely with their Dassault and DELMIA representatives over the past few months reviewing the SER database. Since the DELMIA Inspect application will be available for release in the next couple of months we wanted to ensure that the 32 open requirements were given their correct status. Currently 16 of the 32 requirements have been implemented; one is in work; nine are accepted planned; four are accepted unplanned; and two are under analysis. At this Spring's COE Conference the DIT DPC will review the current status of the SER's and will have the DELMIA representative available for questions regarding the planned dates for implementation of the remaining 16 SER's. We will also be identifying any new requirements for the DELMIA Inspect application and will allot some time for reviewing and identifying the requirements for the FD&T function (Functional Dimensioning & Tolerance). This is the CATIA V4 function that allows you to apply tolerance and annotation in 3D space.
Your Opinion Counts! March Insta-Poll Question
Your Opinion Counts! March Insta-Poll Question
Beginning this month, COE is adding a polling feature to NewsNet to take the pulse of readers on COE matters that help guide our member benefits and programming, as well as timely industry issues. Next month we'll provide the results to our March question, and introduce a new question.
What is the most important factor in choosing to attend a conference?
Seattle to Host COE Fall 2003 Conference & TechniFair
Seattle to Host COE Fall 2003 Conference & TechniFair
We're delighted to report that the COE board of directors has chosen Seattle as the location for the fall 2003 Conference & TechniFair, which will be held September 28-October 1, 2003. With thoughtful consideration of many options, and great support being offered by Boeing, the task force strongly recommended that COE commit to the Washington State Convention & Trade Center and surrounding hotels.
It has been many years since Seattle last hosted a COE Conference and there are a great number of COE member companies and potential members in the northwest region. Seattle is a great international destination and with a large contingent of Pacific Rim based COE members this venue should offer some convenience to those that can attend.
The Washington State Convention & Trade Center's award winning design dramatically integrates the vitality of an international port city with the natural beauty of the Evergreen state. Set in the heart of Seattle, it is a sparkling centerpiece, steps from the city's finest hotels and restaurants and 20 minutes from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport--a setting that lends fresh perspective to the meaning of the words "great location."
Clearly there are a great many reasons to have the COE Conference back in Seattle. But, before you get too excited about Seattle, we hope to see all of you in Palm Springs April 14-17!
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