For a very long time, all products were mechanical in nature. Whether a car or a watch, everything was mechanical. If movement was required, it was achieved through the amalgamation of different gears. From a PLM perspective, with extensive M-CAD integrations, product development was quite streamlined.
However, with the advent of the semiconductor age, we’ve pushed technology to make devices smarter using electronic components. Now the so-called smartness of our products comes from a set of electronic components working together. These components are grouped together and placed on a circuit board making a Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA). As we take a look around us, whether it’s a laptop or a mobile or the blinking of decoration lights – all these have PCBAs inside them. When it comes to product life cycle management, the introduction of PCBs has added another layer of complexity into the product design. Please try to picture: when we had only mechanical components inside a product, designing was done within a single design tool like NX or Catia, the data would flow into the PLM tool which is Teamcenter, and get effectively managed for downstream transfer. However PCBAs are designed in E-CAD tools which are away from the standard mechanical practices – this means electronic engineers do not ideally care for the physical dimensions of the components they are using play only care for the technical dimensions just as an example, an electronics engineer may want a capacitor of 10 Nano 1farads, physical dimensions of capacitor or PCBA would not matter to electronics engineer. However, in the end product, physical dimensions matter as much as electronic capabilities.
I will draw upon the experience of legendary Steve Jobs to further explain this point. In the early development of the first iPhone, during one interaction with his design engineers, the prototypes were being discussed. Steve was not impressed with the prototype and asked (commanded) his design team to make the product even smaller, even more compact. The design engineers flatly refused claiming it was technically not possible. At this point, Steve took the piece type in his hand and threw it in the aquarium in the room. While it may seem like a lack of temperament on the part of Steve, but he was trying to make a point. Very soon bubbles started to appear from the prototype’s body meaning that there were empty spaces. Solution was clear, the design team was being requested to further optimize the space utilization within the iPhone’s body. if you try to extrapolate this example this is an ideal scenario of ECAD – MCAD collaboration.
Teamcenter being one of the most widely used PLM tools in the world has come up with a wonderful solution called EDA electronic design automation. Essentially Teamcenter EDA is trying to bridge the gap between the electronic world and the mechanical world in this new age we call this entire new domain Mechatronics. Tata Technologies has worked with numerous clients now providing them TEAMCENTER EDS solutions which bring to a common place the electronics and mechanical teams so they can collaborate even more effectively. With half a decade’s worth of experience in Mechatronics, I find the below to be the most prominent use cases of Mechatronics
1. Saving design data from ECAD tool to Teamcenter
2. Variant management
3. Cost calculation for ECAD boms
4. Panel quantity management
5. Procuring new components
In the next post, let’s deep dive into each of these points along with best practices of Teamcenter Electronic Design Automation. Until then, if you would like to get in touch with a representative of Tata Technologies to discuss further, complete this form:
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