Success Story SIEGENIA-AUBI - DSC Software AG

Innovative Hardware and Ventilation Systems
Success Story
SIEGENIA-AUBI
SIEGENIA-AUBI introduces mySAP PLM with Unigraphics as
company-wide PLM system
Dr. Arne Gaiser, Karlsruhe
SIEGENIA-AUBI KG develops, produces and markets hardware for windows and doors.
To ensure continuing success in competition, the company focuses on innovative
technology in product development, and company-wide continuous integrated processes
and systems.
What have many windows world-wide in common? They include products of SIEGENIA-
AUBI one of the leading manufacturer of hardware for windows and doors. The products
come in a variety of different designs and materials for plastic, aluminum and wooden
windows to turn, tilt or slide.
Figure: Stay hinge (Source: SIEGENIA-AUBI KG)
The current company evolved in 1998 from a merger of the traditional companies of
SIEGENIA-FRANK KG, founded 1914 in Siegen, and AUBI Baubeschläge GmbH, founded
in 1873, and located in Hermeskeil. Both companies acted separately until 2003, when a
legal status change formed the joint SIEGENIA-AUBI KG with the objective to optimize
potentials in product development, production and sales, and to offer all partner not only
technological leadership, but also even more optimized service. With a staff of over 1,900
the annual turnover in 2004 was approx. 235 Mio. €.
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Figure: Sash lifter (Source: SIEGENIA-AUBI KG)
Success Story
SIEGENIA-AUBI
In 2004, at the „fensterbau frontale“ 2004 in Nuremberg SIEGENIA-AUBI introduced the
new hardware concept TITAN iP for assembly on the loose bar. According to a company
spokes person, this concept involves efficiency potentials not achievable by common
hardware systems. TITAN iP is the result of a joint product development of SIEGENIA and
AUBI on the basis of Unigraphics and its integration into mySAP PLM.
The IT infrastructure – backbone for collaborative engineering
SIEGENIA-AUBI has several domestic and international production locations. Hardware
product development is concentrated in the locations Hermeskeil near Trier, and
Niederdielfen near Siegen. The standard CAD system Unigraphics NX is used on more
than 60 workstations in engineering of parts and operation resources. An additional
Unigraphics workstation is installed at the location in Poland.
Unigraphics data are company-wide managed in mySAP PLM via mySAP PLM Integration
for Unigraphics. „Also the CAD system Solid Works we use in ventilation technology at
the location Siegen-Kaan Marienborn on 4 workstations is directly integrated into
mySAP,“ adds Arno Bierbrauer, together with Christoph Nassauer responsible for the
project 'UG Integration in mySAP PLM' at SIEGENIA-AUBI. Moreover, the CAD systems
ME10 and CAD400 are used to maintain existing legacy data. However, these systems are
not integrated into mySAP PLM. Released drawings from these legacy systems are created
as document master records in mySAP, and if needed are manually revised.
The IT infrastructure consists of a central mySAP-Enterprise System in Hermeskeil running
under Linux. In Hermeskeil and Niederdielfen SAP-Content Server are installed. Both
German locations are linked via a dedicated line with a bandwidth of 2x2 MBit, Poland
and other subsidiaries are linked via 2 MBit VPN connections. Of great importance was a
good performance. Especially the fast access to documents of other locations was
positively evaluated by engineers, according to both PLM project heads.
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Success Story
SIEGENIA-AUBI
3D CAD technology for hardware
„In 1998, AUBI was acquired by SIEGENIA-FRANK. AUBI worked with ME10, SIEGENIA-
FRANK with CAD400. Since in both companies plans existed to switch to 3D, and future
product development was to be jointly organized, it suggested itself to select and use a
common 3D system. Several CAD systems were benchmarked according to a selfprepared
evaluation matrix. Unigraphics featured not only easy handling and extensive
engineering functions, but also a variety of integrated additional modules. Other
important criteria were data management and investment safeguard,“ stresses Arno
Bierbrauer.
Figure: Component previews are displayed in mySAP PLM Integration for Unigraphics.
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Success Story
SIEGENIA-AUBI
Automation and standardization
Prior to the use of mySAP PLM Integration, data management systems were
UG/Manager respectively IMAN Portal. Separate UG/Manager instances existed in
Hermeskeil and Niederdielfen. „The data exchange between both locations was very
time-consuming. Document import and export from and to IMAN was done manually.
Unfavorable was also that between an export at one location and the import at another it
was indeed possible that several days passed by. As a result, it was quite possible that
parts were double generated,“ remembers Christoph Nassauer. In order to realize a
release process, the IMAN authorization concept was used.
Documents were subject to a status network. Documents with status 'Development'
existed only in UG/Manager. On change to a release status (initial batch respectively
series release), the model and the drawing were locked in UG/Manager. Following, at
Hermeskeil a HPGL file was generated in Unigraphics, a document info record of the
drawing manually created in SAP, and the HPGL file was linked as an original (see Figure).
Figure: Diagram prior release process (Source: SIEGENIA-AUBI KG)
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Success Story
SIEGENIA-AUBI
Objectives
By merging both companies in 1998, a joint product development was set on the agenda.
One of the basic prerequisites for that was the creation of a company-wide consistent and
continuous CAD and PLM system environment. At that time, AUBI already used SAP R/3
while SIEGENIA-FRANK used another ERP system. In the course of harmonization AUBI
and SIEGENIA-FRANK introduced Unigraphics as CAD system, and UG/Manager for data
management.
In order to build a consistent product database, it was planned to link both UG/Manager
systems. One envisaged to reduce efforts for the import and export of engineering
documents between both locations. In addition, product development was to be
efficiently integrated with logistics. To this end, AUBI wanted to link UG/Manager with
mySAP.
In the middle of 2002, SIEGENIA-FRANK decided to introduce mySAP in the course of the
merger of the two former legally separate companies. After the capability of a direct
integration of Unigraphics into mySAP was proved, SIEGENIA-AUBI decided for the
introduction of the direct integration. In retrospect, to Werner Klar, Head of IT at
SIEGENIA-AUBI, among other things, data consistency and process integration were the
relevant reasons. In addition, the rationale for the direct integration comprised:
� Central management of document data instead of decentral IMAN installations in
Niederdielfen and Hermeskeil to improve location-spanning cooperation.
� Substitution of all IT subsystems with functionalities also covered by mySAP to reduce
cost in the IT sector.
� Company-wide provision of up-to-date drawings at each workstation.
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Figure.: Display of a fitting assembly in Unigraphics (Source: SIEGENIA-AUBI KG)
Success Story
SIEGENIA-AUBI
Introduction of mySAP PLM Integration for Unigraphics
After the decision for mySAP and mySAP PLM, the project 'UG/Manager integration in
mySAP' started in September of 2002 was cancelled. Instead, a direct integration of
Unigraphics and the mySAP PLM system at both locations was to be introduced.
In October of 2002, the SAP Content Server were installed for the test environment, and
the Business Blueprint, released in September of 2002, was realized for the test system.
The installation of the integration software was done for a central server both, at
Hermeskeil and Niederdielfen.
In July of 2002, after extensive tests, data transfer, process realization and necessary
programming, the solution went productive at the locations Hermeskeil, Niederdielfen,
and Poland.
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Success Story
SIEGENIA-AUBI
For Unigraphics four document types including a respective status network were
implemented:
Figure.: Document types and their relations
It was defined that Master and Non-Master documents, such as drawings, feature the
same number. On creating a new version also Non-Master documents are versioned.
Versioning is controlled via the Master document.
AA
CI
CO
10
Figure.: The status network controls the cycle of a document in the context of release and change
processes. Abbreviation annotation: AA Work start , CO Check Out, CI Check In, 10 Release for
quotation request, 15 Release for initial batch series, 20 Release for production, 30 Invalid, 99
Delete flag, AD Admin. status
15
20
AD
30
99
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Success Story
SIEGENIA-AUBI
In combination with authorization roles, the status network of the document types
manages the company-wide access to documents.
The drawing header is completed by SAP classification characteristics and SAP attributes.
For an accurate display of the document status on the drawing, at both locations
Hermeskeil and Niederdielfen, an automated conversion solution was implemented to
convert Unigraphics drawings. On change of status to 10, 15, 20 or 30 for each
Unigraphics drawing a secondary file in format CGM is filed to mySAP.
Figure.: Display of hardware assembly in Unigraphics (Source: SIEGENIA-AUBI KB)
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Figure.: Display hardware assembly structure in mySAP PLM
Success Story
SIEGENIA-AUBI
Two custom-programmed user-exits for SIEGENIA-AUBI were prepared by DSC Software
AG. One user-exit supports automatic number assignment. Company-wide a six digit
serial PDM number is used. The user-exit serves that on typing the first digit, the mySAP
system automatically completes the number. In case the input covers more than one digit,
an option to manually complete the number exists.
PDM No (6 digits)
Axxxxx Development Number Hermeskeil
Sxxxxx Development Number Niederdielfen
1xxxxx Ventilation (SolidWorks)
3xxxxx Hardware Niederdielfen
6xxxxx Hardware Hermeskeil
9xxxxx Standard Part DIN/ISO
Pxxxxx Profile cuts
Sxxxxx Tool/Rig Niederdielfen
Vxxxxx Tool/Rig Hermeskeil
Figure: Numbering system realized at SIEGNIA-AUBI
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Success Story
SIEGENIA-AUBI
An additional user-exit supports the standardization of description texts. It serves that the
value of an assigned classification characteristic for which a range exists, is automatically
transferred to the short description field in the document info record of the model. On
creation of a new drawing this short description of the document info record is already
accurately initialized. This effectively supports standardization of document texts at
SIEGENIA-AUBI.
Because of a variety of color guidelines (RAL colors) and packaging units, no 1:1 relation
between document and material exists. For this reason, material master are manually
created. In engineering, material basic data are created, and material master linked to the
document.
Data migration
In the beginning of 2003, DSC and SIEGENIA-AUBI specified the migration of IMAN
legacy data to mySAP. The migration was realized between April and June of 2003.
Altogether, approximately 13 GB of data, not only Unigraphics original files, but also
eventually existing additional files were transferred to mySAP. In case no additional files
existed, a conversion solution generated respective viewing files which were filed to
mySAP.
With completion and acceptance of the migration the solution went productive in July of
2003 at both locations.
Current status and further development
Today, altogether 65 Unigraphics workstations are integrated into mySAP PLM. The CAD
data is filed to SAP Content Server at the respective location. The data transfer is
automated. „All in all, we made the step from person to system supported information
flow. An important part in this is the complete SAP IT infrastructure. All data, i.e. 3D
models of single parts and assemblies including related 2D drawing derivations, master
gages, CAM data and programs, profile cuts, and mating and mounting parts is centrally
managed and maintained in a single system," sums up Arno Bierbrauer. „In addition,
access to any document is possible from any SAP workstation. With the integrated viewer
in the SAP GUI, we are able to display any drawing and model. This is a big advantage,“
emphasizes Christoph Nassauer.
In the future, the revision management which already exists for documents, material,
BOMs and flow charts, is to be extended to all secondary documents, such as, check and
meeting reports, mail traffic, etc.. By that, SIEGENIA-AUBI expects to plan and control
revision processes even more efficient, and to completely document all changes.
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User contact:
SIEGENIA-AUBI KG
werner.klar@siegenia-aubi.com
arno.bierbrauer@siegenia-aubi.com
christoph.nassauer@siegenia-aubi.com
Information at: www.siegenia-aubi.com
Success Story
SIEGENIA-AUBI
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