Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University chooses DELMIA for digital manufacturing

Date: 14/11/2005

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) recently announced that it has selected DELMIA digital manufacturing solutions for integration into its education curriculum. NMMU received financial assistance from the Innovation Fund as through the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Strategy (AMTS), a cabinet approved strategy of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), which aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector through the implementation of targeted high-impact projects in areas such as industry development, world-class manufacturing, innovation and R&D and Human Resource Development. NMMU, which has entered into an academic partnership with CDC (CNC Design Consultants) to standardise on CATIA engineering software solutions in its Bachelor of Engineering Mechatronics Degree, will extend its capabilities to include 30 DELMIA licences. DELMIA is part of Dassault Systemes’ industry-leading Product Lifecycle Management software portfolio and will be used at NMMU for factory layout and robotic simulation.

NMMU’s engineering students will be given the opportunity to gain practical experience of using the very latest digital design tools and technology, as used by the majority of the world's most successful manufacturing firms. By deploying DELMIA into its programme, NMMU intends to contribute to the growth of local industry by producing qualified engineers with the real-world knowledge and skills that prospective employers are demanding. This decision will assist NMMU in strengthening its alliance with leading manufacturing firms in the industry such as Comau, LN Manufacturing, DaimlerChrysler, Volkswagen and other automotive OEMs. Through these strategic partnerships, NMMU’s overall objective is to stimulate competitiveness within both the local and international markets.

Delmia offers an end-to-end solution which allows automated systems to be digitally defined, controlled and monitored entirely in a 3D virtual environment. At NMMU’s engineering faculty, the main area of focus is Body-in-White. Taking NMMU’s needs into consideration, CDC proposed a set of digital simulation solutions. DELMIA Body in White XT was selected as the main configuration, allowing engineers to design body assembly processes, manage spot welds and other fasteners, select and modify resources with CAD tools, evaluate assembly sequences, carry out robot feasibility studies, and validate the process plan - all using an interactive 3D environment. Robotics Offline Programming (OLP) is an add-on product that will enable Robot Task Simulation in NMMU’s new robotic laboratory. This solution enables its users to perform offline programming of complex, multi-device robotic resources. Realistic Robot Simulation (RRS), another add-on, provides accurate robot cycle time, and interfaces directly with the actual robot controller software, which allows users to obtain accurate motion profiles as the simulated robot performs its task.

CDC is proud to be actively involved in NMMU’s education programme, and the company is confident that the integrated platform of CATIA and DELMIA will be a source of innovation and growth. It will expose students to working within the very same virtual manufacturing environment, and using the identical tools and training, which have been tried, tested, and are preferred by the leading universities and manufacturers in the world.

Above: Karl Du Preez and Charmaine van Huyssteen with one of the Kuka robots in the Robotics laboratory at NMMU