SHORTEN THE CALENDAR, SHRINK THE GLOBE

This robotic welding integrator uses scalable, flexible 3D digital manufacturing technology to get their systems to the build phase much quicker than their competitors, eliminating a huge amount of retool time, saving up to 30 percent in tool design and reducing design changes by 65 percent.

Genesis Systems Group (Davenport, IA) started as a one-man shop in 1983 and has since grown to be the largest robotic systems builder in North America, with over 4,000 system installations and customers in over 40 states and 12 countries. The robotic welding integrator has expertise in the design, manufacture and implementation of automated systems for welded assemblies, mechanical assemblies, handling or tending and material finishing.

That kind of success across a broad array of metalworking industries doesn’t happen without an eye on innovation and the ability to continually deliver a competitive edge to its customer base. Ensuring that a complicated robotic system will operate in the way it is intended to is crucial to gaining customer confidence, and it is to this end that Genesis has relied upon DELMIA Robotics technology in its project work.

DELMIA Robotics is a scalable, flexible 3D digital manufacturing system for tooling definition, robot programming, workcell layout and simulation that supports spot welding and material handling applications with an interface for the construction and simulation of complex tooling and fixture device clamps. Genesis firmly believes that by using this technology up front to simulate proposed workcell design and processes, prior to the final customer sale, plays a key role in closing the deal and directing project management.

After an initial customer meeting, the sales team and processing engineering team start drawing concepts together, involving the basic placement and functions of the robots. After a few iterations, 3D XMLs of the CAD drawings are created . . . however, design reviews done on paper can be cumbersome and expensive. “With this technology, the entire team can watch a simulation video via a web meeting, allowing us to experiment with the design on the spot, right then and there,” explains Matt Sidlinger, the advanced engineering manager of Genesis. “Using DELMIA for proof of concept and proof of design provides the customer with the confidence to make that final purchase with us.”

Simulating workcells is about a lot more than just providing pretty pictures for the client to review. Quality in design translates into how well the physical system comes together on the plant floor. By simulating robot motions during design, Genesis can verify that the robots will achieve all the required motions and that there will be no interferences.

When a system gets to the build phase, a huge amount of retool time is eliminated – up to 30 percent savings in tool design and 65 percent reduction in design changes, according to a CIMData study on digital manufacturing. “We have a philosophy that is based upon ‘shortening the calendar and shrinking the globe,’” smiles Genesis president and CEO Joel Lorentzen. “Simulations allow us to quickly prove out concepts up front, enable web-based design review where we can easily make changes over the Internet, and support the development of 3DXML images. All of this allows us to live up to our vision.”