His colleague Renato Schaible, also a development engineer, adds: “Thanks to the view configuration and the local caching we are able to manage large assemblies quite well.” Solid Edge subassemblies streamline design of modularized products. “Solid Edge helps us with its excellent assembly functions, which on the one hand facilitate the overview and the design in context, and on the other hand optimize performance,” says Reto Zibung, development engineer, R&D at Thermoplan. With five main product lines (for Starbucks, Costa Coffee and Nespresso as well as separate lines for large and small machines for gastronomes), Solid Edge and its integrated product data management (PDM) system at Thermoplan includes up to 20,000 parts. The design of each coffee machine requires Thermoplan engineers to model 2,500 to 3,000 parts, about 50 percent of the parts required for a finished machine. “For us, Solid Edge is the best business tool for visualization and cooperation with our customers, designers and suppliers.” Wherever technical details are important, they are presented in a 3D model. “The harmonious interaction of all system components is crucial – like in an orchestra,” explains Thomas Mueller, CTO of Thermoplan. Topics of discussion go far beyond mechatronics and precision mechanics, and include supply chain management, mobile payment and traceability. “The head office of Starbucks is located in Seattle near Microsoft ‒ quite a cerebral neighborhood,” reports Steiner. The company can now also offer customer service remotely over the internet for example, by providing instructions for replacing the water filter.Ĭurrently, the company evaluates and develops customer requirements using comprehensive data analyses. Digitalization has also made it possible to better track and manage the materials used in production and Thermoplan’s quality assurance processes. Thermoplan’s digitalization efforts included establishing a connection between Solid Edge and the company’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to improve ordering processes. A user-friendly touch panel enables the user to control and configure nearly all functions of a machine. “Software has become so important strategically that we develop it in-house,” explains Steiner. For example, Thermoplan equips its machines with specially developed software systems. The age of digitalization does not stop at the development and production of fully automated coffee machines. For the tinkerers and inventors at Thermoplan, Solid Edge remains an essential tool for realizing ideas and representing them in design drawings.ĭigitalization supports perfect coffee enjoyment “Neither we nor our engineering partners have ever lacked functions – we have never had to look for a different solution,” says Steiner. Over 16 years the company’s requirements for the software and the CAD solution have grown simultaneously. “That’s why we wanted to work with a system that has proven success there.” “Part of our strategy involves close cooperation with suppliers,” recalls Adrian Steiner, CEO and co-owner of Thermoplan. In addition, the solution is used by many of the Thermoplan’s suppliers. Solid Edge is very user-friendly, has a good price/performance ratio and is equipped with special functions for injection molding tools and sheet metal design. After a market analysis, Thermoplan decided to introduce Solid Edge. The new dimensions and growing complexity of the machines should optimally be managed by professional 3D engineering tools. Since the year 2000, all products have been designed with Solid Edge® software for computer-aided design (CAD).
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