Conference kepnut::euclid

From:	COGITO::BHALLA       "CAD for Mechanical Engineering (CADME/CTC)" 25-MAY-1989 12:28:15.68
To:	ANDERSON, BHALLA
CC:	
Subj:	CTC's Support of Euclid 

From: Sunil Bhalla
To: Dick Anderson


Dick:

Over the last month, we have worked closely with Low End Midrange Systems
Business (LEMSB) to understand the productivity gains they have experienced 
through the use of Euclid.  More work needs to be done to make a formal
recommendation to our MCAD user community, but we have concluded that CTC
should find the means to support MSB's Euclid implementation.

LEMSB is anxious for CTC to work with them to integrate Euclid into their 
design process, and to bring the successes of Euclid to other Digital groups,
including DEC's field organizations.  Today, Matra is providing an acceptable 
level of support to LEMSB; however, as momentum is picking up with the other 
MSB groups trying to implement this new tool, it is apparent that CTC's 
support would help them and, at the same time prepare us for more 
widespread implementation. 

We have learned that considerable support is needed by DEC's field and 
marketing organizations for Euclid.  Currently, LEMSB is trying to satisfy 
this need, but admit that they cannot, and do not want to,continue to do so.  
CTC's existing training and support facilities could be ramped-up to support 
other internal groups as well as the field.

We agree with LEMSB's findings that the capabilities of Euclid built on the 
underlying solid modeling techniques are well-suited to LEMSB's needs.  The 
strengths we have identified so far are:

  o The ease of doing solids-based conceptual assembly modeling, in a 
    global co-ordinate system (this refers to "free-form" assembly,
    versus "constraint-based" assembly in other systems),

  o Visualization and automatic hidden line removal, enabling fast 
    3D model to 2D conversions,

  o Implementation of Euclid in a client-server environment, thus reducing 
    the need for very powerful workstations on every desk, and 

  o Integrated, full-function sheet-metal design application.


We have also identified (but not yet quantified) some limitations in Euclid:

  o Limited database size which inhibits working on large assemblies (LEMSB
    has not run into a limitation for large models, and there are work-arounds
    if this happens),

  o The time-span necessary to learn and re-learn the application (3-6months 
    for proficient use) which eliminates it for the occasional user,

  o Not suitable for a drafting/2D-based design environment; and

  o Surprisingly, only 10-character filenames (DEC standard part names 
    are 15 characters),


Our detailed study, which will be completed at the end of Q1FY90, will define 
the strengths and limitations in further detail.

While we believe that LEMSB's increases in productivity may also be applicable 
to other groups in Digital doing similar types of design, it is evident that
some groups would benefit equally from Euclid's strengths while others would
not.  Results of the detailed evaluation will highlight how other groups
will be affected by the use of Euclid.

It is also clear that Unigraphics, Pro/Engineer and Euclid have complementary
strengths.  While the strengths of Unigraphics are in design/drafting, 
Pro/Engineer excels in conceptual design of individual parts, and Euclid 
excels in conceptual design of assemblies.  Usage of one (or all) of these 
tools by a product group will depend on the specific needs of that group,
and a clear dedication/commitment to make it successful.  For groups which 
need to utilize more than one tool, an integration environment, as in the 
Electro-Mechanical Design Engineering (EMDE) Workbench, will be needed for 
ease-of-use and transparent data sharing between different tools. 

CTC needs to find the means to get started with Euclid (i.e., training of
support people, support licenses, etc.).  In short, both CTC and LEMSB 
realize the potential benefits to Digital if the two organizations work 
together to integrate Euclid into LEMSB's design process.  ESG has a 
strong interest in Euclid and may be able to provide assistance.

I would appreciate your suggestions in gaining the needed support to make
the best use of Euclid within Digital.  Adding another major MCAD system 
is a significant change in the corporate CAD strategy and I feel it needs
to be done.

Regards,

-Sunil


/Attachments (1)




Attachment 1:  
------------

List of CTC resources required to ramp-up support for Euclid and to 
integrate it into DEC's design process (prepared in cooperation 
with LEMSB):


	Task						People		$'s
	----						------		---


o Vendor training required to train DEC/CTC people			50K

o Develop and deliver training for DEC's 		1.0	       100K
    customized needs

o Integration in DEC's environments/standards:		1.0	       100K

	- Drawing standards, interfaces to fiche
	- Bill of Materials and Parts Lists 
	    interface to KPL
	- Integrate to Starview
	- Integrate to FEM, FEA

o Expert user support on application needs:		1.0	       100K

	- Corporate feedback to Matra on DEC's needs
	- Help transition other sites to Euclid

o Technical support and hotline				1.0	       100K
  Setup and install software				
  Distribution, licensing and update tapes

o QA for software and documentation			0.5	        50K
   (most of this work is currently being done in
    DEC Europe, we will do a sub-set for the US)

o Systems analyst to test and optimize Euclid 		1.0	       100K
    on different configurations of DEC hardware
    and software
    (Jointly with DEC Europe)



					TOTAL:		5.5	       600K
					-----		---	       ----

    Today, we talk about intergration of the manufacturing process to
    our customers and how we, Digital, can solve their problems and reduce
    their cycle times and increase their turns but inside our doors
    we address design engineering and manufacturing as two distinctly
    difference areas.  That so far from the mark.  We must believe that
    there is only one process from concept to customer's retirement
    from use to buy new Digital Products.  We must be mindful of the
    products life cycle and must use it as our yardstick to measure
    the suitability of any of these design tools for our or our customers
    use.  It would be an error for us to judge these products without
    a clear understanding of our enterprise wide needs and how the design
    activity contributes or limits the free and seamless flow of
    information.  We have one if not the best network for exchange of
    ideas on an very large scale but I read things about design data
    exchange that does not address the capabilities of design systems
    like Euclid to share near real time data at all the design areas.
     I include the Mfg. Engr in that design process.  
    
    The value of the design tool does not stop at the front or back door 
    of Engineering.  We should be addressing the integration of the tool 
    in the Mfg. activities.  Mfg. is the recipient of the design and
    their use of the data must drive to some degree the form and substance
    of the design. 

    In the design of our next LEMSB product we are involving our
    manufacturing team from day 0+. Next week will be our first Euclid
    training course for manufacturing. Matra plans to teach assemblies ,
    view manipulation and drafting , with only a light touch on geometry
    creation. We believe it is important for manufacturing to have the
    same understanding of the product as engineering since 90% of the
    cost of the product is determined durring the conceptual stage.
    
    We have already transfered our first sheet metal parts both in the
    flat and bent to SMP81 via IGES and plan to start working interfaces
    to our vendors.
    
    We believe that Euclid offers as large productivity advances for
    manufacturing as we have seen in engineering.Our plan is to try
    generating manufacturing and field service documentation directly
    off the engineering data base probably using large assemblies.
    
    The visualization capabilities of Euclid offers manufacturing the
    visiability into the product at a much earlier point in the developement
    cycle where major changes are still possible.
    
    The whole project "L" team is committed to doing the first Digital
    product soup to nuts in Euclid significantly reducing time to market,
    development costs , manufacturing introduction costs and ultimately
    transfer cost by doing DFM and value engineering up front as part
    of the product design.  
                          
    
    Thanks Charlie
    

From:	ALLVAX::PETERSON      7-AUG-1989 12:03:16.12
To:	@[.DIST]EUCLID_UG1.DIS
CC:	PETERSON
Subj:	Euclid/UG Study Update

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		I N T E R O F F I C E   M E M O R A N D U M


To:  Distribution				Date:   August 4, 1989
						From:   Leisha A. Peterson
						Dept:	CADME/CTC
						DTN:	287-3070
						MS:     CTC2-1/J9

SUBJ:  Euclid/UG Study Update

Since getting feedback, the study goals remain primarily the same: focused on
understanding how Euclid can provide Digital engineering productivity increases,
and what UGII 7.0 may have to offer towards similar gains.  Recall we are
working against a four-phased plan: 

  PHASE I    LEMSB profile		May-July
  PHASE II   UGII 7.0 Beta test		Aug-Sept
  PHASE III  Benchmarking		July-Oct
  PHASE IV   Reporting			Ongoing with final report in Q2

The majority of Phase I is completed.  Since LEMSB's Euclid implementation
is not complete, this profile will continue as an ongoing process.  Some unique
implementation issues and Euclid attributes have been identified, and assembled
in a presentation which is actively being delivered to a number of interested
groups. 

Phase II is in process, with internal beta sites installing software last week.

The Phase III benchmark plan is being finalized this week and will be sent out
to this distribution.  We are also in the process of assembling the vendor 
packets.

We welcome an opportunity to come to your site and discuss/present this study
in more detail.  During Q1, representatives from the engineering groups will be
invited to a half day workshop where an overview of LEMSB's Euclid 
implementation will be presented, also. 

We continue to encourage all input to this study.

Regards,