SONY selects CATIA V5 solutions from IBM and Dassault Systemes for TV Design Innovation

CATIA V5’s module design method reduces development time and cuts cost

 

Suresnes (France) and Tokyo (Japan), 23 October 2001 – Sony Corporation- Home Network Company- Home Visual Company- at Tokyo, Japan one of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer electronics, has selected CATIA Version 5 (V5) solutions from IBM and Dassault Systemes (Nasdaq: DASTY; Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) for the design of its popular flat-screen WEGA television monitors. <br/>

 

 

Utilizing all of CATIA’s newest capabilities such as modelling, analysis, and evaluation using digital mock-up (DMU), Sony engineers, speaking at the European CATIA Forum 2001, said they were able to apply their latest technical advances to the product line more quickly as result. <br/>

 

 

 

“CATIA V5 gave us very efficient means for design method compared with conventional design using 2D,” said Mr. Takeo Mitsui, assistant manager, Home Visual Company - Home Network Company - Sony.  “For instance, digital mock up enabled us to evaluate the design earlier than with the former prototype based process and to give feedback promptly to the design team.  In this way, accuracy of evaluation significantly improved.  Also, the module design method enabled a very quick and efficient evaluation of alternate designs to improve product quality.  Unless entire design is changed, this method can be easily used for product model change.”  Mr. Mitsui also stated, “This case is only one illustration of the advantages for using CATIA data.  3D conceals many other possibilities.  We are planning to utilize 3D data more broadly as we are aiming to further improve design efficiency.”

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Sony Corporation - Home Network Company - Home Visual Company designs and develops color television sets, projection TV sets, and other related video display products.  Sony selected CATIA V5 to design its stylish new WEGA 21-inch European model.  CATIA V5 is used for Sony’s design, analysis, DMU, production of rapid prototyping, and package design to reduce cycle time and improve quality while reducing production costs. <br/>

 

 

Sony used CATIA V5 for full modelling, from the power button to the operation panel flap, including draft angles and fillets.  In addition, reused parts such as outer shapes of the CRT and base plates were also precisely modelled in order to study and evaluate the interferences or assembly feasibility. <br/>

 

 

Sony migrated from a two-dimensional (2D) Computer Aided Design system to a 3D solution to meet the needs for speeding innovations to market, as product life cycle becomes compressed by marketplace forces.  Using CATIA V5, Sony integrated both engineering and manufacturing processes, adopting a modular design methodology.  With this method, SONY achieved high effectiveness and an extensive increase in speed.  In addition to these results, the entire design flow was dramatically accelerated as concurrent design activities in adjacent departments and even the die mold maker took items off the critical path.  For example, SONY was able to reduce package design time by between 50 and 70 percent using CATIA V5. <br/>

 

 

Sony engineers now plan to exchange the 3D data and information from the design phase between the manufacturing, marketing, and sales divisions in true Product Lifecycle Management fashion. <br/>

 

 

 

“We are delighted that Sony, a world-leading electronics and electrical industry company, has selected CATIA V5 to reduce development time and cost while improving overall design quality,” said Etienne Droit, executive vice president sales and marketing of Dassault Systemes.  “CATIA V5 offers ease of use for the engineers who start with 3D design for the first time, while offering the advanced functions, such as analysis and DMU, that fully support Sony’s concept for the module design.  Synergies between SONY’s advanced vision and Dassault Systemes’ technology will bring tremendous improvement in productivity.” <br/>