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The Benda engineering department relies on custom iLogic code to automate some of their Inventor® operations. One feature of the company's iLogic code required an employee to manually select "enter" after each part generation. With one assembly potentially containing over a hundred sheet metal parts, this minor annoyance added up to a significant time-management issue.

Project Goals:

After some creative attempts at solving the problem, the Benda team called upon Hagerman & Company to help update and revise the iLogic code. Benda engineers also needed help addressing some error messages popping up since the upgrade to Inventor 2023.

Solutions:

Hagerman & Company consultants were able to make changes to the code, removing unnecessary function and allowing for a more efficient workflow.

Business Outcomes:

Streamlining the process has allowed Benda Conveyor Solutions to increase efficiency and take on more projects, boosting profitability.

Conclusion:

Through their relationship with Hagerman and Autodesk, the engineers at Benda were able to update and solidify the iLogic code and make other needed improvements to the workflow. 

Customer Challenge

As a custom machine builder, early approval of the design concept is very important for Planet Tool & Engineering. At Hagerman & Company, we looked for ways to explain and illustrate machine functionality to the customer so they can make knowledgeable decisions based on their end needs. Simulation software is a great way to effectively demonstrate operational characteristics and obtain design verification. Once it is obtained, the detailed design is completed and sent to production.

Project Goals

The main goal is always to meet the SOW the first time, thus eliminating redesign and rework. Obtaining early design verification utilizing a virtual simulation of machine functionality is one of the tools used to mitigate that risk. It serves as a communication tool to ensure that the product, as built, will function to meet the requirements, eliminating costly redesign and rework.

Solution

Training and technical support allowed Planet Tool & Engineering to utilize the software to its potential, making for an effective simulation.

Business Outcome

The simulation software reduced the amount of time required during product validation (run-off) thanks to the machine operation virtually on the computer. There are no "surprises" when the machine is built and operational. All interested parties were able to watch it function before it was built. Additionally, Autodesk Inventor Nastran stress analysis software allowed the customer to utilize less material in the design, reducing cost and increasing production efficiency.

Conclusion

The user-friendly interface of Inventor made the engagement fun and faster. It is exciting to get to see and show machine functionality prior to building it and then see it physically work after it is built.

About Planet Tool & Engineering

Since 1965, Planet Tool & Engineering provides innovative solutions to a diverse manufacturing industry. They continually upgrade and automate their machining capabilities in order to operate more cost effectively and efficiently.

"It is exciting to get to see and show machine functionality prior to building it and then see it physically work after it is built."

Customer Challenge

Vanair developed a new separator tank design for their PTO-powered compressed air system. The CEO then requested a new pre-heating system for cold weather applications. Previous systems used heating blankets which took too much electricity and time. The new system directs the hot engine-cooling fluid through the separator tank and control manifold, enabling the system to warm up before reaching the job site. Vanair needed to show customers with cold-weather applications how the new system worked.

Project Goals

The goal was straightforward: Create a video/animation indicating that hot coolant fluid flows through a heating element submerged within the tank’s compressor oil and within the air control manifold. The process needed to show that the heat transfer is direct - as opposed to working through a cold steel tank and valve body before beginning to heat the compressor oil and valve’s internal working components.

Solution

After taking Autodesk Inventor training with Hagerman Solutions Engineer Kendred Cooper, John Cunningham with Vanair knew if anyone could help them with this, Kendred could. "We discussed my specific need in detail and he created a video showing the fluid flow process within Inventor. You don’t see that level of customer service very often. But you get that every day with the folks at Hagerman." -John Cunningham, Vanair

Business Outcome

Autodesk Inventor enables Vanair to show processes, components, and the inner workings of equipment not possible with a video camera. They can digitally showcase a single piece of equipment, its key components, and how the unit works. With fewer physical trade shows, they’ve used Inventor to create a digital tradeshow booth to showcase several pieces of equipment for an ever-growing web-based audience. When time is critical, Inventor enables them to design and model parts and assemblies quickly.

Conclusion

Vanair received excellent training with Hagerman and has called on them for subsequent support. “This particular engagement definitely had a great impact on my company. But it was really just Hagerman’s people doing what they do best. That type of customer service, the talent pool of personnel and the services they provide are something I appreciate more than I can express.” - John Cunningham, Vanair

About Vanair Mobile Power Solutions

With over 44 years of experience, Vanair® provides the best-in-class product offerings, installation and service training. With well over 70 standard products, Vanair offers the most comprehensive line of Mobile Power Solutions™ in the industry.

M. D. Henry Company, Inc. of Alabama generates and distributes power, supplying batteries, chargers, regulators, breakers, transformers, and other substation equipment to clients worldwide. At the outset of the project, M. D. Henry was using an existing application to create parts in SolidWorks®. This application needed to be updated to make the parts in Autodesk Inventor®.

Project Goals

M. D. Henry’s goal was to eliminate steps needed to create parts with the new custom application, effectively streamlining the process.

Solution

Hagerman & Company offered suggestions for the new application that provided time-saving solutions for the process to create parts using Inventor.

Business Outcome

The new application eliminated several steps and repetitive data entry, reducing the time processing each part by an estimated 25%.

Conclusion

The new application is now being used with Inventor, which is their preferred design software. Engineers also have more flexibility in the way the application is used. By eliminating several steps and allowing the application to do the work, productivity gains and time savings have positively impacted their business.

Customer Challenge

Dynamic 3D Solutions is a full-service design firm specializing in industrial plant design, 3D laser scanning, and 3D modeling services. They had a client in need of help on a large construction project, which involved installing a new storage tank and piping system to optimize maintenance access to the tank. The project had a tight schedule during a critical plant shutdown period leaving no room for error. The delivery had to be accurate and efficient.

Project Goals

Since the construction project was scheduled to take place during a plant shutdown with other projects occurring simultaneously, meticulous planning and execution were vital. Dynamic 3D Solutions had to illustrate a compelling plan to the client and needed software and support to best accomplish this.

Solution

Longtime Autodesk product users, Dynamic 3D Solutions, implemented AutoCAD Plant 3D for the design work and ReCap Pro to create .rcp and .rcs files utilized in both Plant 3D and Navisworks. They relied on Hagerman support to help create a convincing animation in Navisworks that illustrated the new tank's precise lifting and placement. Without the animation, they would have had to rely on complex plan and elevation dimensioned views to demonstrate the method.

Business Outcome

The client project involved the demo of a containment wall surrounding the tank, including removing pipes above the tank for clearance, effectively shutting down part of the facility. Hagerman's support helped Dynamic 3D Solutions create an animation in Navisworks to show that the wall could be cleared by a few inches, missing the pipe. The lift and placement went as planned, with inches to spare. The plant continued operations, and the containment wall was
preserved, saving time and money.

Conclusion

After years of using Plant 3D and Navisworks to save time on modeling, Dynamic 3D Solutions was excited to add animations to their design and planning process, and Hagerman was pleased to partner with this long-time customer.

“This is not the only time in the past 20 years that I have called on the expert Technical Support staff at Hagerman for help. They have proven time and time again to be an invaluable resource
and a huge impact on our success."
- James Cope, Managing Partner, Dynamic 3D Solutions

Customer Challenge

CALPIA is a self-supporting, customer-focused business that reduces recidivism, increases prison safety, and enhances public safety by providing offenders productive work and training opportunities. CALPIA wanted to achieve and maintain ISO 9001 certification through documented engineering processes from customer requests through product manufacturing.

Project Goals

CALPIA’s management decided a top priority was to achieve ISO 9001 certification and to implement an Engineering Change Order System. This system provides a secure location for engineering drawings and integrates into CALPIA’s existing ERP system.

Solution

Hagerman & Company proposed Autodesk Vault (formerly Productstream) software, a single server for all engineering projects, and training/support to achieve the goals. Hagerman assisted in creating a program/code specific to CALPIA to allow Vault Connect to request and update ERP component numbers and names. They provided consultation services on workflows, configuration, installation and training. Additional training on Inventor and Vault Professional for 20-25 users in their design center and for supervisors at various locations was provided. Administrator training was delivered to CALPIA’s IT staff so they could maintain the system themselves, including backups, updates, and upgrades. With the training that was received, the Engineering unit is now able to continue training CALPIA staff on the system.

Business Outcome

By implementing Vault Professional engineering change order functionality, CALPIA now has a process to improve quality control and to achieve ISO 9001 certification, one of CALPIA’s management’s top goals. As a result, change orders are more efficiently managed. CALPIA can continue to meet its customers’ expectations and enhance their experiences in a positive way.

Conclusion

Hagerman and Company’s fast track process of discovery, statement of work, review, proposal, and scheduling was done efficiently and quickly. The time from initial contact for possible solutions to full implementation of the engineering change process was done in less than 4 months.

About Calpia

In 2015, CALPIA launched a Computer-Aided Design program in partnership with Autodesk, a certification within the Career Technical Education division that enables offenders to learn Autodesk software. Some graduates work alongside CALPIA engineering staff to improve existing correctional industry product designs and to develop new products for CALPIA. The certification program assists offenders in obtaining jobs upon parole in Architectural, Mechanical, or Engineering fields. This program is the first-of-its kind in the nation since it was the first authorized Autodesk Training Center (ATC) housed at a state prison.