Lotus goes for integrated engineering and manufacturing

An advanced integrated engineering and manufacturing environment, with digital simulation software, is key to shortening and improving design, development and production cycles, according to Lotus. The automotive leader has invested in Delmia and Dassault Systèmes CAD/CAM and manufacturing engineering systems in the form of Delmia V5 Human, V5 DPM Assembly, and V5 Robotics. “Once the decision to upgrade our simulation software had been made, it quickly became apparent that by implementing Dassault Systèmes’ Catia V5 and selecting Delmia V5, we would have an integrated virtual design and manufacturing environment,” says David Balcombe, general manager for Vehicle Systems at Lotus. “In the future, it will be easy to expand to a complete product lifecycle management (PLM) solution,” he adds. Catia and Delmia V5 share Dassault’s Product, Process and Resource (PPR) data model, and the connection between its engineering and manufacturing hubs means engineers will work concurrently. Balcombe expects that to foster continuous creation and validation of manufacturing processes throughout product lifecycles. Also, integrating all facets of the manufacturing engineering process will allow Lotus’ engineers to re-use best industrial practices and help the firm to build on its successes from previous programmes, such as the GM global 2.2 litre engine, and vehicles like the Vauxhall VX220 and the Proton. “We will deploy the software in the engineering consultancy side of our business as well as in the design and manufacture of our own vehicles,” says David Jenkinson, materials and process group manager at Lotus. “We plan to immediately use this new integrated CAD/CAM and advanced simulation environment on two of our highly confidential projects, and we expect immediate benefits from concurrent engineering, improved assembly and a shortened design cycle.”