Schneider Electric teams with Delmia for automation market

Integrated manufacturing engineering and simulation software is going mainstream – beyond its largely niche aerospace and automotive roots – driven by Schneider. Schneider Electric, best know for its PLCs and automation systems, has set up new company Dextus with Dassault Systèmes specifically to consult on project engineering, applying Dassault’s Delmia and Smarteam product lifecycle management (PLM) systems to general manufacturing. The move follows Delmia’s launch of Automation V5 Release 13, covering automation for control engineers, with software to aid process planning, production simulation, visualisation and offline programming. The Smarteam aspect will provide for the PLM requirements as automation projects move from development to operation and maintenance – providing consistent and role-based information. Eric Retraint, vice president of sales and channel for Delmia, says PLC programming is part of the automation solution. He concedes that PLC providers offer their own systems, but says that while they’re standards-based, they remain proprietary, and don’t cover the big picture. “[Dextus] will offer a complete consulting service for heterogeneous automation environments,” he says. Delmia and Smarteam will enable the firm to define all control logic for complete automated systems, building a digital model for visualisation and validation, all the way from concept to operation. “We strongly believe it has a huge potential… PLC programming and validation against 3D virtual machines for conveyors, robots and so on is coming… When you do a 3D simulation you see how each cell should work. It defines the logic and its capabilities to collaborate and means that you can validates changes quickly.” It’s a brave move, although not without foundation. Retraint believes the market is ready for growth – like 3D digital mock-up before it, although not on that scale. Indeed, he says Delmia’s research shows the world market for manufacturing engineering software in general industry reaching $2bn by 2010. The numbers are big, and it’s worth observing that this is a non-exclusive arrangement. Retraint indicates that there may well be other partnerships in the offing.