Author: CADD CENTRE

Better Electrical and Mechanical Design Collaboration – 4 Rules

CADD CENTRE

Development of intricate and convergent designs is a fact CAD software is starting to live with. The adoption is happening in many ways; one of the prominent ways is the collaboration of electrical and mechanical design. Products now need better integration for better mechanical stability, electrical components, and unified industrial design. Due to the same, the barrier between electrical and mechanical designers is worn down.

How can electrical and mechanical teams work collaboratively, is that even a good idea? Let us discuss some rules to take the design team on the right path.

Rule 1 – Communication within Design Teams with Universally Shared Data

Data silos take place when the electrical and mechanical designers are unable to share data effectively. To enhance collaboration:

  • Breaking these data silos completely can be a better approach.
  • While following this approach, both the electrical and mechanical teams must be able to access the same universal data.
  • The real-time, as well as up-to-date version of the PCB, should be seen by the mechanical designer for his designing enclosure.
  • Conflict of components with mechanical design change must be immediately seen by the electrical engineer.

Rule 2 – Close the Gap between ECAD and MCAD

  • It will be much better to access the data in a way that is appropriate for both design teams.
  • No need for other software to access data for both electrical and mechanical teams.
  • It is critical for design software to adjusting and house multidisciplinary teamwork.
  • Making data accessible for each team in a way they both can work together and implement a bidirectional workflow.
  • An MCAD perspective is presented here as SOLIDWORKS, and ECAD perspective is presented as Altium Designer; however both presented with varied perspective eventually showing same data.

Rule 3 – Compatible Digital Tools across Engineering Disciples

  • Bidirectional flow of data all over the designing software can turn out as the best way to start.
  • ECAD and MCAD tools must establish a consistent design setting. Collaborative features such as revision history as well as comments, can be accessed from any application.
  • The issues of data silos and ineffective communication techniques will flourish unless the application is not compatible.

Rule 4 – Reduce Data Transition Overhead and Maximize Results

  • When more than one application, namely ECAD and MCAD is used by a design team which was not designed for data interoperable, the it is unavoidable to use data translation program.
  • Success or failure of data translation is based on the model’s complexity as well as the data formats in the question.
  • Data translation is sheer overhead that does not add any value to a product designing team. 
  • Designers can effectively use their time by removing the need for workflow and quickly launch their product to the market.

Nevertheless, if the software used by you is not as interoperable as defined in the above four rules, find a way to abate data translation to develop collaborative success with electromechanical design teams.

Trends Influencing Manufacturing Technology

CADD CENTRE

Manufacturing is often seen as producing physical things, transferring them to another and so forth. However, the scenario is no more the same. Ever-changing demand for quick delivery, customized products, market engagement; along with increase in economic production as well as the shift in supply chain have brought change in the way manufacturing businesses operate. Therefore, organizations are required to incorporate cost-effective techniques while doing business in order to become productive. Increased efficiency, enhanced awareness, decrease in the requirement of breaks and downtime, improvement in the quality of products, etc. are a reflection of some recent developments in manufacturing technology.

  • Increased efficiency is the end goal of manufacturers as it helps in energy consumption, where technology plays a major role in saving power.
  • Improvement in product quality can help in eliminating the errors in the making of same products when the ultimate aim is consistency. Quality concerns, securing the reputation of the business as well as the ability to meet the ever-changing demands, can deal with enhancing product quality.
  • A decrease in the requirement of breaks and downtime can constantly help with production delays.
  • Greater awareness can be explained in terms of monitoring the working state of every delicate part of the business, starting from order number to product statistics.

Some other areas of trends having an influence on the manufacturing technology are highlighted below.

Artificial Intelligence

The future is all good with AI integrated technology in the manufacturing world. The AI market is estimated to grow from $8billion to $72 billion between 2016 and 2021. AI helps manufacturers to optimize the use of equipment, enhance workflow efficiency, improve recruitment process, and optimize predictive analytics.

The branches of AI in the manufacturing sector involves:

  • Computer vision
  • Robotics
  • Automated planning and scheduling
  • Natural language processing
  • Speech recognition

3D Printing Making its Way

“The line between supply chain and manufacturing are becoming difficult to distinguish,” says Lou Rassey, CEO of Fast Radius (an additive manufacturer based in Chicago). He further adds that the things we produce have the power to change the ways we live, making it simple. Additive manufacturing helps in getting new and powerful tools that bring picture into reality, which was once a mere imagination.

It has been predicted that printing of aerospace, defence parts as well as automotive designs will be the biggest manufacturing sectors to employ 3D printing.

The fastest-growing sectors involve:

  • Prototype printing  
  • Medical implant or device printing
  • Dental printing
  • Product creation

The Future of Manufacturing Technology and Processes

Looking forward to the growing opportunities which the manufacturers must grab, it is important to pay attention to the technology essential for their current and future needs. It has to be a priority to profit from emerging technologies such as AI, as well as 3D printing, along with listening to customer demand and capitalizing on R&D.

Batteries on Wheel- Exhilarating Future of Electric Transportation

CADD CENTRE

Electric vehicles are already becoming a spine of the automobile sector. With a mounting amount of electric models being offered in the market, their power-driven influence is in full force nowadays.

Following this new technical development, all the recognized brands are fully set to offer an extensive range of pure electric cars in the coming future.

Electric vehicles (EVs) can aid in tumbling down the environmental pollution by proposing a more energy efficient and less polluting substitute to the vehicles that are heavily dependent on diesel/petrol or any other source of fossil fuel.

Future of electric cars

A recent survey revealed that the sales of electric cars elevated by 72% in 2018 and is expected to grow substantially in 2019. Since January 2019 their sale has gone up to 83%  and is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. 

The latest data in Bloomberg anticipated electric car market to touch 11% by 2025, 28% by 2030, 43% by 2035, and 55% by 2040. This is the main reason why all the well-known car companies like Porsche, BMW, Audi, Kia Hyundai, and many others, have either already launched or are planning to introduce new electric vehicles in the market.

What to Expect next- The prospective future of Electronic Vehicles

Apart from giving cleaner and more ecologically friendly environments, the below mentioned points give a closer view of what exactly should be expected from Electric vehicles in the coming years:

2019 expectations:

  • Wide range of new electric car replicas.
  • Increased number of hi-tech electric charging stations offering fast charging facility.
  • Availability of economical electric cars with low maintenance, cost efficient batteries.

Potentials in 2020:

  • Increased demand for electric bikes, buses, trucks, and taxis in big metropolises.
  • Introduction of Electric ships in the marine lines.

Potential of Electric vehicles in 2022:

  • More than 280 different models of electric cars are expected to hit the road by 2022.
  • Just like smart phones, by 2022 all the electric cars will also be a smart car giving an online 4G and 5G internet access.
  • 2022 will also offer Self-directed automobiles, explicitly designed for regular routes and blocked routes.

The overall trend of electric conveyance has just begun. Various big automobile companies have recently introduced different electric bikes, cars, trucks, taxis, boats, ships, trains, and even planes. It is also perceived to notice some dramatic alterations in the life style and climatic conditions of our planet, making it cleaner and greener.

Women Mustn’t Fear a Career as an Engineer

CADD CENTRE

Countries all over the world, including India, are now facing a massive skill shortage in the engineering sector. This gap can be rightly filled by educated, skilled and talented women engineers. Therefore, nations all over the globe are changing the way they view women engineers.

Women in Tech

It is evident that having more woman in the organizational teams fosters innovation, creativity, and productivity resulting in more revenue. However, it is found that the Indian technology industry has only 26% of women engineers. The engineering sector is thus making efforts to bridge this gap by encouraging a diversified workforce.

Female Talent Acquisition

One of the tech giants, IBM has stated that if a woman developed a ‘career identity’ before they start a family, they are unstoppable. The company is also making efforts to identify young female potential talents and is enrolling them in a training program for their better growth in the engineering industry. Organizations are also building an inclusive interview panel to promote a fair assessment process.    

Need for Women in the Engineering Industry

It was found that there is only one woman engineer over three men across industries. The gap is significant and is hampering the overall productivity. Therefore, industries are now hiring woman engineers to create a perfect balance between gender, innovations, and productivity. Also, organizations are hiring women engineers to:

  • Embrace Creativity: Women involvement will add a mix of skills, gender, and bright minds. Women will contribute to create new ideas and bring innovative ways to work.
  • Skills and Potential: Girls and women can bring new potential to the engineering industry. Having a diversified workforce also helps to strengthen the overall infrastructure.

Career Opportunities

Women comprise less than ten percent of the engineering workforce. The engineering industries are thus embracing women engineers giving them lucrative job opportunities across the civil, chemical, construction, and mechanical engineering. They can even take up the high power jobs such as Quality Assurance, Manufacturing Surveillance, Project Administration, and Quality Lead.

Apart from them, organizations are also offering services such as child care, physical and mental health programs for women. These initiatives will reduce stress and encourage women to take up engineering jobs.   

Block Chain- A Digital Transformation of Power Market

CADD CENTRE

There has been a major transformation in the production and distribution of electricity across the globe. All the traditional power generating stations have now been replaced with the new budget-friendly power which is produced by solar, wind, or natural gas-burning plants.

In order to adapt to these small changes, the researchers have developed a new smart grid that would help the small traders to find a perfect marketplace to sell or purchase electricity. But to bring this system in the mainstream, a new system based on Blockchain needs to be developed. This is a digital technology associated with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin which will connect different electricity generators, buyers, and sellers.

Block Chain in the Power Market

Blockchain is a digital ledger to record transactions which enable fast, secure, and transparent trading. It functions on a widely distributed network of computers and is visible to all users. Unlike Bitcoin which needs different coins to solve a computationally complex problem, energy market needs a customized blockchain, designed specifically for this sector. Some of the reasons why blockchain can transform the power industry include:

Tracking Small Transactions: Apart from verifying the certificate of origin, Blockchain also wires a chain of networks used for purchasing, selling, or trading power among different customers. The basic concept behind creating such a blockchain is to enable the dispersed energy resources to stay connected, assist in making prompt decisions for optimizing the energy mix.

Enabling new Technologies: Blockchain also helps in introducing new technology and accepting new electric vehicles. It helps in swift handling the transactions at charging stations because of its capability to deal with large volumes of small transactions.

Decentralized Authority: Since most of the present blockchain frameworks do not allow direct one-on-one customer trading, therefore a new framework is needed to be developed. The concept will specify when the electricity is first directed to the regional electric grid. In order to set up this new framework, a heavily regulated and more flexible electricity tariff needs to be created and established using blockchain.

Tobalaba System

The Tobalaba system uses blockchain to record the origin and ownership of renewable sources of energy. It also manages electricity production, including details of source type, location, time, and emissions. Since the existing system to perform such functions is complicated and the certification confirmation is a time-consuming process, it might take weeks to get confirmed. Hence a new blockchain-based system is proposed which will speedup up the process and will provide transparent and accurate tracking and trading.