EoW November 2012

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Focus on
USA
Capital
Harness MPM
cuts the costs
Mentor Graphics’ Capital Harness MPM™
is a software application that helps wire
harness manufacturers cut production
costs.
Addressing manufacturing process
management, Capital Harness MPM
systematically models harness designs
against production capabilities to create
structured bill-of-materials data. This
data is typically used to drive enterprise
resource management (ERP) systems.
Capital Harness MPM is part of the
Capital® tool suite, a powerful electrical
system and wire harness design
environment for the automotive,
aerospace and defence industries.
Wire harness manufacturing is a
logistically challenging, multi-stage
process that is difficult to optimise,
especially because designs change
frequently and configuration complexity
is high. By analysing harness designs
against factory capabilities, Capital
Harness MPM helps identify what, where
and how harnesses and their constituent
sub-assemblies should be built.
Manufacturing costs can be reduced
by accurately reflecting optimised
manufacturing patterns. In addition,
Capital Harness MPM helps minimise
inventory and obsolescence costs and
achieve economies of scale by identifying
sub-assemblies that are common
across different harness designs. The
automation delivered also helps minimise
manufacturing engineering errors and
cycle times, and reduces staff training
costs.
Technically, Capital Harness MPM
employs a reasoning engine especially
developed for the wire harness domain.
This reasoning engine intelligently
decomposes harness designs into
hierarchical assembly steps that match
production capabilities.
Manufacturing intellectual property can
be flexibly and securely captured using an
extensible rules-based approach so that,
for example, custom-built production
equipment can be modelled. Design
data created in the Mentor® Capital
HarnessXC™, Capital ModularXC™ or
VeSys® Harness tools can also be analysed.
Mentor Graphics – USA
Website:
New
single-axis
laser diameter
gauge
Beta LaserMike introduces its new
AccuScan 4012 single-axis diameter
gauge for on-line production.
The AS4012 includes all the powerful
features of the larger AccuScan 5000
series of diameter gauges but in a
compact, cost-efficient package. This
laser diameter gauge integrates DSP
technology and specially engineered
optics enabling it to capture
high-accuracy, low-drift measurements
regardless of where the product is
positioned in the measuring gate.
The AS4012 performs 1,200 scans/
second and can measure product
diameters from 0.1 to 12mm (0.004 to
0.47") with accuracies to ±0.0005mm
(±0.000020"). It also offers highly flexible
communications, making it easy to
connect to a host PC or PLC using RS-232,
DeviceNet, Ethernet IP, Profibus, and
Profinet. In addition, the AS4012’s small
footprint enables it to be installed at a
wider range of locations on the product
line.
The new AS4012 can be equipped with
a number of accessories such as an
optional, ultra-bright display and operator
interface for the easy viewing and
configuration of measurement data. The
AS4012 features rugged construction with
a completely sealed enclosure to IP 65
(NEMA 4) standards for durable, reliable
operation.
Beta LaserMike – USA
Website:
One-stop shop
for customer
needs
Mercury Wire Products, established
in 1967, is a global manufacturer of
high quality custom wire, cable and
engineered assemblies.
A lean manufacturing enterprise
with a skilled workforce organised
around customer-focused work teams,
the company culture of continuous
improvement guarantees that it never
stops working to be the strongest link in
its customer supply chain.
Mercury Wire Products offers a
one-stop solution from concept
design, engineering and production to
terminated assemblies and just-in-time
stocking programmes.
With decades of expertise in custom
cable manufacturing and value added
processes, coupled with experienced and
dedicated people, it allows the company
to be a one-stop source for a wide range
of products and services including:
• Design engineering/problem solving
solutions
• Customised cable specifications
• Rapid prototype manufacturing
• Quick response with superior customer
service
• Flexible lean manufacturing – no
quantity too small
Mercury partners with OEM
manufacturers in a variety of markets, and
its products are relied upon when quality
and performance are critical.
MercuryWire Products – USA
Website:
▲ ▲ Capital Harness MPM delivers important
additional production engineering capability to
Capital’s define-design-build-service flow
▲ ▲ The AS4012 from Beta LaserMike
November 2012 60