Based in Norway, the company Aker Solutions is a global supplier of products, systems and services to the oil and gas industry. Its sustainable and secure energy solutions are intended for future generations. With 175 years of experience, the company now employs 14,000 people in 20 countries and at 46 different sites.
Shigeo Kimura is a Senior Design Engineer at Aker Solutions. For several years, he has led a team of engineers responsible for the implementation of the model-based definition (MBD). Shigeo mainly focuses on 3D annotations and the potential benefits, especially in manufacturing processes.
In this article, Shigeo shares his observations regarding Aker Solutions’ implementation of MBD. In particular, it details how the company experimented with 3D annotations and identified the differences between drawing-based and model-based workflows to reduce overall project time at Aker Solutions.
MBD at Aker Solutions
When it comes to manufacturing, we are always on the lookout for new technologies to better serve our customers. Thus, today we use paperless manufacturing processes in order to optimize the efficiency of our operations. All our manufacturing workshops are equipped with personal computers to ensure full support for the flow of digital information.
The recent development of the model-based definition (MBD) has caught our attention. Today, processes focused on 2D drawings are among the most time-consuming. In order to reduce the overall duration of our projects, we experimented with 3D annotations and identified the differences between drawing-based and model-based workflows.
Despite considerable advantages, the implementation of MBD must follow several steps. It cannot be done overnight, the transition must be gradual. The new functionality of SOLIDWORKS MBD 2018 allowing MBD views to be reused in drawings should greatly facilitate this transition. Thanks to this functionality, we will be able to abandon the 2D skin to concentrate on the 3D views and annotations. We will also be able to reuse 3D content in 2D when drawings are necessary.
We are now looking forward to deploying MBD. Do not hesitate to send us your comments.
