Designing online

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Data is knowledge
On the supplier side, Dana Corp. has selected both Ariba, Inc. and Aspect Development, Inc. as its strategic technology partners. For online procurement, Dana plans to explore the possibility of partnering with other automotive, heavy-truck, off-highway, or aftermarket suppliers to create an independent "services" exchange for B2B transactions.

Figure 2: Dana Corp.'s Virtual Time Engineering program allows the supplier to provide engineering solutions for its customers around the world 24/7.

Dana has been aggressively exploring the use of design-process technology since 1999, when Mike Greene, Vice President of Dana's Structural Products Group, intoned that the "reduction in design and manufacturing time" was among the technologies' greatest benefit. "Major suppliers now must be fluent in the use of computer-aided design and testing tools, but they must also offer a full array of engineers and collaborative engineering services." That expanding technology continues to propel all facets of Dana, including the Dana Off-Highway Systems Group.

To that end, Dana has implemented a Virtual Time Engineering Program that provides its customers with around the clock - and around the world - engineering solutions (Figure 2). The program consists of 22 global technology centers - located throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia - that enable continuous workflow. For example, when engineers in Japan reach the end of their shifts, a project can be forwarded to engineers in Europe, who work on it throughout their shift, then pass it along to engineers in North and South America, who do the same. Dana can then provide its customers with first-to-market solutions, according to the company.

Other Internet-based tools are being created in an effort to improve the product-design and -development processes. Maumee, OH-based Eaton Aeroquip Group teamed with Novi, MI-based INCAT Systems to develop a system that uses Intradoc software to manage more than 100,000 documents a day in design and manufacturing. Aeroquip manufactures fluid-conveying and -connecting products for the automotive and industrial markets and is a supplier to John Deere, Cat, and Detroit Diesel, among others.

When developing its e-business solution, Aeroquip's document repository needed to be indexed and searchable with the company's existing catalog tool, Saqqara. Aeroquip "needed the ability to manage an extremely high volume of documents for many areas of the company, and they needed accessibility and searchability from both their intranet and the Internet," said Todd Weiss, Aeroquip Account Manager. "Data is knowledge, and it's only useful if the right people can find it and access it - fast. That's the ultimate payoff of effective e-business solutions."

Figure 3: Using INCAT System's Intradoc software, Eaton Aeroquip has enabled data sharing with its facilities in Baden, Germany. Eaton's Spiral TTC fittings are used in many off-highway applications.

Intradoc was a compatible solution because it is based entirely on industry standard code - Java. The system, therefore, adapts readily to existing infrastructure and environments (Figure 3). Aeroquip has now loaded all of its 25,000-plus drawings on the system, and its North America facility shares data via the system with Aeroquip operations in Baden, Germany.

"Competition and globalization will force manufacturing and engineering companies to implement e-business solutions such as this," said Ken Allison, INCAT PDM Manager. Allison believes only the companies that avoid information delays and mistakes and provide instant, continuous access to data around the globe will be able to compete in the off-highway industry of the future.

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