Bombardier announced is taking advantage of virtual reality to launch its vehicles on the market more quickly and to accelerate product development. No matter whether it’s an industrial plant, an airplane or a train it is only when all components work together perfectly that the whole system is able to run smoothly. The sooner errors are detected, the better – a fact that also applies to prototypes. Today, the production of expensive advance models can be greatly improved by using virtual test runs. “This way, development and installation steps can be accelerated, optimized or done away with entirely,” explains Helmut Dietz, Head of Digital Manufacturing at Bombardier Transportation.
Together with his team, Dietz defines, drives and supports the implementation of the Bombardier Digital Mockup for manufacturing directive. He ensures product quality meets customer needs by developing the standardized methodology and tools across the global organization. The collected data flows from the CATIA V5 design system via a product lifecycle management system into a virtual reality solution from the ESI Group that goes by the name of IC.IDO. “In the end, we can view the developed vehicle on high resolution ‘powerwalls’ – and even touch it,” says Dietz. This innovative technology enables colleagues in Development and Production, as well as at management levels, to make considerably more precise and quicker decisions in joint reviews in real time and in different locations around the globe.
Virtual hands make it possible to interact with the virtual and the real product, in an environment known as “mixed reality”, e.g., to assemble windows in the car body, and to check cabling and tubing, while ergonomic issues can be investigated using virtual human models. Virtual reality fully supports the “Run@Rate” manufacturing approach, which means no learning curve starting from the first vehicle’s series build.
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