In this case study, we will show you how NIMAK GmbH, the inventor of the robotic welding gun and a leading manufacturer in the field of industrial assembly technology, uses factory simulation software, Visual Components to improve marketing, sales and standing out from the competition in order to win customer trust.
Key benefits:
- 3D simulation accelerates production equipment sales
- Cost savings and greater flexibility for creating 3D images and videos with Visual Components
There would be no cars without this company
It's truly astonishing: a company plays a decisive role in the production of more than 70% of cars in Germany – yet almost no one knows its name. The reason: a finished car doesn't show any of its "products", and yet they hold everything together securely and reliably – thanks to the soldering points!
NIMAK – The inventor of the robotic welding gun
NIMAK GmbH , based in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, is robotic welding gun the field of industrial assembly technology . In addition to welding guns and equipment for spot welding and seam welding , the company also manufactures machines for projection welding . In projection welding, the weld is created by means of raised sections, or projections, on one or both of the parts being joined. Only these projections form electrical contacts. As the current passes, the projection partially melts and joins with the other component. This allows, for example, screw nuts to be welded to sheet metal.
NIMAK also offers high-performance equipment for automated bonding . Today, more and more adhesive bonds are used in industry. They offer completely new possibilities, especially in lightweight structures, because different types of materials can be reliably joined together.
Factory layout engineering with 3D simulation software
NIMAK GmbH employs around 430 people worldwide. Its customers operate in the automotive, consumer goods, aerospace and metal processing industries. The technical sales department of the Automation division is responsible for responding to customer inquiries, developing equipment concepts together with the design department and preparing detailed and convincing proposals for customers.
Software from Finnish solution provider Visual Components is used for these various tasks. With this 3D factory planning and simulation solution, complete manufacturing systems can be designed and optimized; Offline programming . Factory simulation software simulates the entire manufacturing process, from stand-alone machines to complex integrated systems. Through simulation, production processes can be optimized, e.g. cycle times can be determined and minimized, and issues such as accessibility by robots and collision avoidance can be addressed.
Factory simulation software sets NIMAK apart from competitors
Michael Hintz works in the technical sales department at NIMAK: “I use the Visual Components software on a daily basis for the development of automation system concepts . Our customers thus obtain a very detailed 3D concept in a short time, which they can then show to their management. In this way, equipment sales can be accelerated because 3D simulation of production equipment helps create more compelling offers, stand out from the competition and gain customer trust.
Typically, the starting point is an existing CAD model of the machine , which is imported into Visual Components via its CAD interface. This static model is then converted into a simulation-ready system using the modeling feature in Visual Components Professional . If additional factory components such as robots, barriers or conveyors are required for large factories, they can be easily inserted into the model from the extensive electronic catalog of smart factory components provided with the Visual Components software .
Creating compelling marketing videos with Visual Components
Another interesting application of Visual Components is the creation of a promotional video for the NIMAK multiFLEX , one of the most flexible machines for processing flat sheet metal . This coordinate machine can be used for projection welding, spot welding and bonding, but also for other processes such as punching, signing, plasmatization or laser cutting. Sliding carriages allow up to six different processes to be performed on this machine. Even feeding standard parts such as weld nuts or punched rivets poses no problem.
“The project was to create a short promotional video showing the many possible features. But the machine was already in use at the customer's premises and was no longer available for real images. Additionally, we wanted to mount all possible add-ons, even those that were not actually installed on the machine in question. »
Again, an existing CAD model of the machine was imported into Visual Components and then converted into a simulation-ready system. Mr. Hintz describes his experiences: “It was not easy at the beginning, but a consultant from Visual Components, who had also completed training in our company, helped me a lot here.
Marketing agency expenses - we can save them now
The effort was definitely worth it:
“In the past, we would have hired a marketing agency for such a video. The time and costs required for this are much higher compared to the flexibility and savings that Visual Components offers us. Once the video is created, we can adapt it at any time and without much effort. We can also integrate into larger automation systems. »
NIMAK's sales department benefits significantly from the factory simulation software, Visual Components. Mr. Hintz describes the benefits of the solution:
“Using Visual Components , we are able to create a video of almost any machine or system to describe its configuration and functionality . In accordance with the proverb "A picture is worth a thousand words", we can thus present a much clearer version of our ideas to the client. »
Using Factory Simulation Software for Advanced Analysis and Simulation
Mr. Hintz also has clear plans for future applications of the software: “Currently, we mainly use Visual Components to improve the quality of our quotes by creating 3D images and videos of machines and equipment. We have also performed cycle time analyzes with great success. For the future, we plan to use the many other possibilities offered by Visual Components, especially for analyzes and simulations in the early quotation phases.
However, improving marketing and sales will remain a key focus, as NIMAK GmbH intends to further expand its strong presence in the automotive and home appliance segments. Even though you can't see – and still shouldn't see – the solder points and seams on finished products.
Are you interested in the 3D simulation software, Visual Components? Contact us for a free demonstration.
