Bühler AG, Uzwil, Switzerland
Equipment Configuration
Bentley Systems highlights Bühler's use of Design++ in developing Equipment Configurator as one of the Innovations in Process Manufacturing in its The Year in Infrastructure 2011 publication:
"Bühler is a specialist and technology partner for plant, equipment, and related services for food processing and materials manufacturing. The Grain Milling business unit developed Equipment Configurator (EqC) to replace a paper-based process that relied on the knowledge of the designers. The 3D model configuration tool introduces standardization, accelerates design, minimizes mistakes, and provides a reproducible approach.
Based on custom software developed by Bentley, EqC includes functions to assemble AutoCAD blocks into AutoPLANT, add nozzle information, and convert the assembly into an AutoPLANT Equipment model. Bentley Design++ rules for the 120 most important machines translate engineering knowledge into Lisp.
Developed for $200,000, the tool reduces the time to configure machines by one half. Configuring 5,000 machines per year, total savings are significant."