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Challenges and Rewards in Challenges and Rewards in Automating the Engineering Automating the Engineering

and Design Processand Design Process

A Case Study: Robertson CecoA Case Study: Robertson Ceco

Robert Carr Robert Carr -- VP Tech ServicesVP Tech Services

Who is Robertson Ceco?Who is Robertson Ceco?

►►Part of the Heico Corporation Part of the Heico Corporation --2.7 Billion2.7 Billion►►Sales over 400 Million 2004Sales over 400 Million 2004►►7 Manufacturing Facilities 6 USA, 1 Canada7 Manufacturing Facilities 6 USA, 1 Canada►►3 Competing Brand Names3 Competing Brand Names►►#3 supplier of “Pre#3 supplier of “Pre--Engineered” Metal Engineered” Metal

Buildings in the US today.Buildings in the US today.

Who is Robertson Ceco?Who is Robertson Ceco?

►►Star Building SystemsStar Building Systems –– Oklahoma City, OKOklahoma City, OKPlants in Iowa, Tennessee, and CaliforniaPlants in Iowa, Tennessee, and California

►►Ceco Building SystemsCeco Building Systems –– Columbus, MSColumbus, MSPlants in Mississippi, Iowa, and North CarolinaPlants in Mississippi, Iowa, and North Carolina

►►Robertson Building SystemsRobertson Building Systems –– Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaOntario, Canada

Plant in Hamilton, CS Office in Edmonton and Plant in Hamilton, CS Office in Edmonton and HamiltonHamilton

What is a “PreWhat is a “Pre--Engineered” Metal Engineered” Metal Building?Building?

►►In the 60’s and 70’s In the 60’s and 70’s –– Pre Engineered, Pre Engineered, stocked buildings stocked buildings –– 17 widths, 6 heights17 widths, 6 heights

►►In the 80’s and 90’sIn the 80’s and 90’s–– more customized workmore customized work►►“The winner will be the company that can “The winner will be the company that can

process a custom building as fast and as process a custom building as fast and as efficiently as a standard building”efficiently as a standard building”

►►Now Now –– approximately 7,000 unique approximately 7,000 unique buildings/yearbuildings/year









Why Automate Design?Why Automate Design?

►►Reduce effects of staff turnoverReduce effects of staff turnover►►Improve consistency of design and detailingImprove consistency of design and detailing►►Minimize repetitive monotonous proceduresMinimize repetitive monotonous procedures►►Reduce errors and omissions Reduce errors and omissions –– quality and $quality and $►►Reduce processing time Reduce processing time --> increase sales> increase sales►►Reduce processing costs Reduce processing costs --> increase sales> increase sales►►Allow time to be spent on refining processes Allow time to be spent on refining processes

and products requiring innovationand products requiring innovation

Why Automate Design?Why Automate Design?

►►Price and delivery are Primary Customer Price and delivery are Primary Customer goalsgoals

►►Quality and technology are our nichesQuality and technology are our niches►►Long learning curveLong learning curve►►Volume is seasonal and unpredictableVolume is seasonal and unpredictable►►Complexity is unpredictableComplexity is unpredictable►►Computer Automated Design versus Computer Automated Design versus

Computer Aided Design Computer Aided Design –– You can do bothYou can do both

Why Not Automate?Why Not Automate?

►►Automation leads to lost knowledge and Automation leads to lost knowledge and dependency on systemsdependency on systems

Remedy: Strong continuing inRemedy: Strong continuing in--house house involvementinvolvement

►►Who knows how it was designedWho knows how it was designedRemedy: Separate legible domain rules from Remedy: Separate legible domain rules from cryptic software engineeringcryptic software engineering

What is automated?What is automated?

►►The fundamental, repetitive, design and The fundamental, repetitive, design and detailing decisions that are common place detailing decisions that are common place and second nature.and second nature.

►►The time consuming, detail oriented, well The time consuming, detail oriented, well documented procedures that are less documented procedures that are less common.common.

►►The high confusion details that repetitively The high confusion details that repetitively produce errors.produce errors.

What is automated?What is automated?

►►Goals….Goals….Reduce time… Front door to shop floorReduce time… Front door to shop floor►►(time to money)(time to money) ≤ ≤ AchievedAchieved

Reduce back chargesReduce back charges►►(keep the money)(keep the money) ≤ ≤ AchievedAchieved

Reduce staff learning curveReduce staff learning curve►►(save the money)(save the money) ≤ ≤ AchievedAchieved

Minimize impact of complex workMinimize impact of complex work►►(make more money)(make more money) ≤ ≤ AchievedAchieved

What is Product of Automation?What is Product of Automation?

►►EngineeringEngineeringFully loaded, totally optimized design for all Fully loaded, totally optimized design for all components, including design reports, pricing, components, including design reports, pricing, 3D model and data for Drafting3D model and data for Drafting

►►DraftingDraftingComplete set of Erection Drawings, Bill of Complete set of Erection Drawings, Bill of Materials (by plant), Fabrication Drawings, 3D Materials (by plant), Fabrication Drawings, 3D model, Data for Manufacturingmodel, Data for Manufacturing

How was it Automated?How was it Automated?

►►With a Knowledge Based 3D Engineering With a Knowledge Based 3D Engineering (KBE) model from Design Power, Inc.(KBE) model from Design Power, Inc.

►►With AutoCAD for graphics and drawing With AutoCAD for graphics and drawing creation.creation.

►►Developed by Domain Experts to process Developed by Domain Experts to process work like they think, and incrementally work like they think, and incrementally capture their design rules into Design++.capture their design rules into Design++.

►►Done using logical Objects that represent real Done using logical Objects that represent real concepts and tangible parts.concepts and tangible parts.


►► This Design++ tool is a design automation platformThis Design++ tool is a design automation platform►► Design++ provided us withDesign++ provided us with

Object representation for real concepts and tangible parts Object representation for real concepts and tangible parts in a “Billin a “Bill--ofof--Material” like modelMaterial” like modelPlatform for knowledge capture with design rules Platform for knowledge capture with design rules averaging only 20 line per ruleaveraging only 20 line per ruleBuiltBuilt--in dependency mechanism that provides rule in dependency mechanism that provides rule execution coordination and change managementexecution coordination and change managementInterfaces to legacy and other softwareInterfaces to legacy and other softwareOptions for graphic display of 3D modelOptions for graphic display of 3D model


►►Our vision…Our vision…One person One person –– one jobone job ≤ ≤ AchievedAchievedOne system One system –– all complexitiesall complexities ≤ ≤ AchievedAchievedOne system One system –– all inputs and outputs all inputs and outputs ≤ ≤ AchievedAchievedAutomate 90% of all product knowledge Automate 90% of all product knowledge ≤ ≤ AchievedAchievedAll design work in 3DAll design work in 3D ≤ ≤ AchievedAchieved

Is it Feasible?Is it Feasible?

►►In our case, most definitely YES!In our case, most definitely YES!►►Before: 20% of Product Automated, Before: 20% of Product Automated,

1 million lines of code 1 million lines of code ►►After: 95% of Product, After: 95% of Product,

½ million lines½ million lines►►Business volume (tons) has increased 50% Business volume (tons) has increased 50%

along with complexity along with complexity –– Drafting and Drafting and Engineering departments are 10% larger.Engineering departments are 10% larger.

ChallengesChallenges

►►ROI ROI –– Getting commitments for higher Getting commitments for higher production or lower costsproduction or lower costs

►►Change Change –– why?why?►►Schedule Schedule –– 11 man year project11 man year project►►Speed of system for low complexitySpeed of system for low complexity►►PoliticsPolitics►►History of AI (KBE) projects in generalHistory of AI (KBE) projects in general

SolutionsSolutions

►► ROI ROI –– Developers are Domain experts Developers are Domain experts –– let them let them speak for production departmentsspeak for production departments

►► Change Change –– eventually sold on benefitseventually sold on benefits►► Schedule Schedule –– 3 people team 3 people team –– partial implementation partial implementation

at 14 monthsat 14 months►► Speed Speed –– faster hardwarefaster hardware►► Politics Politics –– Corporate management supportCorporate management support►► History History –– Departmental successes Departmental successes –– total solution total solution

that covered entire departmental needsthat covered entire departmental needs

Our Rewards…Our Rewards…Complexity (1-10) 2Total number of parts 300

Unique parts 30

Drafting TimeOld Way Now

2 days 1 day

1013,000

450

45 days25 days

Complexity (1-10)Total number of partsUnique parts

Drafting TimeOld Way Now

Our Rewards… PreOur Rewards… Pre--PrivatizationPrivatizationRCC Design 1997-2000

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

110.00%

120.00%

1997 1998 1999 2000

1997

Bas

e Ye

ar =

100

Jobs Per YearHours Per JobTons Per JobMH/TAvg Complexity

Training time cut 20%Training time cut 20%

BackBack--charges cut by 60%charges cut by 60%

Our Rewards… PreOur Rewards… Pre--PrivatizationPrivatizationJob Complexity Distribution - Total Company

0102030405060

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

$ M

illio

n

020040060080010001200

Job

Cou

nt

1999 $ 2000 $ 1999 Jobs 2000 Jobs

COMPLEX JOBS 6 COMPLEX JOBS 6 -- 1010

Job count up 33% yearJob count up 33% year--toto--yearyear

Revenue up 50% yearRevenue up 50% year--toto--yearyear

Our Rewards …TodayOur Rewards …Today

►►#3 supplier of “Pre#3 supplier of “Pre--Engineered” Metal Engineered” Metal Buildings Buildings –– We used to be #4We used to be #4

►►#1 #1 –– Indebted Indebted and and soldsold to Australian Steel to Australian Steel CompanyCompany

►►#2 #2 –– BankruptBankrupt and and soldsold to Mexican Steel to Mexican Steel CompanyCompany

►►#3 #3 –– BankruptBankrupt and operating as smaller, and operating as smaller, separate companiesseparate companies

►►#4 #4 –– RCC RCC –– Record Profits Record Profits && Market ShareMarket Share

Our AdvantageOur Advantage

Michael E. Porter:Cost OR Differentiation Leadership

to achieveSustainable Competitive Advantage

Our Advantage:Cost AND Differentiation Leadership

•• Cost Leadership => man Cost Leadership => man hours/ton hours/ton •• Differentiation Leadership => Differentiation Leadership => increased focusincreased focus

on complex on complex

Thank YouThank You

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