Fujitsu Releases New Virtual Product Simulator

Tokyo, June 15, 2010

Fujitsu Limited and Digital Process Ltd. today announced the joint development of a new virtual product simulator (VPS), a 3D virtual verification simulation tool that employs computer simulation to support the virtual manufacturing of mobile phones, copy machines, and other products. The new software will be released in August under the name V15L10 in Japan.

The new software package helps manufacturers prepare for production during the development of complex products, such as copy machines, which contain more than 30,000 densely packed components. The package achieves a display performance of approximately ten times that of existing software. As well, functions such as the assembly process review feature have been significantly enhanced. Customers can now effortlessly perform assembly order reviews for an entire large-scale product in 3D.

The integration of production preparation processes, such as manufacturing resources and line balancing reviews, accelerates product development and allows companies to quickly begin development. Furthermore, the software contributes to the environment by reducing the amount of resources used during prototype manufacturing.

Background

As VPS can display detailed data for the electrical wiring and circuit boards inside of a product, it is employed during production preparation mainly in ways that 3D CAD cannot be used. This includes conducting assembly order reviews as well as the preparation of manufacturing and service documentation. However, the growing complexity and scale of products has challenged the ability of existing VPS software packages to review products in their entirety due to limited display performance. There is also growing momentum behind finding ways for companies to limit their prototype manufacturing because of environmental considerations.

Fujitsu and Digital Process have released the new VPS software, V15L10, in order to support the environmentally-friendly activities of companies and to help them to improve the efficiency of their product manufacturing.

Product Features

1. Optimally simulates the assembly of large-scale complex products in 3D

Display performance has been dramatically improved in order to make 3D simulations of complex products containing as many as 30,000 components, equivalent to the number of parts in a copy machine, more optimal. A number of steps were taken to enable the rotation and translation of objects to smoothly follow the user's mouse movements, even with extremely complex products, thereby enabling a display response that is approximately ten times faster than previous packages. In addition, CAD conversion has also been greatly improved to boost performance. Users can now easily perform assembly process reviews that incorporate data from an entire product, as well as produce animated images and conduct design reviews. This allows customers to improve the quality, cost, and delivery of their products.

2. Extensive support for production preparation

By utilizing the assembly process review features of the VPS/Manufacturing optional module which assists with on-screen reviews, users can easily edit the breakpoints between processes while checking the details and number of steps in each. This allows assembly process verification that takes into consideration the efficiency of line balancing. In addition, with improved features for allocating and assessing resources (both people and equipment) for each process, it is possible to look at the 3D models and calculate the number of people needed on the production line. When combined with already available functions, these features allow companies to conduct a coherent production preparation process, enabling them to accelerate the frontloading of production preparation work, as well as helping them to quickly start production and improve yield rates once full-scale production has begun.

21st Design Engineering & Manufacturing Solutions Expo

This software will be on display at the 21st Design Engineering & Manufacturing Solutions Expo, running from June 23-25 in Tokyo.

Pricing and Availability

Product Name		Pricing in Japan (excluding tax)	Availability
VPS V15L10	Digital Mockup	JPY 2.5 million	End of August 2010
	Manufacturing	JPY 4 million	End of August 2010

* Pricing above is for a single-client license. VPS/Manufacturing requires VPS/Digital Mockup

Sales Target

5,000 licenses over the next three years