SUCCESS STORIES

Product Development Success Cases

Outdoor Lighting Products:
IDEA Group was hired as a turn key partner to develop a highly competitive outdoor lighting product that incorporated the customer’s proprietary internal technology. We provided the customer with complete project development from sketch to volume production and complete project management including product release duties and supply chain management. Our Designers filled the role of Project managers offering engineering, design and manufacturing support.

Automotive Suspension Products:
A large Tier-1 automotive supplier was looking for a CAD Services partner that would provide complete turn key CAD support for their suspension products. Since 2001, IDEA Group has been providing Complete CAD Project management including concept, design, packaging, prototype, detailing, production support, OEM release compliancy requirements and data management. Our services have allowed the customer to focus on their core capabilities while attaining a highly cost effective alternative to dealing with the implementation and management of an expanded internal design staff.

Aluminum Mass Transit Bus:
Our Team of three Designers worked for six months to develop a pre-production Beta for a lightweight aluminum mass transit bus. We designed a manufacturing ready and parametric virtual model that the customer was easily able to use for prototyping. The entire vehicle comprised of over 12,000 components. In order to successfully complete the project, we relied heavily on our parametric 3D design capabilities, state-of-the-art in-house hardware and project management skills. The project involved weekly live-based virtual meetings and travel and we provided the customer with detailed billing and design logs

Drawing Support Success Cases

Porsche GD&T support Case Study:
We were hired by a large Tier-1 Firm to support the implementation of GD&T on over 500 drawings of a vehicle structure release for Porsche. We offered a dedicated team of two subject matter experts that worked with program manager to provide timely and accurate results as we had a strict time-line schedule to maintain. In order to successfully complete the effort, we had to reply heavily on our extensive GD&T expertise. Our internal quality check process allowed us to provide accurate and consistent drawings the first time around.

Tomra Production Details:
After providing 3D product development for a Tomra bottle recycling machine, we were asked to provide all production drawings for the assembly. The program required the support of 2 people for a period of 30 days and than sporadic support throughout the following year. In order to successfully complete the effort, we relied heavily on our extensive detailing knowledge to provide accurate manufacturing details that met customer and industry standards. The same designers that completed the initial project detailing performed all other on-going support and any changes required while providing the consistency required to address the customer’s concerns regarding dormancy downtime.

GM Toolkit support:
For five years, we have been successfully providing all GM release drawings for a major Tier-1 supplier to General Motors. The customer handles all production and engineering requirements internally and collaborates with us to provide the necessary GM product release requirements. This includes all 11×17 format requirements, GM Toolkit expertise to assure file are accepted by GM and Data Transfer via Autoweb or Teamcenter into GM. In order to successfully complete the efforts, we relied heavily on our GM Toolkit, Autoweb and Teamcenter expertise.

Vehicle Development Success Cases

Jay Leno EcoJet Super Car development:
Our Team of four Designers were hired for a period of six months to help develop a raw concept that eventually became the one-off Eco Jet Super Car exclusive to the Jay Leno car collection. We helped develop the entire chassis, interior and greenhouse structures. We also helped implement the unprecedented use of an air-propulsion rear drive as a replacement for a standard engine. The project required daily live web based virtual design meetings, travel and we provided the customer with weekly detailed billing.

E-Fleet Hybrid Cargo Van:
We were hired by a large Tier-1 Customer to develop a lightweight hybrid cargo van. Our Team of three Designers worked for four months to develop the raw concept into an actual virtual model. In order to complete the project successfully, we relied heavily on our vehicle integration, assembly and manufacturing expertise. We also developed great insight in lightweight hybrid drive vehicles. The project involved bi-weekly live web based virtual design reviews and travel.

Class-A Surfacing Success Cases

Studio Engineering:
We were hired by an Automotive Soft Trim Supplier to design a Package Tray System for a Large N.A. OEM. We were asked to work inside of the OEM Design Studio. Duties included interfacing with interior trim parts and background structure, working with studio engineering and in house stylists to develop a feasible Class A Surface. The work was performed in Catia V5 using the GSD workbench.

Chrysler LX Cup Holder Project:
A Tier-1 Automotive Interior Supplier asked to help design and package a Cup Holder Assembly. Our primary Designer needed support from our Class A Team to complete the Class A surfaces on the exterior of the Cup Holder Assembly. These changes were on-going to accommodate the changing package environment and needed to be completed under aggressive lead times to accommodate the OEM timelines. Our Design Team and Class A Team worked hand in hand to create the necessary changes and meet all the timelines.

Class A Remastering:
An important front fender component had to be remastered and resurfaced in Catia V5. The non-native model was not down-stream compatible to the OEM. Specific customer requirements had to be met, including a near perfect match tolerance on all surfaces. Working in Catia V5 GSD, our Designer Team was able to meet all tolerance requirements and provided the customer with a parametric surface

OEM Connectivity Success Cases

FCA Teamcenter:
An automotive Tier-1 tubing supplier was seeking a CAD services firm who had the capability to provide FCA compliant 3D and 2D compliancy and more importantly be able to handle all of the direct OEM connectivity with the OEM as they did not have this capacity in-house. The Customer provided finished designs and our design Team reworked all of the 3D files in order to insure OEM compliancy, created OEM compliant 2D files and utilizing Chrysler Teamcenter insured that all of the data was released into the OEM system.

Ford Teamcenter:
Through a strategic partnership, we were hired by an automotive Tier-1 soft trip supplier to provide turn key design support including the capacity to handle all of the OEM connectivity to the OEM (Ford). Due to the scope of certain projects such as the Wheel Liner project, extensive background data had to be acquired weekly, sometimes daily to insure that design feasibility, packaging and timing were met. Due to the short lead times, our OEM Connectivity Focal had to reply on our Team’s extensive experience to insure first pass accuracy and insure that all timelines were met.

GM Teamcenter:
A small suspension group within a Tier-1 supplier had no GM Teamcenter capacity other than at a satellite office within the organization. Due to backlog and long turn-around time, the Group contracted IDEA Group to handle all of their GM Teamcenter connectivity and to insure that all of the files passed the GM Toolkit and checkmate. In every case, the OEM required a highly aggressive timeline. We relied on our extensive GM Teamcenter experience to provide highly accurate support.

Data Translations Success Cases

OEM translations support:
A small injenction molder operated a non OEM native CAD system but required support in translating the diverse OEM CAD data to their native system (Pro E). In order to expedite the quoting process and solicit potential business opportunities, they required fast dependable turn around time on all of the work. IDEA Group was able to provide 24-hour turn around and support data translations from over 11 OEM’s.

OEM Remastering:
A large Tier-1 Gear manufacturer operated exclusively in Pro E and required support in releasing data to GM. After they concluded each design project, IDEA Group was asked to translate the DATA to STEP, insure that the data integrity was accurate and perform the necessary OEM environment compliancy tasks.

Non-native translations support:
A Tier-1 tooling supplier did not have Catia V5 or I-deas capacity and consistently needed to acquire large amounts of data from Ford Teamcenter and have them translated into their native system (Solidworks). IDEA Group was hired to extract the data directly from Form Teamcenter and translate each file or assembly into an accurate Solidworks file. We relied on our extensive multi-platform translation experience to provide accurate results on time and on budget.

Non-Automotive Success Cases

Dental frame Design and detailing:
A medical company had developed a proprietary and revolutionary dental frame design. Due to high market demand, they required multiple designers to support considerable start-up, development and production CAD needs and they were seeking a CAD services partner that would be able to provide a cost effective alternative to hiring a direct design staff. IDEA Group was carefully selected to provide real-time full-time support that has met the customer’s expectation in term of cost and quality and has allowed them the opportunity to focus on their core tasks in order to expand their business.

Bottle Recycling Machine Details:
After providing 3D product development for a Tomra recycling Machine, we were asked to provide all customer production drawings for the assembly. The program required the support of 2 people for a period of 30 days and then sporadic support throughout the following year. In order to successfully complete the effort, we relied heavily on our extensive detailing knowledge to provide accurate manufacturability details that met customer and industry standards. The same Designers that did the initial detailing performed all other on-going support and changes required providing the consistency required to avoid any dormancy downtime.

Airplane Wing Technology:
A large Aerospace manufacturer had developed a highly advanced material technology as a light weight and stronger alternative to existing production technology. IDEA Group was consulted to implement the 3D material into an accurate production wing structure in order to facilitate feasibility testing. Our Team provided 3D design, 2D detailing, 2D checking and test fixture design.

Staffing Success Cases

Short term contingent labor:
A small automotive Tier-1 was seeking to hire a direct in-house designer. As their search prolonged, they opted to ask us for help in providing a skilled UG NX and Catia V5 designer for a period of two months. Within one week of their initial request, we were able to provide this help.

Long-term thinking contract solution:
A large automotive Tier-1 steel supplier was seeking the services of a senior level contract designers as part of their core competency group. Since, this position required advanced surfacing skills in Catia V5, IDEA Group was able to provide a highly skilled designer and was also able to provide functional mentoring support for this designer to insure that they received the necessary support during the highly critical integration phase. This designer has been performing in this position for several years and this position is considered a long term position.

Low Cost Solution:
A small tool and die manufacturing company was having difficulty locating a qualified UG NX designer while maintaining their strict budget. Creatively, we were able to find, train and provide a highly qualified entry level person to fill this position. At the customer’s request, they were able to hire the designer directly after a six month period.

Green Technology Success Cases

Advanced LED Lighting Technology:
IDEA Group was hired as a turn key partner to develop a highly competitive outdoor LED lighting product that incorporated the customer’s proprietary internal technology. We provided the customer with complete project development from sketch to volume production and complete project management including product release duties and supply chain management. Our Designers filled the role of Project Managers offering engineering, design and manufacturing support. Compared to existing technology, this light assembly provides 50% more energy savings and 100% additional shelf life.

Aluminum Mass Transit Bus:
Our Team of three Designers worked for six months to develop a pre-production Beta for a lightweight aluminum mass transit bus that would offer 50% more fuel efficient performance due to its light weight. We designed a manufacturing ready and parametric virtual model that the customer was easily able to use for prototyping. The entire vehicle comprised of over 12,000 components. In order to successfully complete the project, we relied heavily on our parametric 3D design capabilities, state-of-the-art in-house hardware and project management skills. The project involved weekly live-based virtual meetings and travel and we provided the customer with detailed billing and
design logs.

Soy Hauler Re-design:
An agricultural manufacturer was looking for ways to reduce the weight of a Soy Bean Hauler in order to save on fuel. Our team of two Senior Designers helped create a highly competitive virtual aluminum concept compared to the existing steel design and provided the support necessary in order to meet all project targets including meeting the customers packaging, integration and weight requirements. This is one example of our ideas helping companies expand light weight initiatives that result in environmentally friendly products.

Testimonials

“We were unhappy with the quality and timing of our offshore vendors and we felt that we were paying to much for our local services. IDEA was the first local engineering services firm to meet needs. We consider IDEA to be an important extension of our Company and a key to our success”
Steve Brown – CEO – Automotive Industry

“The IDEA Team has allowed our business to diversify and grow effectively by supporting our sales, development and productions teams in innovative, cohesive, and cost effective ways. We rely on them to provide key resources in order to remain competitive and up-to-date with Industry standards”
Andrea Cope – Director of Engineering – Automotive Industry

“As a small corporation in a highly competitive market, we asked IDEA to provide the necessary support, experience, and resources we required to meet the demands of our customers. They brought value added insight into providing solutions which resulted in an overall improvement in my company’s production capacity while minimizing our capital investment.”
Drew Schulter – Director of Operations – Medical Industry

“The IDEA Team presented a solid plan to support our engineering and design efforts. We consider them to be part of our “Extended Enterprise” team and have been very satisfied with their approach to not only blend into our group but professionally provide their ideas and concepts. Their on-time complete work has been appreciated”
Bob Gray – CEO – Lighting Industry

For more in-depth information on these business cases and our numerous other success stories, please contact us