In every corner of the globe where container ports exist, the name "Zhenhua Heavy Industries" evokes pride among the Chinese populaceThis moniker pertains to Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (ZHI), one of the world's largest heavy equipment manufacturersTheir products are ubiquitous, reaching 107 countries and regions worldwide, with their quay cranes holding the top global market share for an impressive 25 consecutive years.

However, the company, much like a massive ship navigating changing tides, is at a pivotal crossroads regarding its transformationWith digitalization as its long-term aim, ZHI is crafting an intricate digital networkThis includes the establishment of a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system for research and development, alongside a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) for workshop management, knitting together the essential fabric of industrial production.

Yet, this digital network is not without gapsSome critical components are missing, hindering its full potentialFirst, the cumbersome three-dimensional models often fail to open, or when they do, they do so at snail's pace, delaying the flow of design data to productionConsequently, this bottleneck hampers subsequent collaboration, reviews, and management processesSecondly, there's a lack of robust standardized management and optimization mechanisms for parts, leading to frequent, small-scale procurements that escalate costs and burden engineers with repetitive design tasks, ultimately stalling supply chain negotiations and inventory management efficacy.

Determined to remedy these issues, ZHI embarked on an exploration for solutions that would untangle the complexities of three-dimensional model management and standardized part managementThrough thorough market research, they unearthed two vital keys to success: the Xindi Tiangong Cloud Disk and the Xindi Tiangong Cloud LibraryThe former ensures seamless flow of three-dimensional data throughout processes, while the latter assists in establishing a complete standardized parts optimization mechanism.

During the investigative, testing, and practical applications phases, ZHI expressed that, aside from the professionalism exhibited in the products and team, the all-encompassing service guarantees offered by Xindi Digital were also decisive factors in their partnership choice

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The responsiveness to feedback requests, timely issue resolution, and smooth communication reinforced their decision.

Given these comprehensive considerations, ZHI decided to collaborate with Xindi Digital.

The digital transformation path for ZHI necessitates an uninterrupted flow of data across the entire lifecycle of R&D, technology processes, manufacturing, and operational servicesThis integration is crucial for enhancing operational efficiency in product design and technologyAlthough ZHI had begun to establish a Product Lifecycle Management system (PLM) for product development, effectively managing and utilizing three-dimensional models remained out of reach.

For ZHI, a manufacturing giant, the review of design blueprints is a precise and demanding undertaking, encompassing technical specifications, dimensional tolerances, processing methods, and equipment feasibilityThis process typically requires more than six rounds of revisions, and the vast array of blueprints makes it even more dauntingDisparate revision suggestions can lead to errors, and inefficient communication extends the R&D and design timelines.

Thus, there was a pressing need to boost efficiency in design reviews, ensuring orderly digital management of data, effectively applying the multitude of three-dimensional models throughout the manufacturing, procurement, and maintenance stages, culminating in the selection of the Xindi Tiangong Cloud Disk.

Due to confidentiality surrounding client products, alternative product models have been used in place of the Xindi Tiangong Cloud DiskUtilizing Xindi's proprietary 3D lightweight engine technology, it offers a cost-effective, secure method for enterprises to achieve cross-departmental online collaboration and technological exchange, without relying on specialized CAD software, thereby maximizing the value of three-dimensional dataAfter adopting the Xindi Tiangong Cloud Disk, ZHI designers uniformly reported improved experiences: quicker data access, rapid loading times, user-friendly interfaces, and comprehensive, convenient interactive capabilities for measuring, sectioning, and rotating models.

Additionally, ZHI's in-house MES faced challenges in smoothly transmitting design data downstream to production

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For example, upon receiving a task from the MES, production staff typically need to log into the PDM system to search for and download the corresponding three-dimensional models and process documentation.

This presents three notable issues: firstly, accessing three-dimensional models may necessitate purchasing expensive CAD software, thereby increasing costs; secondly, the sizable files can strain resources, leading to sluggish browsing; thirdly, lower-configuration workshop computers may struggle to open models effectively, compounded by non-uniform CAD formatting, which complicates deploying multiple software programs in the workshop.

Now, by integrating the Xindi Tiangong Cloud Disk with their MES, ZHI can effortlessly bridge the gaps between R&D and production phasesThis synergy facilitates smoother transmission of design data downstream, while the workshop can conveniently view lightweight models on lower-spec terminals, guiding production tasks and significantly reducing resource investment in both software and hardware.

It’s worth noting that the Xindi Tiangong Cloud Disk's features extend beyond merely providing lightweight browsing of design data; it has evolved into a valuable assistant in enterprises' digital transformation journeysThe disk is extensively utilized for real-time storage of design data, enabling convenient sharing, interdepartmental communication, blueprint outsourcing, and enhanced data securityThis organized approach to data management allows manufacturing enterprises to navigate complexities with greater control, eliminating collaboration barriers and streamlining communications, ultimately fostering more effective design cooperation.

Standardized management of parts is a prerequisite for successfully achieving digital transformationAlthough ZHI's use of PLM systems has improved management capabilities in design and R&D, the absence of guidance during part selection in the design phase and a direct assessment of part usage volume has pushed them to adopt the Xindi Tiangong Cloud Library to fill this void.

By optimizing the categorization of parts, ZHI aims to boost its purchasing negotiations

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The part count for a single quay crane can reach over one hundred thousand, underscoring the criticality of components management within their vast production lineHistorically, various departments at ZHI faced unique challenges.

For the design department, repeated re-designing of part blueprints by designers proved to be an enormous waste of time and resources, potentially leading to chaos in subsequent production processes.

From the procurement perspective, predicting part usage proved difficult, resulting in decentralized part selection, scattered procurement, inferior bargaining power, and escalating procurement costs.

Warehouse management faced its own challenges, primarily due to casual selection methods adopted by designers, which resulted in uncontrollable material varieties.

Despite the differing aspects of each department's concerns, a common solution was attainable— harnessing the Xindi Tiangong Cloud Library to establish a standardized management and optimization mechanism for partsThis mechanism enables the most critical roles to be executed with minimal costsThe enterprise can adjust and set selection, limited selection, alternate and forbidden selection strategies based on procurement and inventory conditions, allowing designers to visually optimize part selection sequences, eliminating stagnant materialsAdditionally, the procurement department can achieve improved price advantages through bulk purchasing, controlling costs from the foundation stage.

Through partnerships with ZHI's existing 3D CAD software and PLM systems, the Xindi Tiangong Cloud Library allows data to be inserted seamlessly into 3D design software without any external interfacesOnce the parts derived from the library are designed, they automatically carry relevant attributes into the PLM system for managementNotably, over half of the parts in mature products are standard or generic componentsDirectly leveraging existing models during the design phase can drastically reduce workload by more than half.

For a colossal entity like ZHI, even the slightest issues can magnify into significant risks, while mere increments in efficiency can yield vast benefits

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