Model Based Definition (MBD)

Model Based Definition (MBD)

How reusing rich 3D models helps you manage complexity, maximize customer value
and move ahead of the pack

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 Model Based Definition (MBD)

Table of contents

MBD Drives Clarity in a Complex World....................................................................................3 About the author

What is Model Based Definition (MBD)?....................................................................................4 Madhavi Ramesh is the founder

of Punditas, a Product Intelligence
What’s the problem with 2D Drawings?....................................................................................5 company. Punditas is a Social
Product Intelligence platform that
Key business drivers for Model Based Definition/Enterprise (MBD/MBE).....6 unlocks the value of Enterprise
Application Software through
Challenges and risks for Model Based Definition/Model Based Enterprise......7
Structured and Contextual End-user
feedback in a Visual environment.
Business case for MBD..........................................................................................................................8
Punditas supports mission-critical business processes and provides
Simplify Complexity. Eliminate inaccuracies. Reduce errors.....................................9 the foundation for employee productivity and drives operational
efficiency and profitability of organizations.
Reduce costs. Improve product quality.................................................................................10
Madhavi has over 25 years of experience in the development of
Going Model Based – Where do you start?.......................................................................... 11 software solutions for research, engineering and manufacturing
organizations worldwide. She has extensive experience in defining,
Creo Provides a Complete MBD Solution.............................................................................. 12 developing and deploying products for use by aerospace, defense,
automotive and heavy equipment companies. Madhavi was formerly
Try Creo Parametric today with a free 30 day trial!........................................................ 13
the Product Management Director at PTC responsible for PTC’s
Model Based Enterprise solution and the Visualization product line.
Madhavi has a history of entrepreneurship. She was the co-founder
and Chief Technologist of Visual Collaboration Technologies Inc.
Ms. Ramesh earned her master’s degree in Computer Science from
University of Mysore, India and is Six Sigma certified.

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 Model Based Definition (MBD)

MBD Drives Clarity in a Complex World

Today’s business environment is complex, dynamic and intricately inter-dependent and hence challenges the limits of traditional approaches. Product
development is becoming ever-more complex and dynamic. Traditional engineering practices, processes, tools, and mindsets need to evolve not only to
address this complexity but to capitalize on it.

Model Based Definition is an emerging approach to engineering that holds great promise for addressing the increasing complexity of systems, while
reducing the time, cost, and risk to develop and deliver these systems.

Model Based Definition (MBD) is about creating rich “Technical Data Packages (TDP)” which includes 3D model and associated data elements that fully
define the product in a manner that can be communicated and used effectively by all downstream customers without the need for 2D drawings. This
TDP becomes the single source of truth that is exchanged with the downstream organizations such as quality, inspection, manufacturing, procurement
and others to interrogate, analyze, build and inspect the product.

Model Based Enterprise (MBE) in contrast is a fully integrated and collaborative environment that shares the validated and authorized MBD data across the
enterprise that enables the realization of products from concept through sustainment.

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 Model Based Definition (MBD)

What is Model Based Definition (MBD)?

• MBD is ABOUT empowering all stakeholders within the organization

to access rich Digital Product Definition not only Just-In-Time but
also Just-What-They-Need

• MBD is ABOUT creating, organizing and managing fully defined a 3D

Model that captures design intent and serves as the Master Product
Definition for the extended Enterprise

• MBD is ABOUT creating TDP that encapsulates various facets of

the design for use by manufacturing, inspection, service, marketing,
suppliers and other downstream users.

What Model Based Definition (MBD) is NOT!

Accurate 3D geometry plus annotations are the foundation for MBD.
• Model Based Definition is NOT Paperless Engineering! MBD is a
broader initiative that impacts engineering, manufacturing, quality,
inspection, procurement and downstream chain partners.
MBD information is digital and
• Model Based Definition is NOT just about passing “Models” from one
domain or tool to another. MBD provides a rich, single source of truth accessible to both humans
that all can use, regardless of their job function.
and machines, so it can easily
be used by manufacturing,
quality inspection and other
– Michael Fridman
downstream suppliers. This can Product Manager
PTC
help to automate the process,
save time, reduce cost and
eliminate human errors.”

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 Model Based Definition (MBD)

What’s the problem with 2D Drawings?

Historically, engineering processes have been centered around 2D

drawings. Drawings are the master records and have been the
primary product definition deliverables for innumerable years. Most of
Engineering, Manufacturing and other downstream users have relied
on a physical or a digital representation of 2D drawing to convey form
& fit information that’s required to drive manufacturing processes.
With the advances in technology and the ongoing business challenges
to shorten product development cycles, 2D drawings fall short in a
number of ways.

2D Drawings fall short in the following areas:

• Explosive growth of mobile technologies and the future of affordable

3D technologies. 3D visualization is becoming mainstream.

• 2D drawings are generated from 3D models. Its time consuming to

re-create drawings and is a wasted effort

• 2D drawings alone are not adequate to capture the innovations that

engineers create. Hence, complete definition of the design must
be stored in multiple data sources that are disconnected from the
2D drawing

• 2D drawings are not suitable for wide-spread collaboration across

geographical barriers

• 2D drawings are more prone to interpretation errors and result in design

non-conformances and data inaccuracies.

• Young engineers of today are not the same as the young engineers of
yesterday. Creating 2D drawings for them is like a step backwards as
they “think, see and play in 3D”

Annotated 3D models eliminate the interpretation issues of 2D drawings.

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 Model Based Definition (MBD)

Key business drivers for Model Based Definition/Enterprise (MBD/MBE)

A number of key market and technology forces are changing our fundamental approach to engineering methods, processes and tools. Some of the key
trends include

Key Trends Market Drivers

• Pervasive technology trends • Needs & Demands

- Mobile, affordable 3D technology - Reduced time to market, Process efficiencies, Revenue

attractiveness
• Economic trends
• Switching costs
- Cost pressures, Shrinking resources
- Vendor/Tool consolidation
• Regulatory trends
• Value chain actors
- Encryption, Archival
- Design reuse, Product variants
• Cultural trends
• Competitors
- Always connected, Democratization of knowledge, Social media
- New entrants, Low barriers to entry
- Revenue attractiveness

Benefits

50%
Reduction in
30%
Reduce non-
40%
Reduce non-
prototypes built conformances by conformances due to in-
using 3d model accuracies in drawings

Source: Aberdeen

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 Model Based Definition (MBD)

Challenges and risks for Model Based Definition/ Business related barriers
Model Based Enterprise
• Customer readiness and acceptance of 3D deliverables instead of
MBD and MBE are promising solutions to address increasing product and traditional 2D drawings
business complexities of today. As with any new approach, there are a • Supplier readiness
number of barriers that hinder adoption. Some of these barriers include
not only business & technology barriers but also cultural barriers. • Management buy-in

• ROI justification
Technology barriers
• Investments required in tools, training and infrastructure
• Maturity of tools
• Adjustments to existing business process
• Long standing data exchange and data validation issues

• Standards and practices for long term storage and archival

of data

• Risks and other unknowns associated with the introduction

of new technologies

Cultural barriers It’s no secret that Industry

• Adoption to digital user interfaces as compared to pen and paper

has long desired the MBD
based methods
approach. However, I
• Resistance to change and acceptance of the new way of working
believe we’re now at the
• Personnel training on new software and user interfaces
point where Model Based
• Misconception about the value drivers for MBE
– Dustin Whitlow,
Definition is beginning to MBD Evangelist, FA&D

become practical.”

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 Model Based Definition (MBD)

Business case for MBD

A trusted Model-Based Definition is a prerequisite for achieving Model-

Based Enterprise. Although the concept of MBD has been around for
years, it has certainly met its share of challenges along the way. Now, it
seems that many of the hurdles that were once considered stumbling
blocks for the adoption of MBD are quickly dissolving. With advances
in technology and standards we are now at a point where MBD will
increasingly become the preferred way of design in the immediate future.
Five key business drivers for an MBD approach and its resultant MBE are:

• Faster – through Increasing Velocity of Product Realization

• Smarter - leverage Digital Information to Automate the Process

• Better – through Improving both Model and Product Quality

• Cheaper – by Enabling Cost-Effective Downstream Processes Semantic PMI embedded in 3D MBD model.

Eliminate ambiguity while conveying Design Intent to downstream

consumers. Increase Clarity
Product MBD/Quality lives
Humans respond well to 3D interactive visuals while digital and dies by the PMI (Product
automation requires explicit model definitions.
Manufacturing Information)
MBD empowers individuals throughout the enterprise with a single
source of product data. This allows various teams in Design, Engineering, embedded in the 3D MBD
Analysis, Manufacturing, Procurement, and Quality to access the same
rich digital Product Definition that includes 3D interactive models, product model. Our MBE vision is
& manufacturing information (PMI), and all its associated data. 3D MBD
allows users to directly view, interrogate, analyze, inspect, and build as to attain trusted product
opposed to reading and interpreting 2D static drawings.
models, managed for confident reuse
throughout our enterprise”
– Curtis Brown, Principal Mechanical Engineer,
Honeywell FM&T

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 Model Based Definition (MBD)

Simplify Complexity. Eliminate inaccuracies. Reduce errors On the contrary, using the MBD methodology this complex plastic part
with the split line can be easily represented using 2 colors one for each
2D drawings are more prone to interpretation errors resulting in side of the model – for example red side of the model and green side
design non-conformances and data inaccuracies. of the model. This visual cue is extremely easy and straightforward to
understand. The risk of mis-interpreting information, using the wrong
The MBD methodology reduces rework and errors introduced in the manufacturing tool, etc. are minimized if not eliminated.
process. Take the example of communicating the split line in a complex
plastic part. This line can be represented using 25 or more views on an An annotated rich model can be re-used by measurement folks without
A0 sheet. Even with these many views, it’s extremely hard to imagine how having to bother the designer with questions about the tolerances to be
this line “splits up” the model. measured, etc.

The more complex your drawings are the greater the value to be
realized through MBD

I’m a big fan of MBD. MBD

is not a hype anymore, its
boiling over and yes there
are hurdles not roadblocks
that we can overcome. We
have successfully carried out tests and trials
and have been able to document the positive
business outcomes and benefits. ”
– Stephan Prosser, PLM Professional, P & G
Split lines in a complex plastic part.

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 Model Based Definition (MBD)

Reduce costs. Improve product quality.

What’s on the 2D drawing is as important as what’s left off the 2D drawing

Downstream organizations stand to gain the most from MBD data. The
ability for downstream users who “touch” a 2D drawing by opening a 3D
model for that drawing allows them to interrogate the design more efficiently.

The current process is for the designer to front load the drawing with
the information that explains his/her rationale and when it gets over to
inspection, the inspection engineers are having to duplicate and recreate
that same information and hence errors are introduced.

With MBD data, information contained in the 3D model can be automatically

pulled into a First Article Inspection (FAI) or to program CMM machine. This
reduces time and effort and hence costs.

Being able to spin, analyze and interrogate a 3D model for Form, Fit
and Function is powerful

MBD is how design intent is

developed, reviewed and
analyzed and MBE is how MBE Dimension Model with a Dimension Verification Sheet Result.

the information is consumed.

The key driver for going
down the MBD path is Cost of Quality. Our pilot
project has been a success and is promising.”
– Chris McKee, Specialist Senior Engineering Support,
Honeywell Aerospace

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 Model Based Definition (MBD)

Going Model Based – Where do you start?

Moving to a Model centric approach is not a simple “switch” that can be turned On/Off. Small steps might involve optimizations to the existing processes
but larger steps will require changes across organizational boundaries and a fundamental cultural change. A capability maturity model for realizing Model
Based Enterprises include different stages depending on the availability and “richness” of Technical Data Package. TDP encapsulates all product related
data including Form, Fit & Function required by various stakeholders throughout the Product Lifecycle.

Drawing Centric Model Centric Model Based Definition Model Based Enterprise

MATURITY LEVEL 0 MATURITY LEVEL 1 MATURITY LEVEL 2 MATURITY LEVEL 3

Fully Loaded 3D Model

2D Drawing is the Master 2D Drawing is the Master 3D Model is the Master
is the Master

• 3D Model is not verified • 3D Model is verified • Design intent captured • Fully loaded, 3D Models
in 3D annotated model with associated artifact
• 3D Model is not • 3D Model may be completely define the
configuration controlled configuration controlled • 3D Model validated and Product
configuration controlled
• 2D Drawings are • 2D Drawings continues • Configuration
the Master to be the authority • Technical Data Package management,
(TDP) generated from automatic creation of
• 2D Drawings are these 3D models used
primary deliverables “rich“ TDP’s, archival
for limited downstream procedures in place
for internal and consumption
external customers • Rich TDP’s directly used
by all downstream users

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 Model Based Definition (MBD)

Creo Provides a Complete MBD Solution

Every seat of Creo Parametric includes functionality to define and

manage Semantic PMI using either standalone annotations or
feature-owned annotations. With these built-in capabilities, design
engineers can fully capture and communicate the design intention for
downstream users, right from the Creo design environment. Now you
can easily define a single source of truth for design, manufacturing,
quality and your downstream supply chain.

Additional optional extensions can take your MBD activities to the next
level, with tools to help with Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing
(GD&T) as well as 1D Tolerance Analysis.

• Creo GD&T Advisor helps your design engineers create GD&T

annotations for your parts designs in accordance with industry GD&T Advisor provides interactive detailing guidance in accordance with
standards (ASME and ISO) industry standards.

• Creo GD&T Advisor Plus helps to re-use, evaluate and “fix” GD&T
annotations from existing designs

• Creo EZ Tolerance Analysis improves quality and manufacturing cost

by analyzing 1D tolerance stack-ups

• Creo View makes it easy for downstream users to visualize PMI in 2D,
3D and AR

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 Model Based Definition (MBD)

Try Creo today with a free 30 day trial!

The most robust, scalable 3D product design toolset with more power, flexibility, and speed to help you accelerate your entire product development
process. Creo Parametric provides all the capabilities to support you and your company on the move to a model based definition approach. New
functionality has been added in Creo to make the process of adding and checking 3D annotations easier and faster than ever.

Start your trial today

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