Transforming custom engineering in electrical infrastructure for the energy sector
For manufacturers producing highly customized products, managing customization with manual design processes is a key challenge. As products become more complex, the potential for errors, delays, and inefficiencies increases. DriveWorks design automation, 3D product configurator, and CPQ solutions enable manufacturers to speed up design timelines and deliver custom products more efficiently. TSEA uses DriveWorks to automate their custom engineering process, reduce errors, and eliminate rework.
The challenge
TSEA, based in Brazil, is a global manufacturer of critical engineering infrastructure for the energy sector. They export to over 50 countries, and every project they deliver is unique, with variables such as voltage, current, and power. All of their project customization was done manually in SOLIDWORKS®, where for every new project, the designer had to input new dimensions, apply predefined configurations, and generate a new design.
Handling this level of customization manually created several engineering challenges:
- Long design cycles of up to 19 hours per project
- Higher risk of errors and rework
- Business rules spread across multiple documents
- Design knowledge gaps
The solution
TSEA implemented DriveWorks to automate its engineering process. Instead of relying on manual inputs and disconnected documents, the team:
- Consolidated all design rules and engineering logic in DriveWorks
- Integrated Excel-based electrical data to drive configurations
- Automated the generation of models, drawings, and BOMs
TSEA now use DriveWorks to automatically:
- Calculate new model dimensions
- Perform 3D modelling
- Generate drawings with annotations
- Produce BOMs
The benefits
The implementation of DriveWorks delivered several benefits for TSEA:
1. Reduction in design time
Within 30 days of using DriveWorks, TSEA reduced design time from 19 hours to 7 hours, equating to a productivity gain of 270%.
2. Fewer errors and no rework
By embedding their design rules into DriveWorks, TSEA significantly reduced manual errors and eliminated rework.
3. A shift in engineering mindset
Engineers now think in terms of rules and scalability, and start new design projects with automation in mind.
4. Future readiness
TSEA is already planning on integrating DriveWorks with their drawing number system to automatically include unique TSEA codes. Using all of the information stored in DriveWorks, they are also building a parts database for future queries and project optimization.
As a Mechanical Engineer working with DriveWorks, my perspective on design has expanded significantly. Every project is now approached with scalability and standardization in mind, applying the DriveWorks concept to new developments. When starting a new project, I already think about how to create automation rules for it.
Fernando Alves
Mechanical Engineer at TSEA
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