Automate Your System Design Process

If you design, build or sell complex products or systems, you are probably relying on a group of people using a collection of custom and off-the-shelf tools to design your customers' solutions. The resulting lack of knowledge automation and system integration can lead to:

• Higher cost of quotation
• Lengthened cycle time
• Poor time and cost estimation
• Variability in solutions based on designer knowledge and preferences
• More manufacturing change orders due to errors or oversights in the design process

Product Configuration Solution

The Apprentice Product Modeler is an easy-to-use tool in which you capture your design rules and business practices. Then our unique visual knowledge capture software generates a Product Apprentice that sales people and engineers can use to collect your customers' requirements and select the right components, equipment and accessories to fill their needs. Costs and documentation for the design are generated automatically.

Figure: Home Theater Apprentice is an example of a Product Apprentice generated using Apprentice Product Modeler.

Features and Benefits

• Captures your design rules and executes decision-making consistently
• Selects components, equipment and accessories based on customer requirements
• Applies rules to ensure  compatibility
• Provides an easy-to-use drag and drop interface or a forms-based interface
• Integrates to your current databases
• Provides 2D or 3D schematics of the system design
• Outputs a detailed bill of materials for quotation
• Interfaces seamlessly with MS Office tools

Apprentice tools integrate easily to any ODBC database, incorporating stored components into a design and saving completed solutions. 

Microsoft Visio^TM For 2D Visualization

The designer interface and system schematics are based on Microsoft Visio, making the interface easy-to-use and the solution affordable for deployment across your company. No CAD system required.  An option exists to generate SolidWorks^TM models and assemblies as well.

Your Rules - Your Databases

The Apprentice Product Modeler can execute most design rules, including rules based on spatial placement, assemblies and upstream/downstream system components. Rules can be used to check compatibility of components and automatically add accessories where appropriate.  Labor can be calculated as well.

Interactive 3D Visualization

The solution can also be rendered in an interactive 3D model using DirectX or OpenGL. For many products, high quality 3D visualization can be a powerful sales tool.

Current Customers

The Product Apprentice is being used today by customers in many industries, including:

• Retail
• Telecomm systems
• Power generation systems
• Pumping systems

Contact Us

Because each product configuration application is unique, some consulting time will be required. Call us to discuss your product configuration and design needs and we will provide a complete project estimate.

Teach an Apprentice about your business, and you'll enjoy reduced cycle time, reduced costs, and more consistent designs as a result.

Some Frequently Asked Questions

• What kind of interface is used to collect customer requirements?

A variety of interfaces are available, including preformatted forms and prompted questions and answers.

• Can I override the product or part selected by the Apprentice?

This is a design decision. If you want complete user control, it can be allowed, but it you are using the Apprentice to achieve higher quality control that might not be a good decision.

• How are my rules embedded in the Product Apprentice?

Apprentice Systems will work with you using our Apprentice Product Modeler tool.  Using its unique visual interface, we can quickly capture your key product knowledge and rules. Further rule additions and changes can then be done over time on an as-needed basis.  A couple of days training is usually sufficient to teach someone how to use the Apprentice Product Modeler, making you completely self-sufficient for future modeling efforts.

• Can I add labor to my bill of materials?

You can add labor (or anything else, for that matter) to any part, or to the act of connecting two parts. Either way, it can be reflected in the bill of materials.

• General FAQ's

Relevant Case Studies

Marathon, Home Theater, Harvard Business School, Motorola