Visual Components

Visual Components

Developer(s)	Visual Components Oy
Initial release	2000 (2000)
Stable release	2014 SP2 / October 7, 2014 (2014-10-07) [1]
Development status	Active
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Available in	English, German
Type	Simulation software
License	Proprietary
Website	www.visualcomponents.com

Visual Components is a commercial 3D discrete event simulation software that enables material flow and robotics simulation on one platform. The functionality can be extended with off-line programming capabilities and PLC connectivity. The software product family consists of five software variants. The simulation software can be used for planning and optimizing factory and production line layouts.

History

Visual Components was founded in 1999 together with electronics automation company JOT Automation. Designed to provide a visualization tool for JOTs marketing, 3DRealize was launched in 2000. The software was first to enable robotics and material flow simulation on the same platform. ^[2]

Release history

Application

The software is used by manufacturing companies, systems integrators and machine builders. There are two main applications for the software, visualization of production lines and simulation of production lines.

Visualization

Visualization can be used in any stage of designing a production line, from the early designing stages to rearranging or adding extra machines to an existing line, or when no hard data is needed to describe a concept. At this stage there is usually no need for a precise layout of the production line, rather the goal is usually to give an approximate idea of what the production line will look like. Visualizations can usually be pieced together using the existing component library of the software.

Simulation

A simulation attempts to create an accurate virtual version of the production line in functionality. All the components act as close to real life as possible. Creating a simulation thus allows engineers to perform feasibility studies and collision detection in order to statistically analyze the performance of the production line before it is actually being built.

Platform

Several companies are also using the Visual Components software as a platform for their own proprietary simulation software. Examples include the KUKASim software developed by KUKA and Octopuz developed by In-House Solutions. ^[3]

Main Features

Robot brand independence

The software is robot manufacturer independent, so it is possible to create robot programs for any robot in a virtual environment. There are 27 different supported robot brands as of May 2015.

Components library

A component library with ready-made components is available through the software containing thousands of components. Modeled components are saved in libraries and can be re-used for different layouts.

Drag and drop user interface

The user interface is built on the drag and drop premise allowing users to drag the components they want and drop them on the desired position on the production line.

CAD Import

CAD data from all major formats can be imported into the software as a basis of customized component modeling. The imported geometry is divided into logical parts and functionality is added through Python scripts or the icon based editor.

3D PDF and video export

Models created in the software can be exported as Adobe Acrobat compatible 3D PDF, as videos or as high-resolution images.

Product family

Each software licensed in different product tiers with each product including all the features of the previous products while adding some additional features.

3DRealize

3DRealize is the entry-level production line simulation software that requires little technical expertise and can be used as a sales tool. 3DRealize has a component library that carries components from leading manufacturers around the world. Production line simulations can be made by choosing robots, belts and other elements from the component library.

3DRealize R

3DRealize simulation software has built in robot models that can be used in 3D production line simulation. 3DRealize allows the user to get statistical insights about the operation of the simulated production line.

3DSimulate

3DSimulate simulation software allows users to collect, analyze and report data about the production line simulation.

3DCreate

3DCreate simulation software allows users to use their existing CAD files as the source of the 3D simulation. As 3DCreate makes it possible to reuse old CAD files, it is aimed for companies with a history of designing factory layouts in CAD.

3DAutomate

3DAutomate is a simulation solution for creating large-scale production line simulations. As 3DAutomate supports large models and point clouds, it is suitable for the automotive industry.

Modeling methodology

Modeling methodology in Visual Components simulation software.

Technically a component is a "container" of different simulation objects (frames, features and behaviors) and their relations (a tree). Some of the objects define "the looks" while others are the behaviors and interaction with other components in the simulation.

Nodes: Nodes are the skeleton of the component.

Features: Features represent everything that can be seen meaning they are either geometrical shapes (block, cylinder, custom geometry) or they modify other features (clone, extrude).

Interfaces: Interfaces expose selected parts of the component to other components. They define how a component can connect to other components.

Behaviors: Behaviors determine how the component is simulated.

Parameters: Parameters are user-defined properties.

File format

Visual Components files use a proprietary structured file format. This means that there are various files embedded within each VCM (component model & layout file) and VCP (layout package) file including preview bitmaps, geometry information and metadata sub-files. ^[4]

See also

• Simulation software
• Discrete event simulation
• List of discrete event simulation software
• Off-line programming (robotics)

References