‘Large firms use our solutions to cut complexities’

Q & A

BERNARD CHARLÈS, vice-chairman and chief executive, Dassault Systèmes, was in India recently for a flagship event, 3D-EXPERIENCE Forum. In an interview with Jyoti Mukul, he shared his firm’s experience in working with brands such as Myntra, Ashok Leyland, Tata Motors, Hero MotoCorp, Honda, and Mahindra. Edited excerpts:

How prepared are the Indian firms to adopt 3 D printing technology as the Indian market is very cost sensitive?

We have been providing solutions in India for over 20 years. We started with high-end firms such as Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) to design cars digitally. Today, our products like SOLIDWORKS provide capabilities to small and medium size enterprises. These firms are not using drawings anymore, but want to use 3D designs to make them more efficient. Large firms are using our solutions to reduce complexities of their products, while small firms are adopting 3D designs, modelling and simulation. These technologies are becoming more affordable for planning a city, building a bridge, improving safety of the infrastructure. We have done many projects with L&T on infra, construction and energy. With the help of our 3D-EXPERIENCE Platform, L&T can design, simulate and produce those equipment in complex shipbuilding activity and in manufacturing plants.

What are the products that have been designed and produced through 3D-EXPERIENCE?

Big firms such as M&M, Volvo Eicher, and Ashok Leyland are our clients. I see their products on the screen six years before the actual production. Earlier, the firms used to only design products with our software. But, now, they design the entire manufacturing plant with our products. Even the equipment suppliers such as Sandhar and UNO Minda are our customers. The products you see that aremade in India are mostly designed on Dassault Systèmes’ solutions. Firms such as Godrej are also using our software to design home appliances. We have several apparel clients such as Myntra, Arvind Lifestyle, and Mohan Clothing.

How advanced is the Indian market in terms of 3 D printing?

3D printing exists for more than 30 years. Brands have been using quick prototyping. The difference between quick prototyping and 3D printing is the machines. The capabilities of the machines right now is to do additive layer manufacturing. Laser and powdered techniques are mastered by several manufacturers in the world. 3D printing machines in Europe, America, and Japan are more robotic. The use of 3D printing in India is growing since it is importing more machines. When we talk about our software in India, we are very advanced in the domain of additive manufacturing, as it is the bigger approach than 3D printing.

What is the market size of 3 D printing in India?

I know that the top-listed firms in the world are planning to sell 20,000 thermoplastic machines. If you are doing auto typing, you do not need ware houses. We should be able to produce it ourselves at the lowest possible price. It is possible today with all the technology available.

What is the approximate cost that can be saved by using 3 D Printing and other manufacturing emerging tech instead of outsourcing and warehousing?

The value that 3D printing adds is that you can create one part instead of 10 others, making the designing more efficient and cost effective. There are extremely critical parts, like ones in Airbus, that are 3D printed and these are the flying parts. One can reduce the weight for the same function with 3D Printing, thereby, reducing the ultimate cost. It can reduce the weight substantially. For spare parts, you can localise the production of spare parts instead of facilitating them by warehouses. Which will eventually reduce the logistic cost. It also helps address the minute problems that couldn't be analysed earlier and helps to provide the most optimal solution.