SM-Iprom - Designing Cutting-Edge Robotic Automation Solutions Faster

Greek industrial machine company leverages SOLIDWORKS and 3DEXPERIENCE Works to develop new innovative products, and increase design quality.

Challenge

Keeping quality of products high while the demand for standardization of machines and applications was increasing along with new complex technical specifications and large number of parts.

Solution

Adding 3DEXPERIENCE® Works collaboration, data management and collaboration solutions, including Collaborative Designer for SOLIDWORKS®, Collaborative Industry Innovator, Collaborative Business Innovator to their existing SOLIDWORKS 3D Design and SOLIDWORKS Electrical solutions.

Results

  • Easily manage data and all product revisions
  • Securely save and access all design data on the cloud
  • Easily tracking of increasing machine parts
  • Better collaboration between our mechanical and electrical design

SM-IPROM (Industrial Prototype Machines) was founded in 1981 in Thessaloniki, Greece. The company initially manufactured woodworking machines as well as automated welding and deburring machines.

Today SM-IPROM leverages advanced technology and expertise to specialize in manufacturing innovative customized machines for wood, metal, and other materials, as well as robotic welding, grinding, and palletizing systems. SM-IPROM also provides custom robotic automation solutions including design, maintenance/spare parts, programmable logic controllers (PLCs)/robot programming, and remote-control access across various industries in Greece and around the world.

Recent projects include rotation assembly machines for the installation of cooling pipes, and its Fanuc Robotic Welding Solution for the fireplace, stove, and boiler industries.

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Acquiring the Tools Needed for Growth

Mechanical design engineer Stefanidis Antonis took over the company in 2007. Due to high demand for standardization of its machines and applications, he recognized the need for adding 3D CAD software into SM-IPROM’s design process.

The company collaborated with AlfaSolid Works, a Dassault Systèmes reseller, and introduced its R&D department to SOLIDWORKS®.

“SOLIDWORKS is a user-friendly and parametric software that enabled us to reduce our design time, develop new products, manage assemblies, and increase the quality of our designs,” notes Antonis.

He continues, “One of the many advantages of SOLIDWORKS is the vast variety of add-in apps, each of which offers solutions to various issues. One of these is SOLIDWORKS Electrical, with which the collaboration between our mechanical and electrical design is the most efficient it’s ever been.”

Due to the advanced and complicated technical specifications of its machines and large number of parts, SM-IPROM simultaneously introduced SolidCAM software, also distributed by AlfaSolid, to augment the production process with SolidCAM’s iMachining software.

“With iMachining, we managed to reduce the processing time by more than 50% and to increase the life cycle of the cutting tools,” says Antonis.

The tools and accompanying methods enabled the company to stabilize its production process and grow the development of its robotic applications and automation.

Related Resources

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Unifying Tools, Teams, and Data

With the advances in technology and Industry 4.0, Antonis knew that to ensure future growth, SM-IPROM needed an all-encompassing business platform to capture every activity in one online workspace.

By adding the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform, SM-IPROM enables individuals, teams, and external collaborators to easily and securely work together. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform captures all activities in one place in the cloud. “Now, the search and sharing of CAD files amongst our co-workers through 3DEXPERIENCE contributes even more to our productivity,” enthuses Antonis.

SM-IPROM’s vision is to become the leading provider of innovative robotic automation solutions across various industries, and SOLIDWORKS and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform are helping the company get there.

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