PLM: Ford chooses global tool for product data quality management

By Control Engineering Staff May 10, 2007

Dassault Systemes (DS) and Rand North America have announced that

Ford Motor Co

. has deployed throughout its global operations the Q-Checker product data quality management tool for Catia. Q-checker was developed by Transcat PLM, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dassault Systemes. The operations involved include Ford North America and Ford Europe and its Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo Cars divisions.

Q-Checker software helps companies reduce design errors and improve the product design process by ensuring that 3D computer-aided design (CAD) models can be used effectively throughout the entire design and manufacturing process. Q-Checker is an integrated application for checking the quality and integrity of CAD models and drawings, and ensures that company design standards and best practices have been used.

Rand North America and Transcat PLM partnered with Ford for an evaluation of Q-Checker software to ensure that it would effectively enable Ford to streamline its engineering design process, reduce time to market, and enhance design and product quality. During the evaluation process, Rand North America and Transcat PLM assessed requirements, customized Q-Checker, and conducted training.

“Having Q-Checker implemented by Ford illustrates the power of DS’s partner ecosystem,” said John Leney, senior director, Dassault Systemes. “Industry leading products, integrated tightly with Catia and Dassault Systemes other PLM solutions, bring our customers diverse added functionality and customization.” Q-Checker should effectively serve to set Ford’s global design standards, enforce best practices, and allow CAD models to flow more easily throughout the design and manufacturing process and between different business units, he added.

Rand Worldwide provides professional services and technology to the engineering community. Dassault Systemes develops and markets PLM application software, including Catia for designing the virtual product.

—Edited by Renee Robbins , Control Engineering editorial director