Bilfit AG

FROM PLUMBING EQUIPMENT TO COMPLEX PART MANUFACTURER

When Mr. Otmar Bilgeri and Mr. Georg Fitz founded Bilfit in 1983, they could not have imagined the direction the company would take a few years later. Initially engaged in the installation of plumbing equipment in homes, the owners realized that instead of relying on others to manufacture the parts they needed, they could be more efficient by producing them themselves. Therefore, they invested in a CNC milling machine. “Then they realized that to quickly amortize their investments, they could manufacture parts for other companies,” said Marco Roner, head of the production department at Bilfit. “As a result, they gained significant experience in processing parts for various industries.” “The company eventually split into two parts. One aimed at preventing and solving problems arising from water damage, mold, and moisture, and the other company focused on processing parts for various industries. In the processing company, our machine park grew to 35, allowing us to be very flexible and combine projects from many sectors. Our 5-axis machines can produce up to 30 different parts simultaneously. This sets us apart from our competitors, many of whom are unable to take on ambitious or complex projects. On the other hand, we can process virtually any part at a reasonable price.”

“Our clients include small businesses as well as industry giants such as the Swiss rolling stock manufacturer Stadler Rail, medical equipment manufacturer Oertli, an aeronautics supplier, the Formula 1 Motorsport racing team, and automotive supplier SFS Intec,” said Roner. “Although there are other manufacturers in the market, many of our clients prefer to work with a company known for its quality and quick turnaround times, as well as being nearby. Bilfit meets all these requirements,” he said. As some of their parts are complex to program, Bilfit needed to increase its efficiency to remain competitive. “We were losing a lot of time programming our CNC machines with our old system,” said Roner. “It was file-based and prone to errors because files were sometimes lost or accidentally deleted, causing issues. Therefore, we decided to find a better solution and chose the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform from Dassault Systèmes and the Single Source for Speed industry solution experience to optimize our manufacturing processes.” CENIT, a business partner of Dassault Systèmes, installed the platform at Bilfit and was responsible for training employees. “After a brief introduction to the new system, users felt comfortable,” said Roner. “Their approach provided the right solution for our business needs, as well as a quick return on investment. We have a very good relationship with CENIT.” “After a brief introduction to the new system, users felt comfortable,” said Roner. “Their approach provided the right solution for our business needs, as well as a quick return on investment. We have a very good relationship with CENIT.” “After a brief introduction to the new system, users felt comfortable,” said Roner. “Their approach provided the right solution for our business needs, as well as a quick return on investment. We have a very good relationship with CENIT.”

“Thanks to Single Source for Speed, we can quickly program complex parts and store all our information, from the designed part to the manufactured final product, all on one integrated platform,” said Roner. “Our intellectual property is secure and can be reused years later in new projects. For example, when we receive a new project, we match it with existing ones to try to maximize the reuse of already developed CNC programs to enhance our productivity and deliver parts to our clients faster. Another advantage is that many of our clients also use 3DEXPERIENCE applications, so sharing information with them is quick and easy.”

EXPANDING YOUR BUSINESS

To mitigate the effects of the economic downturn, Bilfit has expanded its business by becoming a provider of comprehensive solutions for its clients, as well as assisting them with their engineering needs. “Our core business is manufacturing parts that are fully designed by our clients. However, we understand that in order to continue playing an important role in this market, we need to develop our business,” said Roner. “We can also design parts for them using the CATIA design application on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform,” Roner added. “Thanks to our extensive machining experience, we can design for manufacturability, in other words, take manufacturing constraints into account in the design. This way, we save time and money during actual production. This has been made possible because design and manufacturing information is integrated into the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.”

To ensure optimal tool paths and minimize defects, Bilfit relies on digital modeling to verify machining programs before actual production. “Modeling allows us to avoid tool breakages that can damage both machines and parts,” Roner said. “Modeling also saves us time, as we can detect errors or interferences along the tool path before it’s too late and correct them before machining the part. Less back and forth because we have a machine program that works correctly the first time. It’s easier for programmers to model a five-axis machine in 3D than in 2D because they can visualize what they are doing. They can also ensure from the very beginning that the part is not too large for the machine. Finally, if the client makes changes to the design, we can import them into CATIA, and the system automatically updates the CNC program. This is also an advantage of a comprehensive solution,” he said. Bilfit has three different manufacturing sites and, before moving its machines from one building to another, it visualizes their setup in a digital environment. “We lay out the shop and equipment digitally and model the machine paths during their installation and movement to ensure they fit together,” Roner said.

COVERING THE 4TH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

The advice that Roner gives to small and medium-sized companies considering a transition to an integrated platform with 3D design and modeling tools is to look at the big picture and not be afraid of large systems. “Industry 4.0 (or the 4th industrial revolution) is approaching, and an integrated digital platform will allow companies to negotiate their digital transformation. The benefits far outweigh the risks that such a transition may entail. We must change the way we work if we want to be part of this new digital community and take advantage of new business opportunities.”

According to Roner, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform helps Bilfit modernize its manufacturing approach in line with market expectations. “Parts have become more complex than before. Take, for example, the railway or automotive industry. In the past, parts for vans or cars were very simple to manufacture. They consisted of a series of basic shapes with straight edges. Today, expectations are different. Companies want lighter and more stylish vans or cars to entice their customers, which means designing parts using less material and more complex shapes. Processing such shapes is complicated and can only be done effectively and economically with a high-performance 3D system.”

In the future, Bilfit will expand the use of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to create manufacturing specifications (MBOM) and implement role-based workflow management. The company also wants to strengthen collaboration between its three manufacturing sites by using the platform as a unique access point. “All of this is part of our ‘Industry 4.0’ strategy,” concluded Roner.