CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
17 September 2007
Implementation Investments
Autodesk Announces SkidTek as Inventor of the Month for September
Autodesk, Inc . announced that SkidTek Limited, an Ireland-based leading designer and manufacturer of modular processing and purifying systems for the pharmaceutical industry, has been named the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for September. The Inventor of the Month program ( http://www.autodesk.com/inventorofthemonth ) recognizes the most innovative design and engineering advancements made by the extensive community using Autodesk Inventor software, which provides the foundation for Digital Prototyping.
"Inventor has played a key role in helping us develop the most sophisticated high-purity modular processing systems on the market," said Mark Lee, business unit manager of SkidTek. "To receive the Inventor of the Month award from Autodesk, which has such a history of innovation and leadership, is quite an honor."
SkidTek manufactures processing equipment in modules -- or, skids -- that are fully assembled at their factory and then installed at the customer site to minimize on-site fabrication. These skids are then used by pharmaceutical customers for everything from solution preparation and compounding, to water purification, cleaning and sterilization cycles, and inactivation of bio-contaminated materials.
The skids often contain extensive amounts of piping, but to keep the size of the skid compact, the pipe runs must be kept as short as possible while still complying with the drainage requirements of sterile processing equipment. Additionally, major components including vessels, pumps, heat exchangers, control cabinets and access platforms must be taken into consideration, and frequently, the skid must be designed around building elements such as walls and columns.
The founders of SkidTek realized early on that the use of 3D modeling would be a vital element in their ability to design and build these compact pharmaceutical process skids. By using digital prototypes created in Inventor, the company is able to test the form, fit and function of their product before it is built, reducing the necessity for physical prototypes. Their digital prototypes also enable them to conduct virtual design reviews with clients. SkidTek is often able to conduct virtual design reviews via a web meeting, eliminating the need for travel and therefore further reducing costs. Efficiency is improved by decreasing the time to acquire the necessary client approvals. They are generating new business by leveraging digital prototypes in animated videos, which showcase their capabilities to prospective clients.
"The use of 3D digital prototypes created in Inventor allows us to tightly control the design process and catch any interferences ahead of time," said Lee. "As a result, we can validate our design to help predict that the finished product will meet the requirements of the production operators and maintenance personnel who will be using it in their pharmaceutical facilities. We have even taken it so far as to do a virtual walk-through with the client's occupational health nurse to verify the ergonomics of our designs".
"With Digital Prototyping, companies like SkidTek are able to bridge the gaps that usually exist between conceptual design, engineering, and manufacturing teams, allowing them to create highly specialized solutions for their pharmaceutical customers," said Robert "Buzz" Kross, senior vice president of Autodesk Manufacturing Solutions. "These solutions help ensure that research and discovery efforts within the pharmaceutical industry are as efficient as possible, which makes it a pleasure to name SkidTek as our September Inventor of the Month."
About the Autodesk Inventor of the Month Program
Each month, Autodesk selects an Inventor of the Month from the more than 600,000 users of Autodesk Inventor software. For more information on Autodesk Inventor of the Month, contact IOM@autodesk.com .
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