Witness SDX: 
 
The WITNESS SDX module enables simulation in WITNESS directly from VisFactory™ (Factory CAD™) layouts.

VisFACTORY from EDS is a CAD design tool that utilizes intelligent smart objects. Creating VisFactory layouts is very easy and hence its success in being widely used as the system of choice in many major automotive and other manufacturing companies.

The output from VisFactory is an SDX (Simulation Data eXchange) file. The WITNESS SDX module manages the translation and format of this information to import from the CAD system and supply the data WITNESS requires to populate a WITNESS simulation model.

• Creation of automatic layout diagrams in WITNESS based on the CAD design

• Entering of routing in the CAD design and the creation of WITNESS routing from this data

• Entering simulation data for each CAD shape used and the transfer of this data to WITNESS including: cycle times, breakdown modes and timings, set-up modes and timings, buffer capacities, buffer dwell times, machine type, etc.

Options include the setting of icons for part types, machine types and conveyor representations and also scaling, color, position options and many others. The import preferences also allow a set of automatic report option positions to be defined. These include throughput reports for each part defined and also pie charts of the utilization of each machine defined. More complex routing and control can be added as necessary to explore more detailed control.

WITNESS SDX includes the ability to exchange Parts, Buffers, Machines and Conveyors information. More complex control rules and routings, patterns of labor usage, hierarchical structures for simple high level modeling can be added.