Shape Search

Shape Search

在产品开发过程中，现有零件可能已足以发挥效用，却仍将新零件不必要地添加到库存中，资源因此浪费。 添加新零件的流程代价不菲。 设计、文档编写、测试、制造或采购以及对车间空间的分配皆会产生相应成本。 这些时间和资金本可以投至其他环节。

重用的价值显而易见，因此人们通常用“重新发明轮子”来批判这种现象。 从商业角度考虑，重用合情合理。 但是，若要重用零件，您必须能够找到对应的零件。 传统的搜索基于关键字值，由于零件名称存在不一致现象，因此搜索永远无法全面涵盖所有可能的结果。 然而，所有类似零件具备的一个共同特征是形状。 形状搜索会根据其几何体结构查找类似的零件，不会考虑它们的命名方式。

Designers find their parts faster with Shape Search

It’s all about connecting technology to get to the right data. Shape Search is fully integrated with Teamcenter, and can be accessed within CAD authoring tools, such as Siemens PLM Software’s NX. For example, a designer in NX is able to select a part using Shape Search by asking Teamcenter to list all the similar parts. Search results are received based on the user access privileges in Teamcenter. Any one of the parts displayed in the search results can be opened by the designer in NX.

Leverage Shape Search in procurement to quickly find similar parts and compare supplier prices

Shape Search benefits users throughout the enterprise, including procurement.
Because Teamcenter is a web based application, and does not require a client download, Shape Search capabilities can be accessed by a broad range of users across the enterprise, including users in the procurement area of the product development process.  When preparing to add new parts to inventory, purchasing agents can use Shape Search in Teamcenter to identify similar parts and then compare part prices and part suppliers. Knowing the history of past purchases will make the next purchase a more informed one.

Shape Search makes classification easier

Classification is a repository for Intellectual Property (IP) that enables re-use and eliminates part proliferation. Classifying parts based on their names is time-consuming and error prone. Variations in naming over time, across departments, or across subsidiaries in the case of growth through merger and acquisition, limit the effectiveness of keyword-based processing of 3D data. Shape Search expedites classification. It rapidly identifies very similar parts that are great candidates to be in the same class. With Shape Search, you find all the similar parts and promote re-use, faster.