Custom development
From adding functionality to your existing software to delighting your customers with a bespoke service application, custom development opens up a world of possibilities.
Walking through your business, you’re bound to spot opportunities for improvement…
Systems that don't communicate with each other
Software that's outdated and underperforming
Applications lacking both user experience and functionality
How long will your team continue to tolerate these shortcomings?
SPI has been serving the sheet metal industry for over 40 years. We’ve spent just as long building expertise in business-orientated applications and technical administration. We’re proud to put this expertise at your disposal.
As experts in heterogeneous system environments, we bridge missing links and eliminate communication breakdowns. Our approach is to streamline and modernize, but always with a commitment to maintaining effective current solutions – because it’s cost-effective.
Your reward: Software that supports your business processes 100%!
Custom Development for the Sheet Metal Industry
Where standard software reaches its limits, custom development begins
As a service provider, it’s imperative that we remain at the forefront of technological advances. Our primary goal is to create value for our customers and meet their growing expectations. The evolving landscape of globalization, coupled with Industry 4.0, presents unique challenges for modern businesses across all industries. We’ve set our course and SPI from Ahrensburg has proven to be an exceptional partner.
Standard software often lacks functions crucial to your processes. Through customization catered to your requirements, your workflows can be mapped, optimized, and automated, unlocking significant efficiency potential within your organization.
After working with you to define your requirements, we’ll design a solution that’s the perfect fit for you. Whether it’s desktop or web applications, or even mobile technologies, with the right solution you will benefit from lean and efficient processes. Daily tasks can be improved without requiring your employees to adapt to entirely new workflows.
The software should adapt to your processes, not the other way around!
Process automation
Interface development
Application customization
The stages of a development project
Our Services
From laying out the specifications to conducting user training, our advisors are by your side, ensuring focused communication between the specialized departments and the IT team.
The analysis of requirements and implementation management (Requirements Engineering) form the critical foundation for successful development projects. We ensure that all essential aspects are incorporated into the concept.
A clear description of the planned software solution is one of the keys to success. Our specifications provide you with an in-depth summary of the present status, the proposed initiatives, and plans for their implementation.
Every company must meet different legal requirements concerning data protection. We deliver qualified guidance, detailing the requirements relevant to you and recommending the measures that should be implemented.
Our migration concepts factor in the interplay of data and systems, paving the way for a secure and swift transition.
The quality of your future software solution is ensured and documented from the outset, thanks to comprehensive test management.
Designed according to your wishes, our training plans empower your employees to efficiently adapt the new software solutions.
The implementation of a new solution should have minimal impact on your day-to-day operations. With our rollout planning, we ensure a smooth deployment.
Throughout different phases of the project, we offer on-demand workshops aimed at jointly developing fresh ideas and strategies.
Software Development for Sheet Metal Fabricators
Benefit from a partner who understands the sheet metal industry
Let’s get in touch and see how we can help your business!
With SPI, we have found a reliable partner that has built a reputation over decades as an expert in high-performance software for the sheet metal industry.
CAD Software Development
CAD Custom Development by SPI
Do you work with Solidworks or Autodesk Inventor and are you constantly challenged by the limitations of these standard software applications? Are you looking for features that are tailored to support your processes?
Our expertise covers:
- Displaying, measuring, comparing, and analyzing 3D CAD or BREP models and 2D CAD data, especially in DXF and GEO (TRUMPF format);
- Extending the functionality of CAD systems such as Solidworks or Autodesk Inventor with custom design features;
- Solving complex geometrical problems;
- Automatic checks of manufacturability and part calculation;
- Automatic generation of quotations and manufacturing documents.
Laser cutting, laser tube cutting, bending, edging – no matter which manufacturing process you use, we ensure a manufacturable design and unfolding.
Examples
Selected Customer Projects
Tube Construction for Trumpf with TubeDesign
SPI develops the Tube Design software for the machine tool provider TRUMPF: a CAD program that facilitates profile design for products manufactured with TruLaser Tube machines, or TruLaser machines with RotoLas units.
The software specializes in the programming of tube cutting machines for processing tubes and profiles. The programming system is based on extensive technological knowledge. This allows it to, for example, analyze cutting geometries and calculate contours. The program performs complex tasks such as corner processing of rectangular profiles automatically. Bend connections are created with ease. Complex tube designs can be cut and assembled in high-quality thanks to the intelligent connection technology. Numerous automatic functions for the intersection of tubes facilitate design and programming. The ergonomic and efficient operation ensures a high level of user-friendliness.
TruTops Bend, TruTops Punch, TruTops Tube and other software modules of the TruTops series are trademarks of the TRUMPF company and are protected accordingly.
Heterogeneous Machinery and Distributed Manufacturing Sites
Several manufacturing locations with centralised construction, heterogeneous machinery as well as the opening of a central cutting centre for southern Germany presented the Bader Group with a technical challenge that was solved with the help of SPI.
When Bader opened a new cutting centre at the company’s headquarters in Senden, equipped with brand new automated punching and laser machines and a central raw material warehouse, programming with the existing OEM systems proved to be a bottleneck. Existing CAD parts had to redesigned for production in different sites. This, of course, could not remain a permanent state of affairs.
To provide the required process information and control the machines, Bader decided for SPI SheetMetal in conjunction with WiCAM’s PN4000 programming system. 19 SPI software licenses are in use today, an extension is already planned. The SPI sheet metal unfolding software ensures that the CAD data is provided with cutting and machining data and transferred to the programming system as an XML file that includes all information relevant for the manufacturing process The software also delivers GEO data that can be used in other Bader production sites without needing additional adjustments for the machines used there.
The next challenge was the heterogeneity of the machine park across the different production sites: it includes machines from Amada, EHT, Hämmerle, Salvagnini, and Trumpf.
“Our goal was to be able to manufacture any product at any location,” explains the head of Industrial Engineering. “When we design parts here at the headquarters, the designer should not care whether the part will be manufactured in Germany or in Hungary. However, different machines with different deduction values are used at these locations, so this is not unimportant.”
The Data Editor that is integrated into the SPI solution allows to manage and retrieve different material and bending tool combinations. It takes just the press of a button to create the necessary flat patterns with machine-specific deduction values for the various production sites.
An important further step for process automation is the introduction of the SPI solution for ensuring a manufacturable rebuilding of parts that took place in the summer of 2018. Regardless of how a part has been constructed, even if it contains false internal radii, inaccurate reliefs or bending lines, the SPI software will analyse the data and create not only a GEO or XML file but also a production-ready STEP file. This file includes all process information, correct reliefs, punching, and stamping data. The result is a virtual prototype that shows the part as it would be manufactured, including the accurate production radii. Potential collisions in the bending process can be easily detected and fixed in time.
Machine Control with TopsUnfold from SPI
SPI GmbH developed the sheet metal unfolding software Tops Unfold for the TRUMPF Group. TRUMPF is one of the world’s leading manufacturing technology companies and their innovations have long set standards for sheet metal and material processing machines worldwide.
With SPI’s Tops Unfold, it takes just seconds to unfold 3D data with all production-relevant information. Tops Unfold uses the tried and tested shortening factors from the TruTops Bend database. For the calculation of reliefs, the user can additionally use punching tool data from TruTops Punch. The result of the unfolding is a 2D plate in GEO format that contains technology information necessary for further processing, for example for programming the press brake in TruTops Bend. Tops Unfold generates the blank with all bending lines in GEO file format. This format allows swift further processing in the programs of the TRUMPF TruTops software family. For example, all necessary bending information can be easily forwarded to TruTops Bend. This way, a bending simulation can be started immediately.
The logic underlying the Tops Unfold program developed for TRUMPF is also included in SPI’s own SheetMetal Solutions software. The “unfolder” of SPI SheetMetalWorks and SPI SheetMetal Inventor is based on the same algorithms. Part of Tops Unfold continues to be OEM modules from Solidworks.
What can we do for you?
Let us know!