Altair > Case Studies > Panasonic Ecology Systems Enhances Product Development with Virtual Validation

Panasonic Ecology Systems Enhances Product Development with Virtual Validation

Technology Category

Automation & Control - Human Machine Interface (HMI)
Sensors - Utility Meters

Applicable Industries

Electronics
Packaging

Applicable Functions

Maintenance
Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Tank Level Monitoring
Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing

Services

Hardware Design & Engineering Services
Testing & Certification

About The Customer

Panasonic Ecology Systems Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of the Eco Solutions Company of Panasonic Corporation. The company plays a pivotal role within the Panasonic Group, being responsible for the global sales of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) products and solutions. Their mission is to provide comfortable living spaces for people around the world while minimizing the impact on the environment. The company is committed to the development and manufacturing of high-quality products, and as such, they are constantly seeking ways to improve their product development processes, reduce costs, and shorten design and development cycles.

The Challenge

Panasonic Ecology Systems Co., Ltd. was faced with the challenge of making product drop tests more reliable. The company, which plays a key role in the sales of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) products and solutions globally, understood the importance of evaluating designs through drop-testing before completion to reduce losses. However, the traditional methods of drop-testing were not providing the desired level of reliability. The company was already using RADIOSS, a leading structural analysis solver for highly non-linear problems under dynamic loadings such as impact analysis, as part of their computer-aided engineering tools. The challenge was to make effective use of these resources without the need for new investment, and apply this analysis to product development in other product fields.

The Solution

The solution involved developing a multi-step plan to analyze a product at each stage of its development. The team began by drop-testing a single component, then moved on to a combination of several components, an assembled product, and a packaged product. At each step, Altair’s RADIOSS solver was employed to calculate the drop-test impact. The team investigated drop analysis for a single component, for example, setting up a drop-test of the front panel of a ventilator installed on a ceiling. The panel was made of ABS resin and was dropped from a height of 1 meter. The team then analyzed the front panel with its two wire attachments and two 20 cm.–long wires that were designed to prevent it from falling off. The strength of the wire attachment was important, as this preventive measure would be meaningless if the attachments broke from the shock when the wires stretched after the panel drops.

Operational Impact

The implementation of the multi-step testing plan and the use of Altair’s RADIOSS solver significantly improved the reliability of Panasonic's product drop tests. The detailed analysis at each stage of product development allowed the engineering team to make necessary modifications to the panel thickness and shape in several regions, reducing die-related losses and shortening the design period. The strength of the wire attachment was also improved, reducing trial reduction costs. The analysis of more complex assemblies, such as a water tank of a humidifying air cleaner, led to modifications that prevented disconnection and damage, reducing trial production costs. The analysis of a complete and assembled product, such as a tabletop humidifier, resulted in modifications that cut evaluation time, trial production, and material costs. Finally, the analysis of a packaged product led to modifications that reduced costs for both the product and packaging material and sped the product to market.

Quantitative Benefit