Sigmetrix

Tolerance analysis is crucial to gain insights into how manufacturing imperfections can impact the intended functionality of a product. This analysis plays a pivotal role in industries like aerospace and defense, where precision, performance and quality of every component are critical. Despite its importance, tolerance analysis often gets relegated to the final stages of design, where variations can lead to costly reworks and production delays.

Sigmetrix empowers companies to overcome these challenges from the onset of product development. Its comprehensive variation management strategy goes beyond traditional tolerance analysis, providing a holistic toolkit to manage variation throughout the entire product lifecycle, from design conception to post-production.

“From the start, our aim has been to offer user-friendly tools that empower companies to solve their problems with ease,” says James Stoddard, president and CEO of Sigmetrix. “Nevertheless, we recognize that the many challenges we address are often critical and time-sensitive. In such cases, we can also provide our expertise to help customers resolve them.”

Traditionally, engineers had to create multiple physical prototypes to understand how variations would affect the final product. Sigmetrix’s software solutions enable the virtual simulation of variations, saving significant time and resources. This variation management solution captures and transfers crucial product and process data from conception to service and warranty.

This helps bridge the gap between the ideal design and real-world variations, enabling companies to maximize ROI in Model-Based Definition (MBD) and Model-Based Enterprise (MBE), translating to quicker product development cycles and a faster time to market.

The process begins by defining system-level requirements and turning them into measurable key characteristics for design. Against these key characteristics design concepts are measured for their robustness to variation early in the conceptual phase.

Once a design is established, Sigmetrix emphasizes proper dimensional control for accurate production and information transmission. This includes applying appropriate dimensions and tolerances and ensuring complete and correct data for potential reuse.

Sigmetrix leverages the details of the manufacturing process to refine the variation analysis beyond just the specified tolerances. This insight drives the development of efficient inspection plans to maintain quality standards.

Inspection data integrates back into the variation model, facilitating validation and continuous improvement. Statistical Process Control (SPC) data is utilized at both dimensional and product levels, enabling swift resolution of issues during product release. This targeted approach enhances quality control and optimizes resource allocation within the manufacturing process.

Sigmetrix’s array of offerings has fueled success for many clients across different industries. One notable instance involved a medical device company grappling with warranty issues. By leveraging Sigmetrix’s tool, they slashed defects from 82,000 to 146 per unit. In another case, a client from the automotive sector was able to identify critical issues early using Sigmetrix. This saved them a substantial cost of $16,000 per product.

Sigmetrix supports clients in solving quality issues even after the products reach customers. Its powerful variation models prove invaluable throughout the warranty phase, pinpointing the root cause of product failures with unmatched accuracy.

The company understands that successful variation management depends on the software, user learning and skill improvement. It offers comprehensive training sessions by seasoned professionals, empowering teams to utilize the software efficiently. These sessions are complemented by continuous support to resolve challenges and maximize software utilization.

Sigmetrix’s innovative solution surpasses conventional, reactionary quality control methods. Its holistic approach guarantees the triumph of even the most audacious space missions, empowering humanity to boldly expand the horizons of exploration.