Automotive Supplier Honsel shifts to CIM DATABASE’s PLM Technology

New Platform for Production, Tooling, Engineering and Standardization 

Bremen, 31st. May 2010 – CONTACT Software GmbH wins Honsel AG as another reputed customer within the automotive segment: As a globally leading manufacturer of light alloy automotive components, the enterprise is a demanded engineering partner and series manufacturer for the automotive industry world-wide. Since December 2009, Honsel operates CIM DATABASE as a multi-site PLM platform in its key departments production, tooling, engineering and standardization. Focal topics during the start-up were, on the one hand, the management of Catia V4, V5 and Pro/Engineer CAD data, Bill of Materials and Office documents, on the other, team-oriented collaboration with external sub-contractors. Here, Honsel employs CONTACT’s innovative Workspace technology, which drastically simplifies data management for CAD applications and enables new, innovative modes of team collaboration.

The enterprise had taken the introduction of a new ERP system to re-evaluate its whole PLM strategy. Its decision for CIM DATABASE included considerations involving the comprehensive migration of existing data. With its modules for CAD data and document management, the ERP integration with Microsoft Dynamics and its product-centred project management approach, CONTACT was again able to score with its PLM concept. „We were pleasantly surprised to find that a multitude of our requirements were already fulfilled within the standard CIM DATABASE configuration“, explains Stefan Neuhaus, PLM project manager with Honsel. „And this is also the reason why we have achieved more than initially planned for within the introductory phase“.

Initially, it was planned to just reinstate the former PLM system functions with the new CIM DATABASE platform – emphasizing the classic CAD data management. However, with the employment of CONTACT‘s new, open, integrative CAD architecture, Honsel is now already a step further, heading for more complex collaborative scenarios.

Honsel, headquartered in Meschede/Germany, is a world-wide leading contractor for light alloy components, with a focus on the automotive industry. The enterprise designs and manufactures products made from aluminium and magnesium according to all standard methods of casting, rod extruding and milling for engines, gear boxes, chassis and bodywork for cars and commercial vehicles. It further includes products for machining tools and other applications. Component system solutions by Honsel reduce car weight, fuel consumption and pollution, thus contributing considerably to the environment. Founded 1908, Honsel as engineering partner and series manufacturer for the international automotive industry has plants in Germany, France, Spain, Brazil and Mexico and has more than 4000 employees world-wide.