Siemens
From production line to layout design: how Dexcom optimizes its operations with Siemens Plant Simulation
Industry: Medicine
Dexcom is an emerging medical technology leader headquartered in San Diego, California, specializing in the development and production of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems. These devices are essential in helping patients monitor their glucose levels in real-time, offering a less invasive alternative to traditional blood glucose meters.
Dexcom’s latest device, the Dexcom G7, allows users to effortlessly track their glucose levels, helping them make smarter decisions about food and activity in the moment to take better control of their diabetes. With the launch of this new device, Dexcom continues to push the boundaries of innovation, ensuring smaller, more effective, and user-friendly products.
Challenges in scaling operations
Faced with increasing demand for its CGM devices, Dexcom needed to scale its operations without compromising efficiency, safety, or cost-effectiveness. It was also crucial to maintain a focus on customer experience to ensure broader accessibility while continually improving the product.
To overcome these challenges, Dexcom adopted Siemens’ Plant Simulation technology. As Mohamed Elsayed, Industrial Engineering Manager – Modeling & Simulation at Dexcom, explains:
“We’re making Plant Simulation part of Dexcom’s DNA. It supports our decision-making process, allowing us to continuously advance our product while optimizing operations and boosting productivity at a lower cost.”
Simulation driving productivity and innovation
Dexcom implemented Plant Simulation to digitally replicate its factory sites and optimize production processes. This technology enables them to model, analyze, and optimize their operations in a virtual environment before making physical changes, resulting in enhanced safety, increased productivity, and better resource utilization, ultimately reducing costs and increasing product accessibility.
Notable use cases of Plant Simulation at Dexcom
- Enhancing production line efficiency
Dexcom used Plant Simulation to optimize production lines, modeling different scenarios and workflows. This allowed them to identify bottlenecks and allocate resources efficiently, increasing production throughput and ensuring smooth transitions when introducing new products. - Improving facility layout and safety
The company used simulation to improve safety and layout configurations, including parking lots. By modeling various scenarios, they optimized traffic flows and minimized congestion, improving safety and employee convenience. - Designing new manufacturing sites
As Dexcom expands globally, they use Plant Simulation to design new manufacturing sites before construction begins. The software helps model emergency scenarios, like fire drills, ensuring safe and efficient evacuation routes and compliance with safety regulations.
The future of simulation at Dexcom
Looking ahead, Dexcom plans to democratize factory simulation, making it accessible to more employees, including those on the shop floor. The goal is to integrate this technology into everyday decision-making, enabling real-time adjustments based on resource availability and production demands.
By leveraging Siemens Plant Simulation, Dexcom has embedded a culture of continuous improvement and innovation in its operations. This technology not only optimizes processes but also supports Dexcom’s mission to improve the lives of people with diabetes worldwide.
Siemens and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrate 20 years of innovation
Siemens Digital Industries Software and Oracle Red Bull Racing Celebrate 20 Years of Innovation in Formula 1™
Siemens Digital Industries Software is celebrating two decades of partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing, marking one of the longest and most successful technical collaborations in Formula 1 today.
Christian Horner, CEO and Team Principal, emphasized the importance of this collaboration:
“With Siemens, we have a digital backbone that enables us to turn ideas into reality faster than ever. Their tools give our engineers the freedom to innovate, adapt, and stay agile, which in Formula 1 can be the difference between winning and losing. It’s a partnership that continues to push us to new heights each season.”
Since 2004, Oracle Red Bull Racing has built its engineering infrastructure on the Siemens Xcelerator software portfolio. Since then, the team has effectively managed logistical challenges, increasing design complexity, and the growing number of parts and thousands of engineering changes each year, all while improving manufacturing repeatability.
Today, Red Bull Racing relies on Siemens Xcelerator and the world’s most comprehensive digital twin technology to thrive under the immense pressure of the Formula 1 racing season, designing, refining, and manufacturing cars while continuing to drive the team’s success on the track.
Ben Sheath, Vice President and General Manager of Siemens Digital Industries Software in the UK and Ireland, said:
“Working with Red Bull Racing from day one has been an incredible journey, both personally and professionally. I started as an engineer at Siemens, supporting their vision, and 20 years later, I’m proud to see how our collaboration has helped fuel their success. Seeing Red Bull Racing become a powerhouse in Formula 1, knowing Siemens technology has been a key part of that, fills me with immense pride. It’s a partnership built on pushing boundaries, and I’m thrilled to have been a part of it every step of the way.”
Siemens Xcelerator has enabled the team to digitally transform their processes, from reinventing the speed at which engineering changes can be executed and managed, to adopting the latest product engineering technology that allows for rapid part design, composite part development, and harness engineering.
The team is continually designing, manufacturing, and even additively producing parts at their technical center and on the track. When combined with the team’s focus on measurable performance and data-driven guidance for progressive improvements based on real-time actionable information, Siemens Xcelerator supports the team’s leadership in engineering, manufacturing, and ongoing success.
Key Facts: Siemens Digital Industries Software and Oracle Red Bull Racing Technical Partnership
- Digital Twin Technology: Oracle Red Bull Racing relies on Siemens’ comprehensive digital twin technology, enabled by Siemens Xcelerator, to design, test, validate, and manufacture championship-winning cars at the incredible speed demanded by Formula 1.
- Design Efficiency: The team has seen a 300% improvement in the cycle time of part designs using Siemens NX™ for product engineering. The software’s complex shape modeling capabilities have also made aerodynamic design 1,000% faster per iteration.
- Managing Complex Parts: With around 10,000 unique parts per car, the team uses Teamcenter® software to manage specific car configurations required for each track around the world, reducing design approval times from weeks to hours.
- Generative Design: The team reduced design time from two weeks to two days by utilizing generative design capabilities in NX to create optimized designs for structural support components and cooling systems.
- Composite Materials: Design and manufacturing of composite materials with the support of Siemens’ Fibersim™ portfolio have resulted in a 30% improvement in design time to delivery.
- Customized Seats: The engineering team created custom seats that support each driver in an optimal position, reducing fatigue and improving control during races through a combination of Simcenter™, NX, and Fibersim software.
This partnership exemplifies how Siemens technology not only drives performance on the track but also redefines engineering and manufacturing standards in Formula 1.
Sat Nusapersada Increases Efficiency by 33% Using Siemens Process Preparation
Industry: Tech
Sat Nusapersada Boosts NPI and SMT Efficiency with Siemens Process Preparation Software
Sat Nusapersada, one of Indonesia’s largest Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) providers, has chosen Siemens’ Process Preparation software to enhance its New Product Introduction (NPI) processes and increase the efficiency of its Surface Mount Technology (SMT) production lines by 33%.
Founded in 1990, Sat Nusapersada is the first high-tech EMS listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange, serving global brands like Asus, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Sharp. With growing customer demands, Sat Nusa expanded its SMT lines to 24. However, as production capacity and monthly requests for quotes (RFQs) increased, the company needed to reduce manual work, particularly in the NPI phase, to maintain efficiency and competitiveness.
Following a thorough evaluation, Sat Nusapersada implemented Siemens’ Process Preparation software. This solution allows the company to streamline assembly, testing, and inspection processes, keeping all information updated in a single environment. The software eliminates the need for manual corrections, reducing errors and improving consistency across their operations.
“We’ve seen significant improvements in our production capacity since implementing Siemens’ Process Preparation software,” said Stanly Rocky, general manager & public relations at Sat Nusapersada. “With less manual rework, we’re able to better serve our customers and meet the fast-paced demands of today’s electronics industry.”
The results have been impressive. Sat Nusapersada reduced the time needed to gather incoming project data by 92%, and overall line efficiency improved by 33%. The software also streamlined SMT programming tasks, cutting down time by 31% for line configuration setup and other related processes. Additionally, the design for solder stencils was reduced by 50% thanks to the software’s learning libraries.
Alex Teo, managing director and vice president for Southeast Asia at Siemens Digital Industries Software, commented, “It’s great to see Sat Nusapersada benefiting from Siemens’ Process Preparation software. Our focus is on helping customers like Sat Nusa scale their production lines to meet the increasing global demand for electronics.”
CFD for clean air. 3 ways to fight contamination in public buildings, transportation and production facilities
Industria: CFD
CFD for clean air: How simulation is transforming spaces and processes.
Until 2020, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for ensuring clean air was not a topic that captured the attention of the general public. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for clean and healthy air became a matter of global concern. This led to CFD reaching the mainstream media. Although public attention has been reduced following the pandemic, the need for purified air in public facilities, offices and transportation remains crucial. Moreover, it is not only humans who require high standards of air quality; many industries need controlled environments to avoid contamination that can affect the production of goods.
CFD simulation is an essential tool in this ongoing challenge. Simulation software from Siemens’ Simcenter portfolio is used in a variety of applications to ensure that air is purified, improving both our breathing and manufacturing processes.
Three ways CFD helps ensure clean air
While CFD simulations do not replace public health guidelines, they can be useful in three key areas:
- Understanding pollutant transport and mitigation 2.
CFD allows modeling the movement of aerosols and particles in space and time. This is especially useful in controlled indoor spaces such as rooms, automobiles, trains, airplanes, clean rooms, and food factories. - Improve and redesign indoor spaces for safety.
With CFD, multiple configurations for ventilation systems can be analyzed, ensuring efficient removal of particulate contaminants in indoor spaces. It is also possible to optimize the location of air purifiers and air barriers. - Designing equipment to remove hazardous substances and purify air.
CFD enables the design of more efficient air purification devices used in public buildings, transportation and industrial environments.
CFD case studies for clean air
Public transportation
- Airbus: Used Simcenter STAR-CCM+ to model the transport of cough particles in aircraft cabins, evaluating the effectiveness of face masks.
- Norton Straw:** Analyzed ventilation strategies in trains, such as opening windows or installing plastic barriers, optimizing passenger safety.
Buildings
- HOLT Architects:** Redesigned office spaces to reduce airborne virus transmission. Simulations evaluated the effectiveness of HVAC systems, window openings and the use of disinfection devices.
- JB&B:** Showed how opening windows in classrooms dilutes contaminants, helping to minimize the risk of contagion in schools.
Industrial production
- FS Dynamics:** Developed an advanced methodology to avoid contamination on lithography machines in the semiconductor industry.
- Creaform Engineering: Simulated vaccine filling lines in clean rooms, ensuring regulatory compliance and minimizing economic losses.
Beyond Human: Purification in Industrial Processes
In addition to protecting people, CFD simulation plays a key role in maintaining hygienic standards in the production of food, drugs and other sensitive goods. Companies such as Excelitas Noblelight and Clean Air Limited have used CFD to design innovative devices, from UVC air purifiers to fume hoods, improving both efficiency and sustainability.
In short, Computational Fluid Dynamics not only helps improve the quality of the air we breathe, but also transforms key processes in multiple industries. Ready to explore what CFD can do for you?
Siemens Leads Innovation at the 5th Italian Exhibition Mexico Roadshow
The 5th Italian Exhibition Mexico Roadshow has established itself as a key event for the industry, offering a cutting-edge platform to explore how technological solutions are transforming the industrial sector. Led by Jean Macías, the event featured Gerardo Pérez Lechuga, Head of Digital, Enterprise and Cloud Solution at Siemens Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, who presented Siemens’ vision for a more sustainable future.
Siemens: A Pioneer in Sustainable Digital Transformation
During his presentation, Gerardo Pérez Lechuga emphasized Siemens’ commitment to industrial sustainability, showcasing how its comprehensive technological solutions drive operational efficiency while reducing environmental impact. Technologies such as cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), and automation not only enhance processes but also optimize resource use and minimize waste, paving the way for a cleaner, more responsible manufacturing landscape.
“Digitalization is not just a competitive advantage; it is a shared responsibility to build a more sustainable future,” Pérez Lechuga stated, reaffirming Siemens’ role as a leader in digital solutions.
Driving the Future of Industry with Siemens
Siemens’ approach, centered on the integration of technology and sustainability, demonstrates that aligning business growth with positive environmental impact is not only achievable but also essential. Companies adopting this model strengthen their competitiveness while playing an active role in the transition toward a greener economy.
A Key Event for Industrial Transformation
With Siemens at the forefront, the 5th Italian Exhibition Mexico Roadshow provided immediate solutions and a clear vision for the future of the industry. The event demonstrated that digitalization and sustainability are not fleeting trends but foundational pillars for building a more efficient and environmentally conscious industrial landscape.
Through events like this, Siemens reinforces its commitment to leading the way toward a more responsible industry, equipping businesses with the tools they need to face today’s challenges and prepare for the future.
Implementing end-to-end Simcenter solutions for test-based durability engineering
Industry: Automotive & transportation
Tuning vehicles to local custom needs
In 2017, Nissan enjoyed a record year with 5,820,000 cars sold globally. That year, Renault-Nissan Alliance became the world’s leading seller of passenger vehicles, surpassing Volkswagen.
Nissan’s brand awareness and recognition is at its zenith. In fact, YouGov BrandIndex, which measures the public perception of thousands of brands in Europe, reports that Nissan is the fifth-ranked automobile supplier (of 38) for United Kingdom (UK) consumers.
To continue increasing brand perception, as well as improving the quality ranking, Nissan sets high standards in regard to engineering quality and reliability, it is essential to understand and address the needs and requirements of its local customers. The role of the Nissan Technical Centre in Europe (NTCE) is to support Nissan’s reputation and ensure that performance attributes of new vehicle designs and concepts meet European consumer expectations. Nissan Technical Centre Spain (NTCE-S) is a center of excellence for the design and development of vehicles manufactured across Nissan’s European production plants, focusing on key activities such as powertrain development, light commercial vehicle engineering and testing.
Nissan is committed to offering its European customers the highest standards of quality and reliability. This is one of the reasons why NTCE-S invested in Simcenter™ software solutions from Siemens Digital Industries Software for test-based durability engineering to bring its engineering capabilities to the next level.
Durability is key
The main role of the function and durability department at NTCE-S is to validate the functional performance of an engine’s components over the vehicle’s lifecycle. To assess performance, the team conducts extensive tests on components fitted on NTCE’s engine dynamometer (dyno). It also evaluates the component’s performance in a full assembly configuration, where the complete vehicle is positioned on the chassis dyno. Finally, the team puts passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (for example, pick-up segment) through fatigue tests, either on the test bench or the test track.
A large number of the tests performed by the function and durability team are durability tests. Durability is an important performance attribute of passenger and light commercial vehicles. In the light commercial vehicles market segment, consumers are inclined to select a brand they trust will support their daily needs.
“Durability is extremely important,” says Arturo Barreu, powertrain durability test engineer, function and durability department, NTCE-S. “In Europe, this attribute is closely associated with the perception of quality. As the demand for quality increases, we need to confirm the durability of our vehicles. Consumers expect vehicles will not break down after only one year, but up to 20 years.”
Other attributes such as ride and in-vehicle comfort, engine power and fuel efficiency are also important in the vehicle’s design. The role of a durability engineer has become more complex as durability engineering teams need to take more parameters into account when conceiving and testing components, subsystems and full systems of next-generation vehicles.
Streamlining processes
One of the steps the team took to improve durability engineering was to invest in solutions from the Simcenter portfolio. With its portfolio, Siemens Digital Industries Software helps streamline the engineering process by offering an end-to-end solution for test-based durability engineering.
A complete durability test campaign encompasses measurements on the engine dyno, followed by measurements on the chassis dyno, after which the test team moves to the test track. As the engineers are required to move the test equipment from one location to the next and to instrument the test item anew, they appreciate the portability and flexibility of Simcenter™ SCADAS hardware.
“We use Simcenter SCADAS for all our data acquisition tasks,” says Barreu. “It is a portable system which is very compact. It is also versatile, adjusting to our needs. With it, we can acquire different types of data such as acceleration or strain, using the same equipment. Our Simcenter SCADAS data acquisition systems total more than 100 channels, which we can easily transport from the engine dyno to the chassis dyno and to the test track and back.”
Beyond data acquisition, the team streamlined its durability engineering process by relying on Simcenter Testlab™ software for load and fatigue analysis. The software effectively supports every step of a testing campaign, from data acquisition to load classification and fatigue life prediction. Moreover, it forms part of a platform dedicated to multiphysics test-based performance engineering and, as such, better helps balance the contribution of various performance attributes such as acoustic, comfort and durability, combined with low weight and fuel economy, to the overall perceived quality and reliability.
The function and durability department’s main responsibility is to test and validate the functional performance of enginerelated components. The engineers, meanwhile, acquire, analyze and compare test data on a large number of components and engine subsystems. They combine the outcome of durability analyses, such as time at level, rain flow counting, range pair counting, level crossing, and fatigue life prediction, with typical noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) analysis results, which can include peak hold spectra, order sections, colormaps, and many more. All durability and NVH data are acquired using the same Simcenter SCADAS hardware, and the analysis is performed in a single software environment, making it a very efficient process for the engineering team.
“The key challenge that we are confronted with is the consolidation of our knowledge,” says Barreu. “We have to test more components now than ever before. These components are also of a different nature. We test more and more electronic components and less mechanical parts. The collaboration with Siemens is essential to adapt to these changes and to validate these new components.”
For the validation of the component on the test rig, the team uses Simcenter Testlab to synthesize an equivalent damage profile and to consequently emulate the damaging events encountered during test track measurements on the rig. This highly efficient process significantly accelerates testing by realistically simulating the damage experienced by the component during the operational life of the vehicle.
NTCE engineers have found that Simcenter Testlab offers great stability, independent of channel count, making it easy for them to configure online analyses. The solution also provides fast and error-free data postprocessing thanks to the Process Designer functionality and offers immediate, clear reporting.
“Simcenter Testlab is our preferred tool for durability validation,” says Barreu. “It is easy to configure and allows us to automate processing. It is also a very good software for quick reporting and data sharing with our colleagues.”
The outcome of the tests produce reliable data that can be endlessly manipulated to deliver deep engineering insight into the fatigue behavior of the components. This data supports the definition of further tests or feeds the simulation models with trustworthy validated information.
“Simcenter Testlab offers an integrated end-to-end solution for load data acquisition and processing,” says Guillermo Gonzalez, function and durability senior engineer, NTCE. “The solution accelerates the delivery of critical durability insights when preparing for test rig campaigns or reliable simulations. It is faster, easier to use and robust.”
We test more and more electronic components and less mechanical parts. The collaboration with Siemens is essential to adapt to these changes and to validate these new components.
Arturo Barreu, Powertrain Durability Test Engineer Function and Durability Department, NTCE-S
Siemens Mexico Certifies Over 30,000 Students in Industrial Digitalization and Strengthens Dual Education
León, Gto. — Siemens Mexico has certified over 30,000 students in industrial digitalization tools, reaffirming its commitment to preparing future talent for the workforce. This initiative aims to integrate young professionals into the job market by combining wisdom and experience, which the company identifies as essential for business success.
Alejandro Preinfalk, CEO of Siemens Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, emphasized the importance of curiosity and a growth mindset in Mexican students. “Curiosity is the key ingredient for students to thrive and become industry leaders,” he stated.
Preinfalk highlighted Mexico’s potential to excel globally, provided that students maintain their sense of wonder and eagerness to learn. “A growth-oriented attitude is fundamental. We must not think we know everything already. The technologies and tools are available, but we need the right mindset to take full advantage of them,” he added.
Dual Education: A Proven Model
Siemens also promotes the “Dual Education” methodology, a strategy combining theory and practice. Originating in Germany, this model allows technical high school students to learn in the classroom while gaining hands-on experience in companies under direct mentorship. “This combination delivers excellent results, as it enables young people to seamlessly transition into the labor market,” Preinfalk explained.
Innovation and Sustainability
In addition to fostering talent, Siemens offers industrial digitalization and sustainability solutions. These include technologies for decarbonization and energy efficiency, designed to connect the physical and digital worlds and make industries more efficient and competitive.
130 Years of Legacy in Mexico
With over 130 years in Mexico, Siemens has left its mark across multiple sectors, from lighting Paseo de la Reforma and introducing the first electric train to advancements in industrial automation and healthcare equipment. The company’s impact has been particularly notable over the last two decades, driven by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Through these initiatives, Siemens reaffirms its dedication to digital transformation and sustainable development, positioning Mexico as a key player in the era of modern industrialization.
