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Configuration and 3D Visualization

The PIM system as a data source for configurators and CAD/BIM

The symbol is unicolor blue and shows a stylized database from which six lines lead to the corners of a surrounding hexagon. There are dots at the corners of the hexagon and the symbol is surrounded by a square with rounded corners. It stands for the crossbase product database.

Product configuration is seen by 80 percent of companies as a success factor for the sale of technical products with many variants. In the course of advancing digitalization in sales, configurators and 3D visualizations are central building blocks, as customers must also feel well advised in digital media.

This applies to both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) consulting. In B2B, the target group is engineers, planners and architects who are looking for a suitable product solution, for example for a machine, a system or a building. In B2C, the buyer wants to find a product that meets their requirements, for example with suitable dimensions, materials, functions and colors. After the selection process, interested parties expect an offer with a price and delivery date. This is why we talk about CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) in this context. Designers, architects and planners also need 3D CAD files in common exchange formats (STEP, SAT, DWG, DXF) or for direct use in the CAD or BIM system.

Advantages of the crossbase.pim system for configuration and 3D visualization

Central management of configuration and CAD/BIM-relevant data
Proven API interfaces to the integration partner 4PACE (3PQ®, CADClick®)
Provision of configuration data (objects, attributes and product relationships)
Provision of explanatory images, documents, videos and texts in the required languages
Provision of geometry data and technical data for CAD and BIM portals

Configurator

crossbase has a tried and tested interface to its long-standing integration partner 4PACE (3PQ®). The PIM system contains a lot of information for the configurator, which is provided by crossbase:

Configuration objects and basic combination options

The definition of rules with conditions and scripts is the core of the configurator. The PIM system can provide support here, as many correlations are already maintained in the PIM system.

Configuration attributes

These are often already available in the PIM system in the form of product attributes and can be "mapped" (in practice, approx. 80% are already available).

Explanatory images, documents, videos and texts in the required languages

On the one hand, this should help the user to make the right selection in the configuration process, e.g. using background texts and images. On the other hand, corresponding images, documents and a data sheet should be provided after the configuration process. The PIM system can do this excellently, as this product information is originally available in the PIM system.

CAD/BIM

crossbase has tried and tested interfaces to the long-standing integration partner 4PACE (CADClick®). A lot of information for CAD/BIM is managed and provided in the crossbase software solution:

Geometry data for the creation of 3D CAD files

Only the installation dimensions are relevant and not the production dimensions. The 3D CAD models must be created in a system-neutral manner and, in the case of products with many variants, parameterized so that they can be used for any CAD and BIM system. The motto here is: "Model once, export everywhere."

Technical product data for BIM files

The BIM model is created for various levels of detail (LoD), the product data is enriched in the file itself and made available for Revit, Archicad, Allplan or IFC.

Navigation structure and texts for distribution

Z. E.g. description and tender texts, in the required languages. The CAD data can be distributed via portals or directly on the manufacturer's website.