Model-Based Definition (or MBD) uses 3D CAD models annotated with all necessary product and manufacturing information instead of traditional 2D production drawings. MBD has quickly gained popularity in the manufacturing industry in recent years, so if you’re not reaping the many benefits of MBD, there’s never been a better time to start.
In this article, we’ll look at how MBD works, its benefits and how you can get started.
How MBD works
Too many manufacturers still rely on drawings. They work with 3D models, generate 2D production drawings, then share a static PDF with their supply chain partners.
When you bring MBD into the mix, you remove the need for these drawings by going directly from design to manufacturing. You capture the product and manufacturing information (PMI) in the 3D model, including:
- Dimensions and linear tolerances
- Geometric tolerances
- Surface finishes
- Notes
- Symbols
- Tables
(MBD standards are recorded in ASME Y14.41-2019, ISO 16792:2021, and MIL-STD-31000B.)
MBD uses semantic 3D annotations that can be interpreted by downstream software such as CAM and CMM. This makes the design-manufacturing-inspection cycle much faster, reduces costly errors and makes your design teams more productive and efficient.
Many companies have already gained a competitive advantage from implementing MBD, including Volkswagen, which decreased their time-to-industrialisation by 25% thanks to this new initiative.
Transitioning to MBD
One of the genuine selling points of MBD is that it hardly requires any organisational change to start gaining advantages. If you are already creating 2D drawings on CAD, you have the capacity to move to 3D and MBD. The only new features you’ll need to learn are:
- Annotation Planes: Defining the placement and orientation of details
- 3D Annotations: Including dimensions, tolerances and other product and manufacturing information
- Combination States: Organising 3D annotations to make MBD representations more straightforward, including cross-sections, simplified representations and explore states
Once you’re up and running, you’ll see benefits almost immediately. From that moment on, the drawing is no longer the primary source of truth for your product (although you can create a drawing if you like). The source of truth is now the Technical Data Package (TDP), a set of electronic files that may include:
- CAD model (platform-native or neutral STEP AP242 format)
- Bill of Materials (BOM)
- Requirements, specifications and schematics for cabling
- Quality documentation, including First Article Inspection (FAI) sheets
How Creo makes it easy
Creo by PTC makes the transition to MBD simple. With every new version of Creo, PTC rolls out improvements to the platform’s MBD capability and useability. The latest upgrades include:
- Manual or Excel-imported table creation
- General Profile Tolerances (GPT) for automatic semantic reference collection
- Compliance with multiple standards, including ASME Y14.5 and ISO 1101
- Enhanced workflows for symbols and surface finishes
- Assembly support in the GD&T Advisor
Select a development project as a pilot, use Creo to begin your MBD journey and monitor improvements in results. When you become a Model-Based Enterprise (MBE), you optimise your essential processes to maximise productivity, efficiency and revenue.
