One of the major stumbling blocks when it comes to implementing end-to-end digitalization as part of Industry 4.0 is undoubtedly the enormous range of existing and newly developed systems that refuse to speak each other’s language. Thus one of software developers' top priorities has to be ensuring that integrating their programs into all kinds of systems can be accomplished as smoothly as possible. Among the wealth of new time-saving solutions for calculating, optimizing and documenting components and component groups that MDESIGN GmbH from Bochum was showcasing at HANNOVER MESSE 2017, its new MDESIGN CAD integration options proved the absolute show-stopper.

The MDESIGN CAD interface breaks down the barriers that have hindered users importing model and geometrical data from CAD systems into its MDESIGN package. Any changes to the model are then exported back to the original CAD system in STEP format. This considerably reduces the work involved in transmitting and defining the data, while also minimizing errors and speeding up decisions and verifications with MDESIGN.

The new version of MDESIGN for multi-bolt calculations also generated great interest. Visitors to the stand were given a first-hand insight into how the additional features of MDESIGN multibolt can now calculate loads and forces for bolt patterns to VDI standards. What's more, the latest version of MDESIGN multibolt can already provide solid results during the dimensioning and design process not only for rotation-symmetrical but now also for rectangular and many other kinds of bolt patterns.