New timing and orientation at imos AG

The new imos version does not follow the previous tradition. Instead of the expected version imos 13.0 it is followed by imos iX 2017. imos AG will change the nomenclature for the upcoming version and in future also clearly show its new orientation.

The Herford Software house is continuously developing its software products in accordance with the current motto "inspire & produce". It especially concentrates on the entire process, from the end customer to the industrial machine for industry and trades. Developers and product managers can be inspired by current trends and technologies and integrate these into their system solutions. This development is reflected in the naming of the new software version as well as the current exhibition concept at the LIGNA.

imos iX - integrated solution with innovative technology

"With imos iX, we are breaking the tradition and making clear our solutions continue to develop," says Winfried Dell Managing Director for Sales and Marketing. "We see it as our task to find, test and make technological innovations available to the industry. The "i" stands for INNOVATION and INTEGRATION, the "X" derives from the English terms like EXCHANGE and CONNEXION, and stands for the exchange of the data on different applications throughout the entire sales and manufacturing process. imos iX is today far more than a CAD/CAM system. imos iX is a complete solution for the sale and manufacturing of furniture and equipment in the area of networked production and industry 4.0."

Sales solution along the Customer’s Journey

Originally from the CAD/CAM sector, imos AG is developing additional sales solutions for industry and trades. The 3D product data models generated in the design process, including the parameters, are directly transferred to the sales catalog with their characteristics and thus made available to the offered desktop or online planning solutions. Depending on the configuration, the modules are suitable for B2B or B2C business models. With imos iX, imos AG is taking a further step and is offering solutions along the "Customer Journey". End users and planners work together on ideas that can be exchanged online and thus gradually lead to solutions. Different applications communicate with the same planning result, but allow different editing possibilities.

Advanced 3D product configuration

The focus of the online applications lies in the 3D configuration and planning. These applications have now been expanded technologically, so that any kind of furnishing elements can be processed. It is now also possible to configure and plan seating and upholstery furniture or bought in parts. To this the possibility to simulate kinematic movements can be added, such as the seat mechanics of a chair or the opening and closing of a sliding door.

Photorealistic images at mobile devices

The configured furniture can now be combined into a room planning. Decoration elements are added and, if necessary, global changes can be made to the entire planning process. Afterwards, wall views, including dimensions, can be generated automatically or a high-quality almost photorealistic image can be calculated. The latter is done with the help of the new online render service, which generates high-quality picture material quickly and uncomplicated from the planning result, independently from the technical equipment of the terminal.

VR-ready

Virtual reality for imos AG not only means technology, but also a modern visualization tool for sketching planning results created with imos software. imos AG is exhibiting how VR technology can be used to promote sales and be involved in the sales process in Hannover for the first time in the so-called "iX Lab". Visitors are invited to take a picture of the virtual experience and to marvel at the new possibilities and quality.

Sales planning for professionals

Sales planning based on imos CAD will enter the second round. With imos Plan 2.0, imos AG will be offering a desktop planning solution for the professional user in addition to your online applications. Here, specifically the operation was simplified, the output improved and the speed optimized in order to keep up with the established kitchen planning packages. PLAN Link is the associated web service that updates the catalogs and sends the customer orders to the manufacturing plant.

Optimization through integration

The demand for integrated solutions is increasing and with it the requirement for standardized interfaces and short introduction times. With the Integration Center, imos AG has created a central tool for the professional connection of imos world with external systems such as ERP, MES and sales systems. "iBots" play an important role. These are program blocks which can be assembled into connectors as part of the integration project, in order to realize the connection to the involved systems and to automate the communication. The integrated error logging and monitoring provide the necessary transparency in the data flow and help in error analysis.

Newly developed CAM technology significantly more powerful

After several years of development, the new CAM technology is used in imos iX. This is now fully integrated in imos CAD and is configured and managed via the user interface already introduced with imos 12.0. With the new CAM module it is possible to display the internal production processes and to adapt the NC data generation into the respective production flow. Since the design data is largely processed in a neutral manufacturing manner, the data exchange with production service providers and supplier companies is simply possible. The program functions themselves were also worked on. The expansion of functions and parameters, such as the approach and the departure distances, new machining strategies, milling cycles and more has significantly increased the flexibility, functionality and performance. The processing speed has also increased a lot.

imos at the LIGNA

Visitors, who want to convince themselves of all innovations, will find imos AG in Hall 15 at booth G47 this year. There, the product managers will present all the innovations on the subject of new structure, sales solution, integration, as well as the individual product groups CAD, CAM, NET and 360.