To illustrate the new capabilities that system-level configuration provides, consider the following example. A new tunnel is planned to be built that requires an LED solution within the tunnel. The solution provider needs to quote the project, but does not know the final length of the tunnel as multiple scenarios are still being discussed. The solution can be Configured-to-Order (CTO), but the length of the tunnel can have a major impact as it affects how many LEDs will be needed, how many power and control units are needed per LED as well as wiring, racks etc.
Typically, engineers would need to be involved once the final length of the tunnel is determined to re-dimension the solution and ensure that all rules and constraints are observed. Now, the CTO process becomes an Engineer-to-Order (ETO) process with all the cost, time and risk that this involves.
With the new system-level configuration capabilities in Configit Ace®, it is possible to capture the complex engineering rules and constraints that govern how the system of inter-dependent products and components is defined, enabling the proposed solution to be adapted without the need for engineering support. This reduces or even eliminates the ETO part of the process allowing complex solutions and projects to be quoted with more predictability and assurance.
