| STRATEGY A
Global Partner to Serve the Industry &
Marketing Communications
Lecon
Group shares its experiences in a number of its
own business fields on with external clients on a
consulting basis.
The
Lecon strategy: continuously build brand value by
ever expanding capacity and core competency in
transportation design engineering, development
and niche production while maintaining flexiblity
to partner with our clients on entire programs or
supply specific services.
CONSULTING
FIELDS
DESIGN PROCESS
Culture
and Creativity ...
...
give a shape and aesthetic personality to ideas.
Leconīs ideas set fashions, become archetypes,
and have become industry benschmarks. Product and
process engineering are also used to advance from
the prototype to high valume production of the
various products of our business fields using the
latest technologies and marketing communication
strategies.
The
starting point for the development of a project
whose goal is to define the functionl, styling
and technological characteristics of new product,
is to identify the needs and specific
requirements that the new product must satisfy.
This initial briefing conveys the issues of
product specifications containing the basic
requirements and main guidelines underlying the
entire development cycle.
Once
the requirements have been clarified, and the
customer, end user or reference market have been
identified, an essential part of the definition
of the productīs character will be achieved from
analysis of the competition and of fashion both
in and outside of the comodity class in question.
It
is also imoportant to start technologicl studies
as erly as the styling research stage in odrder
to reduce project development times nd to limit
changes in the subsequent stages, making
suggestions and channeling creative activities
towards innovative but achievable processes.
Research also moves into forms, technologies,
materials and surface treatments to achieve the
styling definition of a new product with all its
characteristics and facts.
The
whole process takes shape by combining renderings
and other traditional outputs of styling studies
with pre-feasibility studies and preliminry
models. Such actions, when combined with creative
activities, lead to the definition and concrete
realization of an idea.
At
this stage, ideas are generally numerous and
several solutions often emerge for the solution
of the problem being considered. At this point,
thanks to the information and data collected and
organized, it is possible to select the solution
best meeting the customerīs many requirements
(image, market, industrial production), or to
decide which route to follow for the rest of the
project.
What
is the main element that distinguishes an object,
highlighting and transmitting its character, its
spirit or, if we prefer, expressing its beauty?
The shape, or three-dimensional manifestation.
The external surface is often also a function: it
is touched by the air generating effort, it
exchanges heat with the environment, and it comes
into direct contact whith man, interacting
ergonomically with him. So it is essential to pay
great attention to the precise definition of the
external surface of an object. At lecon this is
traditionally achieved by employing the most
advanced computer technologies for virtual 3-D
modeling using CAD and CAS system.
The
surface is built taking into account the
component parts and technological constants
including reproducibility of all component parts.
Although accurate views of the virtual model make
it possible to create and optimize the surfaces
of the object directly on the computer, the shape
still has to be confirmed by creating a benchmark
styling model. This is particularly important
when project elements come into direct contact
with the human body. Ergonomics have to be
verified in real mock-ups of the virtual model.
In some cases it may even prove necessary to
renew and to modify some parts of the object in
order to complete the process of optimization of
the shapes.
Updating
of the virtual model using the reverse
engineering techniques and the preparation of a
master model to act as the benchmark for the
external surfaces, complete the process of
product shape definition. However, an item of
industrial design is not just shape but also
function and it is bound by technological,
economic and industrial manufacturing
constraints. for this reason, the design process
that includes the engineering stages must
progress in parallel (simultaneous engineering)
with the definition of the shape, and continue
with the definition of details and of the styling
and functional components needed for the
preparation of operating prototypes for technical
tests, experimentation, market research and
presentation to the public.
STYLING
Styling
follows Creative Research
The
creation of new forms is the result of complex
activities which are built up araound a technical
and product briefing, through which designers are
informed about the objectives to be reached.
Styling
follows the activities of creative research
leading to the development of various proposals
from which, after careful selection, color
renderings can be developed in perspective and
perpendicular views to scale. In some cases paint
instruments are used to rapidly develop styling
and chromatic variants.
The
drawing from which models will be built is chosen
from these proposals with the customer, and the
models are then worked on until the shapes are
optimized. Similarly, the same methods are used
in several other product sectors: cars, boats,
fashion accessories, building materials,
architecture, sports goods and so on.
Where
the expressive element is concerned, at Lecon the
designer is always free to adopt the personal
illustrative techniques that allow him to best
express his own ideas. Even where the division of
labor is concerned, Lecon tries not to constrain
people to fixed themes which would lead to
routine production. The creative moment is
therefore seen above all as an expression of
individuality.
COMPUTER
AIDED STYLING
Downstream
of the Design Stage
The
Computer Aided Styling (CAS) operates immediately
downstream of the creative design stage. Incoming
information (final renderings and technical
constraints) are recreated in the three virtual
dimensions using sophisticated software milling
systems. After years of constant evolution, these
now represent the state of the art in terms of
computer technology applied to design.
The
mathematical model thus generated is used
immediately to crete the milling path which will
produce the first concrete tangible realization
of the project in the form of a model. The CAS
model allows styling- and functional checks, both
static (virtual photograpic studies) and dynamic
(animation in various environments, interaction
for ergonomic checks, mathematical aerodynamic
simulation, CAD design). The process is extremely
rapid and the range of possible new uses of the
computer in the design field grows day by day:
constant updating of the programs and tools is
therefore of fudamental omportance.
CAM/NC
Transformation
of virtual surface into physical models
Computer
Aided Manufacturing (CAM) is used to transform
virtual surface models generated by CAS
techniques into physical models by the generation
of tool paths and subsequent milling with 3 and 5
axis numerical control machines. During the
development of styling models, the digital
surface measurement systems and the CAD systems
that reconstruct the respective virtual models,
work together to update the information regarding
the inside and outside surfaces of an object, in
the light of the changes introduced on the model,
so as to provide the design department with the
basic material needed for product engineering.
Once
the styling model has been approved, the final
mathematical definition of the inside and outside
surfaces is verified by constructing master
models, for which numerical control milling is
also used. Having thus certified the numerical
data for the surfaces, these are used both to
develop the definite design process and for
construction of metal and plastic parts.
MODELS
Model
Making
The
3-D models of the outside and the inside of an
object are built by specialist model makers.
Different materials are used depending on the
type of work to be done: polystrene, clay and
plaster for volume studies, polyurethane, epowood
and resins for final styling models.
The
procedure usually adopted to develop a model is
made up of several stages: Milling of the volume
based on the model analyzed by CAS, and manual
operations related to 3-D development to attain
the objectives proposed in the renderings and
adapt shapes to functional and feasibility
requirements that have emerged as technical
checks where performed on the model.
Occasionally, the volume is built referring
directly to drawings, particularly in the case of
details of an object. Particular attention is
paid to the finishing of details to guarantee
that the product is consistant with the project
in every detail.
CAD - DESIGN
Moving
towards industrial production
The
design activity processes styling information
regarding the external and internal lines of an
object and turns it into technical information to
cover the functions set out in the product brief.
The design process develops in parallel with the
styling models so as to guarantee feasibility
through a series of preliminary studies and
general verification:
definition of the typical sections of the
external and internal finish;
respect for current legislation in the countries
where the product will be launched;
design of structural parts, mobile parts and
finishing elements;
mechanical assemblies and accessories;
control of ergonomic parameters.
The
design process the moves towards industrial
production, closely integrating process
technologies and experimantal checks. The product
is thus defined in greater detail through overall
studies designed to develop the first prototypes
right down to the issue of final drawings of the
individual parts needed for construction of all
production tooling. During this complex process
more sophisticated machinery is used, such as
CAD/CAE systems, which make it possible to
establish the geometric and constructional
aspects of the product, nd to perform simulations
of various type on virtual models (e.g.
structural, kinematic, aerodynamic analysis
etc.). The different computerised systems adopted
in this process use a common database that makes
it possible to operate simultaneously on
different applications, so as to respect
incresingly tight time-to-market targets.
SPECIAL
PROTOTYPES
Exploration
of Technologies
In
addition to the prototypes developed for
maufacturing purposes, other types of special
prototypes are built, using different techniques
and contents. they include: concept- and
show-products, research prototypes, and even
specially designed products for private
customers. Starting from stylistic development
combined with a specific design process, which is
normally more streamlined than the manufacturing
process, prototype tooling is also developed for
the production of small runs of components.
A
vast array of advanced technologies is adopted
during the construction of these special
prototypes. from carbon fibre to extruded
aluminium, hand beaten sheet metal and thermoset
plastic. The components are assembled on
platforms that may be specific or derived from
existing cars. Depending on product objectives,
the special prototypes are fine-tuned ready for
presentation at a show or for delivery to a
customer. These prototypes often explore
technologies, and propose technical ideas which
may reappear many years later on ordinary
products.
MANUFACTURING
Lecon
takes into full account the customerīs
philosophies
A
main characteristics of Leconīs manufacturing
approach is that it takes into full account the
customerīs philosophies. The latter has changed
over the years and, although Leconīs mission is
always considered to be that of creating
manufacturing volumes for what are known as
"niche" products, the company has taken
on and applied the most significant aspects of
each clientīs organizational changes along with
industry changes which have taken place in recent
years.
Priority
to Quality
Absolute
priority is given to quality, achieved not only
by focusing on the product but above all through
the strict control of processes with a team-based
orgnizational structure, which makes it possible
to respond flexibly, economically and rapidly to
market demands. Strict and high priority is given
to all expenditures in order to support the
clientīs cost-cutting initiatives. Delivery
times, which are a direct consequence of the two
previous aspects, are kept as short as possible.
Dedication
to Flexibility
The
volumes of "niche" products produced in
all Lecon production fields and the high
flexibility required are not a novelty for Lecon,
which has developed a wealth of specific skills
to solve the quality - costs - time equation, and
has balanced the quation between use of manual
and automatic operations. Accordingly, the levels
of automation vary with the manufacturing types
and volumes involved.
Absolute
Confidentiality
The
assembly, divided by client, make it possible to
establish maximum understanding of the mentality
and systems of each customer. Even when work is
done for more than one client, it is Leconīs
policy to keep the organizations completely
seperate, in order to guarantee total commitment
and confidentiality to each client.
LECON
PRODUCTIONS - CURRENT OUTPUT >>
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