3D design: virtual, flexible, fast and secure

MAIT has put together a special software server package for virtualizing CAD desktops for Klaus Union, a global industrial company. Thanks to outstanding computing and graphics performance, as well as optimal integration, the pump manufacturer's design practice has leapt to the next level of development.

Sector Mechanical Engineering

Region North Rhine-Westphalia

Company size Over 500 employees

In mid-2009, Oliver Terhorst picked up the phone in the south of Bochum and called MAIT, a specialist in ERP, PLM and IT solutions, on the other side of town. Terhorst is Technical Director at Klaus Union, one of the world's leading suppliers of pumps and valves for industrial applications. Founded 75 years ago, the company primarily serves the chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and marine industries. Klaus Union designs and manufactures ever newer, more complex and more powerful pumping systems in plants around the world. Today, Klaus Union has more than 500 employees worldwide.

On this day in July 2019, Terhorst has a wish: he wants a more powerful CAD environment for the rapidly expanding industrial company. In the future, every designer at every location should be able to access the same data sets quickly and securely from his or her workstation. Klaus Union has long relied on Creo 3D design software and PTC's Windchill PLM system for its design work. In the future, however, the company wants to connect its various locations more efficiently and securely. In addition, the administration of the PTC solution is to be significantly simplified through virtualization. Terhorst was also concerned about availability and data security: "The design data for our products is our most valuable asset. We simply wanted to regain full control over where and how this data is used, distributed and processed," he says.

"Thanks to MAIT's new worry-free package, simulation calculations in the design process have been reduced by up to two and a half hours. That is a lot of time available for new projects, including increased productivity and lower costs."

Oliver Terhorst

Technical Director Klaus Union GmbH & Co. KG, GERMANY

MAIT impresses with a hands-on approach to finding solutions and a pragmatic consulting approach

Terhorst's contact at MAIT is Maik Petersen, Senior PreSales Architect in the HybrIT Business Unit. After the meeting, Petersen drew up a plan to virtualize the workstations, with 3D data and CAD software stored only on one or more central servers with high graphics and computing power. After a comprehensive compatibility check and solution analysis, IT project manager Petersen and his team of four put together a very individual package for Klaus Union. This consisted of a high-performance server with fast AMD processors and powerful NVIDIA graphics cards, as well as Microsoft Windows-based software components.

"I still remember how impressed we were with MAIT's hands-on approach to finding a solution and their pragmatic consulting approach. What's more, we got the best technology at the best price from a Bochum-based company with real PTC Creo know-how," says Oliver Terhorst.

In the end, IT project manager Maik Petersen and his team presented the optimum software and hardware combination for virtual operation of PTC Creo. This was followed by a joint configuration with Klaus Union's IT and CAD experts. It was an extremely straightforward and pleasant collaboration," recalls David Langert, one of the company's IT administrators. MAIT initially provided the pump manufacturer with one of the high-end servers configured in this way for testing purposes. After just a few days, Klaus Union was convinced - and even ordered a second, identically configured server from MAIT.

By centralizing data and applications, Klaus Union has been able to standardize its workstations and processes and become much more flexible all in one go. New workstations can now be made available much more quickly. Oliver Terhorst is able to quantify the success: "Thanks to the new all-round carefree package from MAIT, simulation calculations in the design office have been reduced by up to two and a half hours. That is a lot of time that is available for new projects, including more productivity and lower costs," says the CEO of Klaus Union. In addition, by implementing a combined central server solution and desktop virtualization, MAIT has also raised data security at Klaus Union to a new level.

For compliance reasons, cloud-based solutions such as those offered by MAIT are not yet an option for Klaus Union. Nevertheless, the solution supports the company's digital development. MAIT Senior Sales Manager Kerstin Zimmer, who was also part of the team at Klaus Union, is certain: "Whatever IT and software-related plans Klaus Union has for the next few years, the company will always be able to rely on our expertise and uncomplicated cooperation."