Micro Modelling

An Exact Training Tool for Engineering

Companies
Version 1.2

An Application Note

CVMark Consulting
May 2010

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 Micro-Modeling: An exact Training Tool

Keywords: Models, miniatures, miniaturization, engineering models, industrial models, scale

down models, micro models, marketing tools, demonstrators, teaching aids, training, strategic
point of discussion, replica, prototype, micro industrial landscaping.

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 Micro-Modeling: An exact Training Tool

Contents

CONTENTS....................................................................................................................... 3
FOREWORD..................................................................................................................... 4
1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................... 5
2. COMPLEXITY OF TRAINING IN ENGINEERING COMPANIES ............... 5
3. ISSUES IN TRAINING OF ENGINEERING OBJECT ...................................... 6
4. THE SOLUTION ...................................................................................................... 6
5. MICRO-MODELS FOR TRAINING ACROSS COMPANIES ......................... 8
6. WHO ARE USING MICRO-MODELS ................................................................. 9
7. MICRO MODELING- A POWERFUL VISUALIZATION TOOL ................... 9
8. DERIVE THE BENEFITS OF MINIATURIZATION....................................... 10
9. RELATED PUBLICATIONS................................................................................ 10

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Foreword
Irrespective of the pace of economy, new engineering products and infrastructure facilities are
built every day, at faster pace than ever. These rapid developments are constrained by the
upgradation of skill sets of the people who are involved in realizing and providing services on
them. Organizations are increasingly finding training of their employees, customers and supply
chain partners very critical to higher productivity and effectiveness.

Products and systems that are by design, large and complex, have difficulties in conveying their
perceived, visual and functional appeal to people dealing with them. Today’s training programs
although use sophisticated methodologies, are in need of better tools that quickly relate the
trainees to the product design and complexity. The art and science of miniaturization offers very
attractive proposition to organizations in improving productivity of their training programs for
industrial products and systems.

This application note, is brought out as an exercise to market creation of miniaturized industrial
model making. The paper introduces micro-modeling and highlights its power as a new tool that
is redefining the way organizations would present their products to train their employees.

This paper limits itself to the use of micro-modeling in training for engineering companies and is
a part of a sequence of white papers in specific domains.

CVMark
Bangalore, May 2010

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 Micro-Modeling: An exact Training Tool

1. Introduction
Training is an integral part of organizational learning process and is critical to the operation of
organizations that are product centric. In some of the organizations, domain training accounts for
over a month time per person per year. In manufacturing industries that deal with physical
products, feature and design based training of products is necessary across the supply chain.
Various user groups that undergo training within these organizations include:

1) Marketing and Sales

2) Design
3) Production
4) Subcontractors
5) Maintenance
6) Installation
7) Commissioning

These training programs, normally, run through out the year and are focused on employees,
customers and supply partners. The mode of training includes, class room, workshop, laboratory,
e-learning and onsite engagements. A training program that is hands-on and close to real-life
provides the most benefits.

2. Complexity of Training in Engineering Companies

A large part of engineering industry spends significant amount of time and money in training
activities. Physical knowledge of the product is critical, for the functioning of the machines and
also for providing effective operation and service. While training as a learning methodology is
being practiced since long time, there still remain issues to be resolved to make it more
productive and cost effective process for organizations, especially, those involved in large and
complex engineering products, systems and projects.

Consider the following example.

A global conglomerate and world leader in manufacturing of large machines, has a couple of
manufacturing plants around the world and its machines are supplied to customer locations
around the world. To train its employees across different functions and carryout discussions on
various issues of the products, it conducts hands-on and online training across its 14 e-learning
centers on regular basis. While it has found e-learning packages developed by a third party useful
in automating learning, it has noticed that despite its best efforts, its employees still need to
travel to factories and customer sites to improve their understanding and have a need for ‘touch
and feel’. Large engineering products like Gas Turbines, are custom made and they take long
time to realize. It is not possible for the organization to keep samples of these available for
training at each center. Thus employees miss the opportunity to have a realistic view of the
product till it is fully made. And often, the learning process of employees do not have the benefit
of component level product complexity. This is despite that to carry out their day-to-day
activities they need to understand the intricate details of these products, and a physical view
becomes vary critical.

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Thus, the company keeps sending its employees to remote customer sites on several occasions.
To send their employees on-site, they need to schedule such training program synchronized with
the downtime at the plant for maintenance. This is to allow employees to show the internal parts
of the products. The travel means cost and loss in productivity for the company.

Even after doing this, often, the employees do not have the occasion to view complete inside out
of the product, as on-site such an opportunity is rarely available.

3. Issues in Training of Engineering Object

These problems appear across various engineering domains.
It is related to visualization of engineering products, systems
and projects. In most of the cases, employees deal with very
rigorous visualization challenges, but they have to be content
with drawings, notes and documents. Much of the errors
made in engineering designs is attributed to visualization.
This is further complicated by the fact that during decision
making phase that occurs much before the product is
actually built, different contributors from marketing to
design to maintenance functions have different visualization
of products. Obviously, no one has the exact visualization as
details of engineering objects like power plant, switchyard,
battle tank, cement plant etc. are too complex to visualize
beforehand.

Fig 1: Power Transformers

On occasions, when a complete engineering object is

available upfront in full scale, complete perspective is not
very clear e.g. at arm’s length. Please refer Figure 1 and 2.
There is no doubt that if the design/engineering group has a
table top replica of an engineering product/ project, it will
help them beyond their usual perception of solid modeling
provided on computer workstations or drawings.

Fig 2: Battle tank

4. The solution
As a matter of fact, the above mentioned company worked out with its e-learning partners to
provide an enhanced visualization tool that would improve effectiveness of the training program,
and help avoiding at least one travel to site per employee. Its analysis of many methodologies
resulted into the possibility of having a table top model that can be readily assembled and dis-
assembled. For this they would need an exact replica made to the scale by following engineering
principles of precision. Although such techniques (micro – modeling or miniaturization) were
being used in rather simplified way in training programs, they wished to have the same for

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complicated engineering products. Perhaps this would actually synchronize the e-learning with
the physical product learning.

Figure 3: Micro-model of Rotor Assembly of Gas Turbine (Scale 1:10)

The company has come out with an improved training program, where it is providing (micro-
models) of machines in its traditional training programs. The micro-models made of a number of
sub-assemblies are used to
demonstrate various design
elements of the product. It is
making significant impact, since the
employees are very quickly able to
co-relate to concepts and product
designs. In fact, other departments
of the company are also asking their
e-learning partners to support online
packages with micro-models. The
photograph in Fig 3, show the
micro models of a complex Gas
Turbine developed for a leading e-
learning company that owns the
lifecycle support of e-learning
products for the engineering company.
Fig 4.: Micro-model of Combustion Chamber

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This model developed in the scale of 1:10, comprises 16 subassemblies. It has been provided on
a mounting and hand carry package. This model already delivered and being used in e-learning
classes, is due for multiple replicas.. Use of this model is expected to help the company at least a
visit to site per person, improve the e-learning productivity index significantly and save money.
The e-learning company is now in the process of rolling out micro-models of 7 other designs of
the turbines and has made plans for making micro modeling an integral part of their offerings to
engineering companies.

The company has now planned to introduce the concept of micro-modeling into multiple contexts
that need a higher degree of visualization, especially in dealing with large and complex products
and systems. These include:

a. Providing micro models of sub-assemblies and products to designers at early

stage of development that supplement their drawing and CAD activities
b. Using micro-models in
design review meetings,
thus providing the same
perspective of the product
to design, production and
sales employees
c. To support prototyping
activities
d. For showcasing critical
features of products to
customers
e. Showcasing micro-
models of engineering
products in Exhibitions
and Trade Fairs

Fig 5: Components of Gas Turbine Micro-model

5. Micro-models for training across Companies

The companies that will benefit from micro-models include:

a. Product development
companies
b. Manufacturing companies
c. Installation and
Maintenance companies
d. Engineering, Procurement
and Construction EPC,
companies
e. Design Service companies
f. eLearning companies
g. Independent CAD and
engineering service
companies

Fig 6: Hand Assembly of Gas Turbine on a Table Top

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6. Who are Using Micro-models

The list of companies embracing micro-modeling to power visualization of their products,
systems and projects include large enterprises from India and abroad. Various industry
stakeholders, who are using Micro-models include product manufacturers, suppliers, consultants,
contractors, design engineers, training institutes, e-learning organizations, end-users and
exhibitors. These include: GE, ABB, Siemens, British Gas, FL Smith, AREVA, BHEL, BEML,
KPTL, DRDO, ISRO, TESCO, TVS, Aditya Birla, NHPC, PROMAC etc.

7. Micro modeling- A powerful visualization tool

Micro-modeling (Miniaturization) is an engineering
practice that allows representation of real life objects,
however large and complex, into smaller scale, to
provide utilities that are not readily fulfilled by original
objects owing to size, cost or location constraints.

Organizations are using this technique as a novel

“marketing tool” to reduce the distance between
products/site and stakeholders that involve decisions/
visualization of complex setup. Miniaturization models
are being used for following high value realization:

Fig 7: Cut section of Drive Motor

a. Showcasing: in exhibition, board room and corporate office e.g. plant landscape,
process layout, infrastructural layout, complex large products and systems etc.
b. Walk-thru exercise, Workflow simulation, Process re-engineering: through
visualization of spatially large systems e.g. cement plant, automobile factory,
steel mill etc.
c. Instructions &
Training: to recruits,
employees, customers
and students, about
features and
functionalities of
products and systems
d. Working
demonstration, e.g.
conveyor system,
roller systems,
lighting system etc.

Fig 8: Micro-model of a dynamic Bio

mass Power Plant

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Various industry stakeholders who are using miniaturization models include product companies,
design offices, engineering projects and infrastructure developers, plant owners, consultants,
project offices, training institutes and exhibitors.

Miniaturization of Industrial Products and Structures is neither a job of a hobbyist nor a toy
maker, it is an exact engineering practice that involves multidisciplinary engineering approach. It
needs expertise in industrial design, knowledge of assembly and precision manufacturing process,
adeptness in painting, special carving and cutting process, ability in handling tiny components
and special materials, and experience in structural landscaping. In making dynamic (or live)
models, e.g. movement of conveyors or rotation of kiln, implementation of advanced industrial
automation techniques is required. Hence normally, miniaturization of an engineering product, is
an engineering project in itself. It takes time to produce an exact replica with the right scaling,
precision and visualization.

8. Derive the Benefits of Miniaturization

So, whether you are conducting product training, prototyping a complex product, developing a
green field project , re-engineering your existing project, discussing material flow across your
plant or just want to showcase your products and infrastructure; supplement your imagination by
having a miniaturized model. You could ship your products or even your plant to any destination
and could have as many copies as possible in a very short time at a very less cost !!

9. Related Publications
1. A whitepaper on “Micro Industrial Models-A New Marketing Tool”.
2. A whitepaper on “Showcase your Cement Plant through Micro-modeling”.
3. A whitepaper on “Showcasing Power Industry through Micro-modeling”.
4. A whitepaper on “Showcasing Engineering Products and Systems through Micro-
Modeling”.

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Disclaimer:
CVMark Consulting is an independent business-innovation research agency based out of Bangalore,
INDIA.

CVMark Consulting intends to serve business community through advisory, consulting and coaching
engagements. As a part of its engagements, it regularly brings out perspectives, research reports,
newsletters, issue-oriented reports and other products.

This report is commissioned by Precise Engineering Models to create market awareness of scaled-down
models as applied to engineering & capital goods industry. This document in part or full can be
reproduced subject to a reference to CVMark Consulting and to this document.

Factual material contained herein is obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but the publisher is not
responsible for any errors or omissions contained herein. Opinions are those of CVMark and are based on
research conducted for this report. CVMark holds no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of
content of this report.

CVMark Consulting
Bangalore, INDIA

______________________________________________________________________________________

About: Precise Engineering Models

Precise, specializes in providing scaled down models (micro-models) of complex engineering products and systems.
Precise offers innovative solutions to exhibit complex and large engineering products, which reduce cost. save efforts
and enhance scope of exhibition. For the same booth space in tradeshows, now its clients can exhibit more products in a
better way. They can do so, in several places and on several occasions with ease. Further, Precise Engineering models
offer, strong value proposition across the complete life cycle of the products i.e. concept, sales, design, manufacturing,
training, installation, commissioning and repair.

www.enggmodels.com, #247, Laggere Main Road, Chowdeshwari Nagar, Bangalore-560 058, INDIA, Tel: +91 98453
96473
______________________________________________________________________________

CVM-MM-005-001

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