canon’s camera development supported by nxapproximately 8.2 million effective pixels that...

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CANON, INC. Canon’s camera development supported by NX NX industrial design and styling solutions gave Canon time to optimize the design of the hugely popular EOS 20D digital camera www.ugs.com NX Targeting a demanding niche with an aggressive design When Canon undertook the redesign of its EOS 10D camera, a digital offering targeted at advanced amateurs and professionals, the company set high expectations for the new product. The goal was to create a camera that delivered both high-image resolution and speed. Typically when resolution goes up, speed goes down. But Canon wanted to give the new camera, the EOS 20D, the ability to capture as many as five high- resolution images per second. This is an example of the company’s “aggressive design” philosophy, which results in more competitive products with higher added value. Another challenge with the EOS 20D was its shape. As with all cameras, this one had to feel good in the user’s hands. An ergonomic design was critical. But so was aesthetic appeal as the camera would have to stand out on store shelves among competing products.To seize market opportunities in the advanced amateur/professional segment, Canon wanted to develop this camera much faster than previous models. This meant overcoming common obstacles, such as miscommunication between design and manufacturing that led to engineering changes and rework. It also required a design process that would permit fast evaluation of multiple shapes to ensure that the new camera was perfectly suited to the needs of the target market. Issues: Combine high image resolution and fast imaging speed in a “people friendly” ergonomic design Develop new camera in record time to seize opportunities in the advanced amateur/ professional market segment Approach: Model the entire EOS 20D camera in NX Tap NX’s RPT (rapid prototyping technology) to quickly evaluate multiple design iterations Communicate design intent to manufacturing through NX models Results: EOS 20D achieved mega-hit status More designs were evaluated in less time – to create attractive, ergonomic shape Communication with 3D models prevented costly manufacturing problems Product development time was reduced drastically; costs were reduced as well With the EOS 20D, Canon was targeting a demanding segment of the digital photography market (advanced amateurs and professionals) on an accelerated development schedule.

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Page 1: Canon’s camera development supported by NXapproximately 8.2 million effective pixels that functions as the camera’s “eye.” The EOS 20D has a very fast start-up time of about

C A N O N , I N C .

Canon’s camera development supported by NXNX industrial design and styling solutions gave Canon time to optimize the design of the hugely popular EOS 20D digital camera

www.ugs.com

NX

Targeting a demanding niche with an aggressive designWhen Canon undertook theredesign of its EOS 10D camera, adigital offering targeted at advancedamateurs and professionals, thecompany set high expectations forthe new product. The goal was tocreate a camera that deliveredboth high-image resolution andspeed. Typically when resolutiongoes up, speed goes down. ButCanon wanted to give the newcamera, the EOS 20D, the ability to capture as many as five high-resolution images per second. This isan example of the company’s “aggressivedesign” philosophy, which results in morecompetitive products with higher added value.

Another challenge with the EOS 20D was its shape. As with all cameras, this one had to feelgood in the user’s hands. An ergonomic design was critical. But so was aesthetic appeal as thecamera would have to stand out on store shelves among competing products. To seize marketopportunities in the advanced amateur/professional segment, Canon wanted to develop thiscamera much faster than previous models. This meant overcoming common obstacles, such asmiscommunication between design and manufacturing that led to engineering changes andrework. It also required a design process that would permit fast evaluation of multiple shapesto ensure that the new camera was perfectly suited to the needs of the target market.

Issues:

Combine high image resolutionand fast imaging speed in a“people friendly” ergonomicdesign

Develop new camera in recordtime to seize opportunities inthe advanced amateur/professional market segment

Approach:

Model the entire EOS 20Dcamera in NX™

Tap NX’s RPT (rapidprototyping technology) toquickly evaluate multiple design iterations

Communicate design intent to manufacturing through NX models

Results:

EOS 20D achieved mega-hitstatus

More designs were evaluated inless time – to create attractive,ergonomic shape

Communication with 3Dmodels prevented costlymanufacturing problems

Product development time wasreduced drastically; costs werereduced as well

With the EOS 20D, Canon was targeting a demanding segment of the digital photographymarket (advanced amateurs and professionals) on an accelerated development schedule.

Page 2: Canon’s camera development supported by NXapproximately 8.2 million effective pixels that functions as the camera’s “eye.” The EOS 20D has a very fast start-up time of about

NX

Canon, a UGS customer since 1990, decided to model the entire EOS 20D in 3D in NX, beginningwith the initial stages of design. As Noboru Tanaka, director of Canon’s Consumer 1st DesignDepartment, says, “It is difficult to think of an ergonomic design without the use of 3D CAD.”He recalls that Canon began using NX early on because the company recognized the tremendousbenefit of using 3D CAD for creating the complex shapes of curved surfaces such as thosecontained in the camera body.

NX made it possible for designers to review more iterations of the camera than they could inthe past. Variations on a design were generated extremely rapidly, often with just a singlecommand, such as a change to a dimension. Highly realistic rendered images could be viewedfrom all angles by manipulating the 3D model. “The grip of the EOS 20D is about 3.5 mmthinner than the 10D. To ensure a good grip with this body volume, we used the history functionof NX numerous times to fine-tune the shape,” says Masakazu Kumakura, chief designer at theComprehensive Design Center at Canon. “In addition, one of the new features of the EOS 20Dis a multicontroller, which quickly selects the focus area. The history function was used todetermine the multicontroller’s best location in the camera. A total of 12 to 13 different designswas considered before making it final.”

Rapid prototyping was used in conjunction with the 3D model data for fast evaluation of physicalprototypes. In the past, Canon had relied on an outside model manufacturer, which led to signif-icant costs and time. Because the company now uses an in-house rapid prototyping system, itwas able to evaluate ease of use with very little cost incurred. Kumakura says that three evalu-ations using rapid prototypes were conducted to determine the shape of the multicontroller.

Lower costs, faster development,outstanding productThe EOS 20D went from concept toproduction in half the time it formerlytook Canon to develop a new camera.“Without NX, it would have beenimpossible to finish this design within avery short timeframe,” says Kumakura.One reason for the faster developmentcycle was smoother communicationbetween the design and manufacturingdivisions. “When communicating withthe design division previously, we hadto redo the mockup a number oftimes,” says Tanaka. “As a result, thefinal cost was enormous. Since design

“With NX, we were able toexamine numerous shapes in asmall amount of time.WithoutNX, it would have beenimpossible to finish the designwithin a very short timeframe.”

Masakazu KumakuraChief DesignerDesign Project DepartmentComprehensive Design CenterCanon, Inc.

Page 3: Canon’s camera development supported by NXapproximately 8.2 million effective pixels that functions as the camera’s “eye.” The EOS 20D has a very fast start-up time of about

UGS, Teamcenter, Parasolid, Solid Edge, Femap and I-deas are registered trademarks;Tecnomatix, NX and UGS Velocity Series are trademarks of UGS Corp.All other logos, trademarks or service marks used herein are the property of their respective owners. ©2006 UGS Corp. All rights reserved.3/06

NX

ContactUGSAmericas 800 498 5351Europe 44 1276 702000Asia-Pacific 852 2230 3333www.ugs.com

Solutions/Services

NX

Client’s primary business

Canon is a global leader inprofessional business and

consumer imaging equipment andinformation systems.

www.canon.com

Client location

TokyoJapan

“NX demonstrated its brillianceas a communication tool byenabling us to exchange databetween the design andmanufacturing divisions muchfaster than in the past.”

Noboru TanakaDirectorConsumer 1st Design DepartmentCanon, Inc.

information in the form of 3D NX datacan now be shared, feedback from thedesign division can be incorporated easily.With the EOS 20D, we were able toexchange communications much fasterthan in the past. NX has demonstrated itsbrilliance as a communication tool.” Moreefficient communication, combined withinexpensive rapid prototypes, resulted inlower development costs for the EOS20D compared to other models.

Canon achieved its goal of delivering bothhigh-image resolution and speed in theEOS 20D. The camera incorporates anewly developed large CMOS sensor withapproximately 8.2 million effective pixelsthat functions as the camera’s “eye.” The EOS 20D has a very fast start-up time of about 0.2 secondsand can shoot approximately five frames per second. The new camera went on the market inSeptember, 2004 and was an immediate success. While production was exceptionally high for thisclass of camera, shortly after the announcement of the EOS 20D there was a flood of orders thatcreated backorders in some areas. By employing NX, Canon simultaneously cut development timeand cost, while allowing more prototypes to be made, resulting in a dramatic improvement in the fitand finish of the final design.