Dassault Systèmes held its first 3DEXPERIENCE FORUM Asia Pacific South 2019 in Thailand on March 21, 2019, at The Athenee Hotel in Bangkok. The event was attended by over 600 business delegates, many of whom were top corporate C-level executives, business decision makers and government officials. The Forum featured 27 speakers at the Plenary and three industry breakout tracks – “Reinventing Manufacturing”, “Building Future Cities” and “Transforming Businesses”.

Themed “The Industry Renaissance to accelerate Thailand 4.0: reinvent industries, transform businesses and build a future-ready workforce”, the 3DEXPERIENCE Forum Asia Pacific South 2019 addressed the current affairs and economic issues that are transitioning Thailand into a new era defined by innovation and value-added business models.

View the video highlights below where we interview some of our speakers on their key takeaways from the 3DEXPERIENCE Forum in Thailand:

 

We bring you a summary of the highlights from the Plenary, the industry tracks and the 3DEXPERIENCE Playground at the Forum.

 

THE PLENARY

His Excellency Mr Jacques Lapouge, Ambassador of France to Thailand was a Guest-of-Honour. He spoke on the dynamism of Thailand’s economy and growing economic ties between France and Thailand. The 3DEXPERIENCE Forum 2019 provides great opportunities to foster closer business collaboration between French and Thai companies.

Dr Pichet Durongkaveroj, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, was a Guest-of-Honour. During his speech, he spoke on the Thailand 4.0 policy and investment opportunities in the Eastern Economic Corridor, including digitalization and smart city projects.

Keynote presentations by Dassault Systèmes senior executives, Mr Sylvain Laurent, Executive Vice President, Global Field Operations Asia/Oceania, Worldwide Business Transformation, and Mr Masaki Sox Konno, Managing Director for Asia Pacific South, introduced the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform as an enabler of the Industry Renaissance.

Mr Sylvain Laurent spoke about the changes that the world is undergoing with the advent of the Industry Renaissance, which has led to the rise of new categories of industries, requiring new categories of sustainable solutions to produce and deliver value. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform generates digital capacity for businesses to develop sustainable solutions for a better future. View the following video for Mr Laurent’s full presentation:

Mr Masaki Sox Konno spoke about Dassault Systèmes’ long-term presence in Thailand (Dassault Systèmes has been in Thailand for 22 years in different industries, notably the automotive sector), and the company’s future plans in Thailand through its partnerships with visionary organizations such as PTT Public Company Ltd and the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa). View the following video for Mr Konno’s full Welcome Address:

Guest speaker, Mr Nitchan Piromsawat, PTT Public Company Ltd’s Associate, Robotics and Intelligent Solutions, presented on the company’s digitalization journey and the impact of industrial transformation on Thailand’s economic future. He also spoke on the unique opportunities and challenges in driving transformation in Thailand’s Oil & Gas industry, where digitization success is key. View the following video for Mr Piromsawat presentation:

 

THE PANEL DISCUSSION

The Plenary concluded with an engaging, informational and insightful panel discussion on the theme of the 3DEXPERIENCE Forum, programmed by The Economist Events. Mr Masaki Sox Konno, Dassault Systèmes’ Managing Director for Asia Pacific South, joined the panel with invited speakers, Dr Voraprapa Nakavachara, Lecturer, Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University; Dr Yong Chern Chet, Chief Innovation Officer, Ananda Development; Dr Susan P. Chen, Senior Vice President & Head of Talent, OD & Transformation, GO-JEK Group. Mr Charles Ross, Asia Editorial Director, The Economist Intelligence Unit, moderated the discussion.

The conversations centered on people, jobs and technology. Mr Masaki Sox Konno kicked off the discussion by speaking about how technology has transitioned from being a product to a collaborative platform that encourages critical thinking and decision-making. Dr Voraprapa Nakavachara spoke about how systematic problem-solving is now necessary for people to operate in a shared economy; similarly, learning in universities need to be collaborative and conducted on shared platforms.

Dr Yong Chern Chet spoke on his experience in bridging the brick-and-mortar world with the digital world in a traditional industry like construction, which is still in the transition phase where people need to overcome and adapt their knowledge and skills in digitized processes. Dr Susan P. Chen shared her perspective from a “new economy” business like GO-JEK, where adaptability has become more important than pure technical knowledge. She spoke about how organizations now need competent people who are fast learners rather than pure knowledge experts. Human resource structures are increasingly made up of a mix of specialists and generalists, and the key to effective people management is to understand how to harness their strengths for the business.

All agreed that lifelong learning, training and education will be essential in building the workforce of the future. Developing the ability to constantly “learn, unlearn and relearn” will be key to building the adaptability skills required of the future economy.

 

INDUSTRY TRACKS

Following the Plenary, delegates were given a choice of THREE Industry Breakout Tracks that explored pertinent topics that are changing key industries in Thailand – “Reinventing Manufacturing”, “Building Future Cities” and “Transforming Businesses”.

Reinventing Manufacturing

At the “Reinventing Manufacturing” industry breakout track, Mr Prashanth Mysore, Dassault Systèmes’ Industry Technical Director, presented on “The Industry Renaissance and Manufacturing Digitalization”, where he spoke about how new technologies and digitalization practices are creating opportunities for innovation in manufacturing that can potentially lead to a complete reinvention of products, services and experiences being delivered to the market.

Mr Liang Ying Shun, Dassault Systèmes’ DELMIA AP South Solution Consultant, provided an exposition of the “3DEXPERIENCE Manufacturing Twin” concept, where 3D virtual replicas of physical attributes in “real world” manufacturing facilities infused with real-time data can help manufacturers make better production decisions.

Mr Low Hock Chuan, Dassault Systèmes’ Professional Solutions Senior Solution Consultant, presented the “3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace” which enables manufacturers to collaborate with qualified industrial suppliers across a range of services to move their designs into production efficiently and cost-effectively.

At the heart of digital transformation of a manufacturing business is its people and developing their adaptability and skills required to operate the smart factory model. Mr Eric Chow, Dassault Systèmes’ Academic Lead, presented on “Building the Manufacturing Workforce of the Future: A Call for Dynamic Leadership” where he spoke on how collaborations amongst businesses, government agencies and academia can work together to build up the manufacturing workforce of the future.

Delegates also learned from a real-life digitalization case study from Dassault Systèmes’ customer, B&R Enclosures Pty Ltd, a successful Australian manufacturer of enclosures, racks, and cabinets. Ms Chris Bridges-Taylor, General Manager of B&R Enclosures, shared the company’s digitalization and innovation journey, and how its transition to the smart factory model helped to cut costs and optimize production.

View the video below where we interview some of our speakers from “Reinventing Manufacturing” industry track on the transformative changes taking place in the manufacturing sector today and in the future, and what manufacturers can do to reinvent their processes in order to adapt and thrive amid these changes.

 

Building Future Cities

As part of the “Thailand 4.0” plan to transform the country into a digitally powered economy, the Thai government has set the target to develop 100 smart cities within two decades[1], with Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) as one of the key government agencies driving the National Smart City Committee.

[1]  “Thailand 4.0: The Smart Grid Project” – OpenGov Asia, July 20, 2018

After a welcome address by Ms Cristina Silva, Dassault Systèmes’ Value Solutions Senior Partner Success Manager, Mr Stéphane Lecomte, Dassault Systèmes’ Urban Areas Industry Solution Experience Director, opened the breakout track with his presentation on “Economically Viable & Sustainable Cities with 3DEXPERIENCity”. He spoke about how 3DEXPERIENCity enables city planners to simulate, virtually experience and visualize a holistic view of the city’s evolution and develop sustainable urban solutions to tackle societal and urban challenges.

Following Mr Lecomte’s presentation, delegates had the opportunity to hear the insights of Dr Passakon Prathombutr, Senior Executive Vice President, depa, on “Vision of Smart Cities: ASEAN”.

Mr Guillermo M. Luz, National Competitiveness Council, Philippines, drew on his smart city planning experience to speak on “Considerations for Building a Transformation Roadmap in ASEAN”.

Dr Peeradorn Kaewlai, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University, presented on the “Charoen Krung Creative District Database: Tracking Change and Measuring Impact”. The Charoen Krung Creative District has been established as the centre for creativity and design in Thai society, with the mission of preserving Thailand’s riverside heritage and developing the professionalism of Thailand’s creative industry.

Mr Eric Matonnier, Dassault Systèmes’ EXALEAD Asia Senior Technical Sales Manager, presented on “Information Intelligence: Big Data Analytics for Smart Cities” where he demonstrated how the 3DEXPERIENCity industry solution leverages the power of Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform to integrate and analyse a wide range of territorial data with industry-leading analytical, modelling, simulation and lifecycle management capabilities.

The following video features insights from some of the speakers on how city planners can utilize Big Data visualized through the 3DEXPERIENCity solution to create scenarios and run simulations to better forecast urban plans and build sustainable cities.

 

Transforming Businesses

This track focused on how businesses in Thailand can execute enterprise-wide digitalization and participate in the Industry Renaissance.

Mr Eric Chow, Dassault Systèmes’ Academic Lead kicked off the track with a presentation on “Skills Needed in Next Generation Workforce”, where he spoke on ways in which small and medium-size manufacturers can change their company culture to embrace workforce development.

Mr Jettanakorn Pengsiri spoke on JFOX Aircraft’s innovation journey to design and produce a next-generation electric-powered two-seater aircraft – the JX200RG Sport Thunder – made of lightweight carbon-fibre.

Mr Pansa Pisaipan revealed how Leon Group designs motorcycle parts made of Kevlar (the same material used for bulletproof vests) to enhance abrasion and impact resistance, which reinforces the safety of motorcycles.

Mr Steven Chiu, Dassault Systèmes’ Professional Solutions Sales Manager, spoke about the launch of Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE.WORKS suite of solutions for small and medium-sized manufacturers.

Mr Antoine Gonse, Dassault Systèmes’ Industry Sales Director, Transportation & Mobility Industry, presented on “Addressing the Challenges of a Global Supply Chain (Automotive Focus)”, where he drew from real life case studies of how the 3DEXPERIENCE platform enables automotive manufacturers manage and optimize their global supply chain to minimize costs and reduce production time.

Mr Chevy Kok, Dassault Systèmes’ Professional Solutions Sales Manager, concluded the industry track with a presentation on “Introducing New Business Models with 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace”, where he demonstrated how the 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace enables designers, producers, and suppliers to connect and efficiently do business on one common exchange.

 

View this video where our “Transforming Businesses” speakers talk about the challenges faced by SMEs in digitalization and the strategies they can take to participate in the Industry Renaissance.

 

3DEXPERIENCE PLAYGROUND

Dassault Systèmes set-up a dedicated exhibition area – the 3DEXPERIENCE Playground – to display its technologies and industry solutions for delegates’ hands-on interaction.  The exhibits were categorized under five different zones in the 3DEXPERIENCE Playground: Cities, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Transportation & Mobility, and SMEs.

3DEXPERIENCity Zone

The zone offered delegates an interactive view of Virtual Rennes, an accurate and reliable 3D virtual equivalent of the city of Rennes, the capital of France’s Brittany region, which utilizes the 3DEXPERIENCity industry solution.

Powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, the 3DEXPERIENCity solution creates data-rich 3D virtual replicas of cities to help smart city planners test new projects and support research into optimized solutions for urban and infrastructure planning.

Oil & Gas Zone

The Oil & Gas Zone featured FIVE pods displaying industry solutions that will help Oil & Gas companies increase value through improved operational efficiency and sustainability. Amongst the highlights were:

• The Unified Oilfield Management industry solution which offers an integrated approach to Field Development Planning (FDP) by mapping out all Oil & Gas field information and real-time data in the 3D virtual environment. This solution can provide Oil & Gas businesses with a deeper understanding of potential asset performance.
• The Virtual Field Operator Training pod demonstrated how Oil & Gas plant operators utilize a 3DEXPERIENCE Twin 3D virtual replica of an Oil & Gas plant, mapped to its physical assets, to test out various scenarios of maintenance procedures.
• The Facility Inspection Experience illustrates a scenario where an Oil & Gas plant operator inspects pipes and pumps with a “Hololens” augmented reality headset that enables him to “see through” floors and walls to inspect pipes (underneath a floor) and pumps (inside a wall).

Manufacturing Zone

Highlights of this zone were:

• 3D Lean Experience which demonstrates a life-like shop floor experience in a manufacturing plant to help visitors understand how digitalization can help drive “lean transformation”, a practice to eliminate waste in the manufacturing process for improved efficiency and sustainability.
• Supply Chain Planning & Optimization demonstrates how digitalization can enable a higher level of control and transparency to transform supply chain planning from a cost centre to a revenue generator.

 

Transportation & Mobility

This Zone is demonstrates the 14-step process of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) delivering a new Electric Vehicle (EV), named “La Bleu Coupe”, to the market. To minimize cost and time development, the EV design and production process is from an evolution of the assembly line of an existing vehicle, with the OEM’s Innovation Centre developing the new EV concept within a short timeframe and in an agile mode.

Highlights from this zone included:

• Autonomous & Connected Vehicle pod, which demonstrates optimization of the EV in the concept phase with agile model-based systems engineering. This concept phase will set the framework for car-makers to modify, decide and select the best manufacturing processes for the EV.
• Performance Validation pod, which demonstrates how engineers utilize a “generative design” process to create car shapes that optimize battery performance, as well as digital electricity simulation tools to develop the EV engine.
• Manufacturing Engineering & Simulation pod, which demonstrates how manufacturing applications on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform helps car-makers to anticipate and minimize manufacturing costs, and enable engineers to modify existing assembly lines to monitor and optimize global production

 

Small & Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

 

This Zone demonstrated the design-to-manufacture solutions offered by SOLIDWORKS. It also exhibited market-leading innovations by SOLIDWORKS customers in Thailand. The highlights included:

• A flight simulator by JFOX Aircraft, a home-grown aircraft manufacturer in Thailand, which utilized SOLIDWORKS to design a next-generation electric-powered two-seater aircraft – the JX200RG Sport Thunder – made of lightweight carbon-fibre.
• Customized motorcycle parts by Leon Group, distributor of motorcycles in Thailand. These motorcycle parts are built with Kevlar (the same material used for bulletproof vests) to enhance abrasion and impact-resistance, which reinforces the safety of motorcycles.
• Customized corporate gifts by LR Paris, which utilizes SOLIDWORKS’ digitized design-to-manufacture tools to design and produce unique customized premiums for global fashion and jewellery brands.