Substantial investments in high-end numerical control machine-tools combined with the implementation of the TopSolid 7 solution for the design and production of its products allow the Greek company VETA to accelerate growth of its exports.
Known for its amazing islands and fantastic archaeological sites, Greece is also home to cutting-edge high-tech firms. An illustration: the VETA company.
A family business created in 1967 by Anastasios Veletakos, VETA has evolved from a simple subcontractor specialized in sheet metal to second exporter of the Greek republic. A constantly evolving process featuring innovation and investments in CAD/CAM (computer-aided design and manufacturing) tools and advanced machining equipment.
In 2016, Charalampos and Spiridon Veletakos, who are managing the company, decided to boost the company’s development by investing in a program to acquire 55 numerical control machine-tools (NCMT). These machines are dedicated to laser cutting, water-jet cutting, punching, robotic bending, and machining in the company’s three plants. To optimize this highly sophisticated equipment, the company decided to acquire a CAD/CAM application capable of handling the entire product industrialization process, from design to workshop manufacture. Several solution providers were contacted and evaluated. After a stringent selection process, VETA opted for the TopSolid solution.
The installed equipment consists of 17 TopSolid 7 licenses dedicated to design, 2 of them dedicated to production, and the TopSolid PDM (Product Data Management) that manages and protects the data.
According to VETA experts, “The TopSolid solution proposed by Missler Software was the one that most clearly met our needs: to design and manufacture our customers’ parts, with the best possible quality, at the best price, and in the shortest lead-times.”
A tool that adapts to company requirements
“TopSolid significantly reduced design time and the costs involved in the creation of our customers’ parts,” adds George Gavas, the company’s CAD/CAM manager. “TopSolid is a global solution with unparalleled performances. We use it for the design of metal products, of our assembly machines and of our tools.” With TopSolid’Cam, our machine operators enjoy the use of optimized, protected programs through the simulation of tool paths and machine movements. A preview of all machining operations, and residual matter management between each operation, allows us to save precious time during the machining cycles, while optimizing program adjustment times.
Their service level and local presence were also key factors in our choice. For VETA, “We needed a real partner, responsive and qualified, to guide us through the development phase of our project,” says the VETA CTO. An accredited distributor of TopSolid in Greece since 2000, PV Engineering emerged as the ideal partner in terms of team skills, reactivity, and involvement in our project. The Directors of PV Engineering, Dimitris Papaioannou and Alexandros Vassilantonakis, got personally involved in our project, with the support of the Missler Software Europe Sales Manager, who organized for us a visit of the TopSolid publisher and key customers in France.”
The guidance we enjoyed for our project and the performance of TopSolid allow us to reach a new level in our development,” concludes George Sakaloglou, design office manager. Through this improvement program, VETA plans to increase its export sales by 25% over the next three years.
Strong points of TopSolid 7 application at VETA
- A global, integrated CAD/CAM numerical chain that meets all their needs, from the DO to the workshop, in an environment protected by the PDM.
- Reliable, responsive guidance of the PV Engineering technical teams at each stage of the project.
VETA key figures
Workforce: 240
Sales: 26.5 million euros in 2016, including 35% in exports (target: 60% in 2020)
Future investments: 3 million euros in new machines planned through 2020
