A division of BIA, an international engineering group, develops advanced test benches for the automotive, aerospace, energy and railway industries worldwide. With a strong focus on technological independence and operational efficiency, the company has consistently prioritised digital solutions that best align with its engineering requirements. Rather than replicating international IT platforms, BIA selected the KOMPAS-3D CAD system as the most suitable digital tool for its core engineering design processes.
Engineering Excellence with a Global Footprint
The BIA Group’s Engineering and Manufacturing Center designs and delivers turnkey high-tech testing systems, ranging from climate chambers and crash test rigs to sophisticated automotive and aircraft test benches. Serving customers across the globe, BIA adheres to the highest standards of design precision and documentation quality. The company has successfully supplied testing systems to customers in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Poland, China, the USA, South Africa and India.
Choosing the Right Digital Platform
When establishing a new production facility, BIA faced a critical decision regarding the software platform its engineering team would use. The company required a solution that could deliver advanced mechanical engineering capabilities comparable to leading global systems while remaining cost-effective and easy to integrate into existing workflows.
The chosen platform also needed to support international business processes by enabling seamless data exchange with the company’s headquarters in France and ensuring engineering documentation complied with global customer standards. BIA was looking for a dependable digital partner capable of supporting its long-term growth strategy.
A Cost-Effective Engineering Solution
BIA selected KOMPAS-3D from ASCON for its optimal combination of functionality, ease of use and affordability. The company particularly valued KOMPAS-3D’s specialised add-ons, including Equipment: Metal Structures and Equipment: Pipelines, which simplify the design of complex frameworks and utility systems for test benches. In addition, the company utilises the APM FEM module for structural analysis.
“We first purchased ASCON products at the end of 2015. The key factors behind this were the functional capabilities our engineers needed, an affordable price, and efficient technical support,” said Irina Arapova, CEO, BIA.
Driving Digital Transformation
The implementation of KOMPAS-3D marked the beginning of a broader digital transformation journey at BIA. Having proven its capabilities in real-world engineering projects, the platform has delivered significant business benefits across multiple areas.
The industry-specific add-ons have enabled engineers to design and modify complex equipment more quickly, reducing repetitive tasks while improving both productivity and design quality.
KOMPAS-3D has also integrated seamlessly into BIA’s international supply chain. Using the STEP file format, engineers can efficiently exchange data with partners and colleagues working on other CAD platforms, including CATIA.
Perhaps most importantly, the successful deployment of KOMPAS-3D laid the foundation for the digitalisation of other business functions. Confidence in ASCON’s technology led BIA to implement the Pilot-ECM corporate electronic document management system, which is now used not only at its manufacturing centre but also at the company’s French office.
Highlighting the platform’s strengths, Irina Arapova said: “KOMPAS-3D offers technological independence, a flexible user experience, support for various design approaches, engineering analysis capabilities, compliance with international standards, seamless data exchange with other CAD systems, reliable technical support and an affordable price.”