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COMSA celebrates 25th Anniversary

Six employees of Computervision Inc. founded COMSA GmbH on November 15th, 1984. It was not foreseeable at this time that it would become a very successful company.

After supporting known customers at the beginning COMSA started very early developing own products and enhancing of existing packages for the German market. The time of a successful marketing of the PC version of Medusa began and led to more or less frequent confrontations with the various Medusa owners.

Medusa was the kernel of CABLOS, the BMW harness design system. That was the entrance to the harness business for COMSA. Since that the know-how in dealing with OEMs and the suppliers developed further on.

In 2002 COMSA took the chance, to combine its experience from product development with the know-how from wiring harness development and started developing LDorado, the benchmark for many competitors within this range meanwhile.

LDorado is well known now on both sides, on OEM and suppliers side. And worldwide, too. End even a OEM wants to keep his existing wire harness development tool, he at least accepts LDorado drawings from their suppliers.

To enhance the worldwide sales and support activities, COMSA has two partners, which are present worldwide: T-Systems and ECS/MAGNA. Even for them it was a strategic decision, to rely on LDorado.

COMSA and ECS/MAGNA Announce Partnership

Engineering Center Steyr GmbH & Co., briefly ECS, a 100% MAGNA subsidiary with its headquarter in St. Valentin, Austria, who is concentrated on engineering and CAE services will market LDorado, COMSA’s software tool suite for wire harness development beginning November, 1st 2009.

ECS is known since a long time in the automotive wire harness world for its engineering services as well as a software supplier, offering whole solutions in this area. Beside the wide covering of the wire harness development process, the modern user interface, the internal object orientation as well as the support of de facto standards as KBL, ELOG, AP212 or VEC in future lead ECS to the decision to offer LDorado products through the own sales channel. Also the strong installation base of LDorado in automotive OEM sites as well as at 1st tier harness suppliers brought ECS about to base its sales strategy on LDorado. ECS/MAGNA has own sales and engineering centres in all important automotive parts of the globe: Europe, North and South Americas, Japan, Russia, India and China.

The ECS developed bi-directional CATIA interface “3D Design Manager” fits perfectly to the LDorado tool suite. This interface communicates with LDorado via KBL. The “3D Design Manager” is now offered by COMSA, too.

The „LDorado Engineering Package“ , consisting of a circuit diagram editor, a topology editor and a part master editor as well as a project manager - was adjusted to the demands of the ECS customers: development teams, in which a fast and consistent swap between logic and topology is permanently necessary. The LDorado Engineering Package consists of LDorado Design, LDorado Gole, LDorado Tweaker and the LDorado Project Explorer.

“This strategic partnership between COMSA and ECS generates a clear customer benefit: integrated development tools and interface management that help to disburden the engineer from his tasks and that optimize the result in respect of time, quality and costs.” Both, Josef Biermeier, managing director of COMSA and Franz Dorfer, managing director of ECS showed to be convinced of that after signing the contract.

“LDorado plays an important role in our own and in our engineering customer’s E/E strategy; therefore we rely on well-established products and an authentic partner”, Franz Dorfer told. Josef Biermeier was convinced to make a significant step forward in COMSA’s international sales strategy for LDorado.

LDorado Design/Layout 1.5 is available since 6. may 2008

LDorado Design/Layout Version 1.5

After we successfully completed the beta phase with a small key user circle, we could finish to 18. april the ReleaseCandidate available for more clientele. After more than three-month work we can present now our next large release level of LDorado Design.

Due to a multiplicity of extensions, a complete conversion of the code-base this version is the most important milestone since release 1.3.

One of the largest extensions in LDorado Design/Layout 1.5 is the data base-supported master data administration and library. This can be either server-based or a local data base.

The following databases are supported:

- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 SP2

- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 SP2 Express (free of cost from Microsoft)

- Oracle 10g (10.2.0.3)

Further important innovations in 1.5

- General increase of the performance
- Central data retention
- Completely care of the libraries revised
- Extended part selection. (search and possibility of the assortment extended)
- Data based determination with extended functions.
- Extension of the functions of AMEND
- Extension of plotting-functionality. (embedded Fonts (plotter dependently), optimized file size, extended plotting of sections,…)
- Central file and administration of the Linestyles.

For all who wants to know the detailled release notes:

LDorado Design/Layout Version 1.5 release notes (only in german)

Picture gallery: LDorado 1.5 Screenshots

COMSA is partner of Mainfranken Racing Team

In the context of the Formula Student Germany competition COMSA will be partner of Mainfranken Racing Team. Mainfranken Racing Team team will develop the electrical harness design of their formula racing car 2008 with LDorado. The goal is to reach an optimal result in late summer on the Hockenheim ring against international competition.

COMSA wishes much success to Mainfranken Racing Team and hopes with LDorado a small contribution to have made.

What is the Formula Student Germany competition?

Students build a single seat formula racecar with which they can compete against teams from all over the world. The competition is not won solely by the team with the fastest car, but rather by the team with the best overall package of construction, performance, and financial and sales planning.

Formula Student challenges the team members to go the extra step in their education by incorporating into it intensive experience in building and manufacturing as well as considering the economic aspects of the automotive industry. Teams take on the assumption that they are a manufacturer developing a prototype to be evaluated for production. The target audience is the non-professional Weekend-Racer, for which the racecar must show very good driving characteristics such as acceleration, braking and handling. It should be offered at a very reasonable cost and be reliable and dependable. Additionally, the car’'s market value increases through other factors such as aesthetics, comfort and the use of readily available, standard purchase components.

The challenge the teams face is to compose a complete package consisting of a well constructed racecar and a sales plan that best matches these given criteria. The decision is made by a jury of experts from the motorsport, automotive and supplier industries. The jury will judge every team’s car and sales plan based on construction, cost planning and sales presentation. The rest of the judging will be done out on the track, where the students demonstrate in a number of performance tests how well their self-built racecars fare in their true environment.

Disciplines

The student teams „sell“ the judges (experts in commerce) their constructive solutions (150 points), defend their calculated production costs (100 points) and present a business-plan (75 points).

On the race track the prototypes must prove their capabilities concerning acceleration(75 points), skidpad (50 points), handling (150 points), endurance (350 points) and fuel-comsumption (50 points).

Competition in the Automobile-Nation of Germany

Since 2006 the Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI) is holding the "Formula Student Germany" competition. Students from all over the world will meet every August for five days at Hockenheim to measure their construction and performance with each other in a Formula 1 atmosphere and to demonstrate their capabilities to industry. By participating, students find numerous opportunities for new friendships and valuable contacts within their field. The accompanying events along with the open, camping atmosphere encourage participation and team spirit among all present.

Website of Mainfranken Racing Team

Website of Formula Student Germany

Release announcement LDorado Design/Layout Version 1.5

LDorado Design/Layout Version 1.5

Dieses Administrationstool unterstützt das Anlegen und die Pflege der Datenbank und der darin enthaltenen Teile. Optional wird mit diesem Administrationstool Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express installiert. COMSA bietet zwei Varianten der Datenbankanbindung an.

Beginning of Q2 2008 will be available a new release of LDorado Design/Layout.
One of the largest extensions in LDorado Design/layout 1,5 is the data base-supported master data administration and library. The file-based library is no more supported starting from this version. Existing LDorado Design/Layout 1.4 libraries can be imported into the data base. COMSA will provide programs for the import of the existing LDorado Design/Layout 1.4 libraries. An important system-condition for LDorado Design/Layout 1.5 is .NET Framework 2.0. Starting from midyear .NET Framework 3.5 is presupposed. In the scope of supply of LDorado Design/Layout no data base software is contained. It must be guaranteed thus before the installation by LDorado Design/Layout that a functional data base server is present and the computers with LDorado Design/Layout have access to these. A component of the LDorado Design/Layout license becomes an administration-tool for data bases. This administration-tool supports the creation and the care of the data base and the parts contained in it. Optionally with this administration-tool Microsoft SQL server 2005 express will install. COMSA offers two variants to the data base connection.

1. Server-based.

The data base is on a central server and can be used by several users. The advantage of this variant is a central, common library, makes possible a faster Deployment when changes in the library. Replikation of the data base on Client PC is possible. The function making a replication depends however on the used data base system. The access license on the central data base server is not free of costs.

2. Local database

The data base is installed on the same computer as LDorado Design/Layout.
This variant is free of costs.

Server-based

Not free of costs.
The data base is installed separately from LDorado Design/Layout on a central server, on which the Clients has access. The advantage of this solution:
- A central, common library.
- Faster Deployment of the library.
- Fast accesses to new components.
- Simple administration by the central situation of the data base.
Installation and support of the data base and the necessary ranges cannot be accomplished by COMSA. This is part of the work of the IT-departments. Conditions for system, references to the installation and user administration please take from the data of the manufacturer.
Actual supported data bases are:
- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 SP2.
- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 SP2 Express.
In preparation
- Oracle - MySQL

Local database

Free of costs.
The data base is installed on the same computer as LDorado Design/Layout. Advantage of this solution:
- Increase of the performance while access to the library (approx. 20% faster than the file-based library).
- Smaller administration expense.
Disadvantage of this solution:
- Users do not have a direct access to a common library.
- Pedantic, retarded Deployment of the libraries. For the Deployment necessary replications must be provided. Replications depends on the used data base system.
Actual supported data bases are:
- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 SP2.
- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 SP2 Express.
In preparation
- Oracle
- MySQL

Important note!

With the introduction of LDorado Design/Layout 1.5 the development and care of the version 1.4 are stopped.

Further important innovations in 1.5

- General increase of the performance
- Central data retention
- Completely care of the libraries revised
- Extended part selection. (search and possibility of the assortment extended)
- Data based determination with extended functions.
- Extension of the functions of AMEND
- Extension of plotting-functionality. (embedded Fonts (plotter dependently), optimized file size, extended plotting of sections,…)
- Central file and administration of the Linestyles.

Informations for administrators

In week 9 an email follows with detailed informations for administrators.

3rd Automotive Harness Forum with participation record

With a participation record of altogether 102 participants from 6 countries the success of LDorado continues.

The meeting was held as also in the previous year in German language. For further informations please visit the German Website of LDorado.

LDorado Design 1.3 also in Chinese

At the same time with the opening of an office in Shanghai in January 2006, COMSA supplies LDorado Design/Formboard version 1.3 apart from German and English user interface also with Chinese user interface. This represents the basic condition for a success in the Chinese market regarding the experiences of marketing people. Not only the user surface must speak in characters, but also the provided designs, lists and other documents.

The translation of the user surface took place in Munich from native speakers, however immediately tested in China. Thus COMSA guarantees, that the very frequently used special terms, also in the Chinese language clear and understandable are.

LDorado Design/Formboard 1.3 with all language extensions is downloadable from the LDorado Web Site of all customers with maintenance contract. Additional installations are not necessary, LDorado Design/Formboard uses the Windows fonts.

Co-operation contract with gedas

gedas is a global service provider for information technology with strong expertise in business processes for dedicated market segments. With its unique full service solutions, gedas has assumed a leading position in the automotive and manufacturing industry and in logistics processes.

Within VOBES (Volkswagen harness development system) COMSA and gedas worked together since some months already. At June 9th 2005 the official co-operation contract was signed now. Within the VOBES process gedas will assign all world-wide activities in selling and supporting LDorado Harness Lab product series. Customers will be OEMs and supplier involved in the VOBES process. COMSA and gedas will continue a close co-operation, common appearances at customer sites, participation in international meetings and last but not least implementing customer specific solutions for their dedicated tasks.

Josef Biermeier, Managing Director at COMSA is sure that all involved parties - OEM, supplier, gedas and COMSA - will benefit from this partnership: “Using von LDorado Harness Lab in development and production departments data exchange is without loss of data and time schedules can be achieved more easily”.

Basic Agreement with LEONI

With the LEONI AG, Nuernberg COMSA signs a basic agreement over the world-wide purchase of LDorado Harness Lab products and services.

LDorado Harness Lab is regarded with LEONI as the strategic core product for the development of wire harness systems.

LEONI is a globally active supplier of wires, cables and wiring systems with almost 60 facilities worldwide. Main customer is the automotive industry, for which LEONI develops and produces high quality products: from single core harnesses to integrated electronic distribution systems. The company’s extensive product range also comprises copper wires and strands, copper flexibles, copper and fiber optic-based data cables, as well as insulated high-power cables, control cables, cord sets and customer-specifically developed spezial cables. Areas of application are the information and telecommunication technology, mechanical and plant engineering, as well as household-appliances. LEONI’s principal customers include well-known names such as Audi, BMW, Bosch, DaimlerChrysler, General Motors, Land Rover, Porsche, Siemens and VW.

2nd Automotive Harness Forum was a full success

83 participants from Germany, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and China visited the “Literatur Haus” in the heart of Munich on October 12th and 13th. Following the wolcome by Josef Biermeier, Managing director of the “COMSA Computer und Software GmbH”, highly interesting expert lectures followed about LDorado Harness Lab server and Client from the point of view of the supplier and the OEMs. The representation of the entire harness development process from 3D-Concept up to cost accounting was focus of the first day.

From culinary point of view visiting the Trader Vic's in the hotel “Bayerischer Hof“ was the daily highlight. Enjoying Polynesian specialities some interesting topics of the day could be discussed. Concerning the inestimable selection of drinks no easy task.

The second day brought an abundance of information to the participants around the topic harness development. General lectures of Dr. Sauer from the Fraunhofer Institut and Dr. Selbach from HCL Technologies alternated with special lectures from CIM-Team and the Volkswagen AG as an LDorado customer. Worthy conclusions of the meeting were the lectures of Siegfried Eineder and Michael Richter, both extremely merited employees of COMSA, about "KBL - a standard analyzes" and "customer-centric development at COMSA".

Picture gallery: Impressions of the 2. Automotive Harness forum

2nd Automotive Harness Forum lectures

COMSA Fakten und Ausblicke (only German language)
LDorado Harness Lab - Module und Aufbau (only German language)
Datenmanagement mit LDorado Server (only German language)
Prototyping mit LDorado 3D Concept (only German language)
Entwicklungstrends von produktionsnahen IT-Systemen (only German language)
Logische Verkabelung elektronischer Komponenten (only German language)
Zukunft der Produktentwicklung (only German language)
Datenmanagement in der Bordnetzentwicklung (only German language)
AP212-KBL - ein Standard durchleuchtet (only German language)
Von der Designstudie zum Produkt - Kundenzentrische Entwicklung bei COMSA (only German language)

Informations about the lecture "Einführung von LDorado Harness Lab bei der Volkswagen AG" of Carsten Wurl, Volkswagen AG, can be obtained from the lecturer

The Volkswagen-Company decides for LDorado Harness Lab

The Volkswagens AG decided for LDorado Layout and Design, an efficient solution for documentation of harnesses in the automotive industry. This does decision wasn’t only for Volkswagen, but also all companies belonging to the Volkswagen group. LDorado Harness Lab was developed by COMSA GmbH, a company well known and for its know-how.

The decision was positively influenced while LDorado adheres to the VDA standard STEP-KBL, a standardized interfaces that can be used for exchanging documentation and manufacturing data.

Focussing on the aim of developing a dedicated harness development tool an extremely efficient product resulted during the last 24 months. Internal benchmarks at Volkswagen showed a clear reduction of time needed for documentation in the harness design. Existing modules in the Volkswagen harness development process VOBES will be complemented or replaced by LDorado components.

A large portion of the enhancement potential arises as a result of optimizing the integration of external developers and production partners. Intensive co-operation between manufacturers and suppliers is elementary in LDorado Harness Lab.

"Although already well-known companies from the supplier industry decided for LDorado Harness Lab, the decision of the Volkswagens AG is an important milestone for COMSA GmbH and for our product LDorado Harness Lab. Using the product in an effective and productive way manufacturers and suppliers both may take advantage, Josef Biermeier, Managing director of the COMSA GmbH said, after announcing of the decision of Volkswagen.

In autumn 2004 LDorado Harness Lab is going to be used in production, already. After necessary system extensions, development of userware and after a test phase near to productive usage LDorado Layout – Design will show its qualities at the Volkswagens AG in September 2004 already. At this time two suppliers will be involved into the new process.

COMSA celebrates 20. Birthday

Six employees of Computervision Inc. foundet COMSA GmbH on November 15th 1984. It was not foreseeable at this time that it would become a very successful company.

After services for the former employer at the beginning COMSA started very early developing own products and the tuning of existing packages for the German market. The time of a successful marketing of the PC version of Medusa began and led to more or less frequent confrontations with the various Medusa owners.

Medusa was the kernel of CABLOS, the BMW harness design system. That was the entrance to the harness business for COMSA. Since that the know-how in dealing with OEMs and the suppliers developed further on.

In 2002 COMSA took the chance, to combine its experience from product development with the know-how from wiring harness development and started developing LDorado Harness Lab, meanwhile benchmark for many competitors within this range.

The most beautiful birthday gift COMSA GmbH gave to itself on November 15th 2004: LDorado Harness Lab was released as the very development tool for new vehicle projects within the Volkswagen AG. A perfect timing.

Article about LDorado Harness Lab in the Product Data Journal of the ProSTEP iViP Verein

An article about LDorado Harness Lab in the Product Data Journal of the ProSTEP iViP Verein

Article for download: PDJ-Article.pdf

COMSA is Member of the ProSTEP iViP Verein

Press release of the ProSTEP Verein

The COMSA GmbH is already well-known from different working groups of the ProSTEP iViP association. So far COMSA represented their customers in the committees for the standardisation of the description of harness by AP212 and KBL.

The entry taken place now was obvious, since COMSA presented its own harness development system LDorado Harness Lab®, its substantial characteristic an AP212-KBL-corresponding object model in the core is. COMSA had crucial portion of the XML description of the harness list (KBL) and the associated patterns. Now the system offerer is directly represent in the ECAD Implementor forum.

"AP212 and KBL on basis of XML represent completely crucial arguments for us, to establish our product family LDorado Harness Lab within the entire automotive range. The future will show that this format, supported from the pro step association and from the VDA, interoperability between car manufacturers and harness suppliers will improve” expressed Josef Biermeier, Managing director of the COMSA GmbH and continued to explain: "thus it is open everyone, to select the tool best suitable for it."

LDorado Harness lab represents a comprehensive solution for the electrical system Design in the automotive manufacture. Together with a network from experienced and recognized partners COMSA covers the entire range of the harness process of the first draft, the processing of electrically/logical informations from cabeling designs, about the construction up to the automatic creation of production documents for the suppliers. It is an independent, only on the interests of the harness industry co-ordinated Design tool.

COMSA will deliver LDorado Harness Lab to BMW Group

Munich, January 23rd 2003 – Deciding for LDorado Harness Lab as the succeeding system after GRIVAD was founded on several important arguments. COMSA GmbH already developed GRIVAD, currently used by BMW. Since 1985 constantly 8 developers of COMSA were busy with concepts, realization and support of the system.

GRIVAD, handling production documents for about 1.000.000 harness modules annually, will replaced until the end of 2005 by the new harness development system LDorado Harness Lab of COMSA. Both LDorado Client and LDorado server will represent the new, future-safe development base.

COMSA will accomplish the integration of CAD tools like E³.series and CATIA and links to the PDM system at BMW.