JoinPlas is a joint venture between Continental and aft Automotive that specializes in the production of couplings made from high-performance plastics. These couplings are used in the thermal management of vehicles and are characterized by their high performance and adaptability. The company offers solutions that are individually tailored to the customer’s requirements. Thanks to the lightweight material, weight is also saved in the vehicle.
The challenge
JoinPlas, interactive product presentation.
JoinPlas was faced with the challenge of effectively presenting the variability and adaptability of its couplings, as the products’ modular system enables individual angle adjustments between the body and head. A conventional product catalog could not adequately reflect this flexibility. The client was looking for an interactive and visually appealing presentation of the products that clearly demonstrates the versatility of the couplings. A suitable solution was required to explain the configurator functions and to display the application quickly and easy to understand. In addition, a revised company presentation was to be created in the existing JoinPlas look.
Our solution
3D configurator for JoinPlas
To meet the requirements, we have developed a 3D configurator that presents the JoinPlas couplings in an interactive and user-friendly way. This .net 6.0 WebApplication consists of several sub-projects: An MS-SQL database, developed with Entity Framework Core in a code-first approach, manages all 3D CAD files that can be downloaded by potential customers. The central product configurator is based on the JavaScript engine ThreeJS and enables free movement and angle adjustment of the 3D couplings with compressed GLTF files. Interested users can request their customized coupling by mail via a Microsoft Graph interface and download the corresponding 3D file.
The product search, integrated into the existing website as an Angular application, facilitates the search for specific 3D product configurations. Another application enables the management of product information displayed in the configurator with authentication via Microsoft Entra. A .Net Core Web API serves as an interface between the database and the search. To explain the application, we have produced a bilingual explanatory video that shows how to navigate the 3D configurator and handle the user interface. This video is embedded on the product configurator webpage. In addition, a revised company presentation was created with integrated videos, animations and graphics. This customized solution enables JoinPlas to present the versatility of its couplings in the best possible manner and to offer customers an appealing way to find and inquire about the right products.
