Managers, directors, or VPs of product development must ensure that their teams produce functional, reliable, ergonomic, aesthetically pleasing, manufacturable, and marketable products cost-effectively. Every. Single. Time.
No pressure, right? But wait, there’s more.
The typical product development process, from design through manufacturing, produces staggering amounts of data, often from disparate applications. A mechanical design project may contain thousands of files, including part, assembly, and drawing files; simulation files; and manufacturing (CAM) files. Legacy files also need to be easily accessed for reuse. Further, daily communication files such as spreadsheets, PDFs, and emails (among countless others) must be managed. How do you quickly and effectively capture, manage, and leverage this data for the benefit of the company?
Due to the Great Resignation, attracting and retaining the right talent has become an ongoing concern, adding another layer of complexity for product development leaders. Location is now rarely a deciding factor in hiring, so enabling flexibility regarding location has become an imperative as businesses must create new ways to find, keep, and motivate employees. The best talent wants to work with the most innovative companies. Further, employees empowered to maximize their potential and continuously improve their skills are happier and less likely to leave a company.
Secures Cooperation
We have discussed how designers and engineers can benefit from an integrated environment. But what about manufacturing?
It is still fairly typical for small to midsize manufacturers to rely on emails, faxes, and phone calls as the primary vehicles to communicate with customers. However, just as designers do, manufacturing can work from the 3DEXPERIENCE platform that is automatically in sync with product development. This is true whether products are produced in-house or with outside suppliers.
Design engineers and manufacturing have a history of strained relationships. Not being on the same page can hurt productivity, resulting in higher product costs. The cloud-based platform’s tools enable you to create project Communities where you can securely invite everyone on the project, including customers and suppliers, to collaborate.
Real-time design for manufacturing (DFM) advice from the shop floor or suppliers avoids potentially expensive downstream issues. Plus, all communication is captured on the platform, so traceability is built right in. Availing everyone involved in 3D reviews is like sharing a common language.
When designers and engineers are connected to manufacturing earlier in the process, late-stage product issues become a thing of the past.
Gets Everyone on the Same Page
Being a product development leader is not easy. It is a difficult, delicate, and nuanced balancing act of communicating with the executive team while leading your design, engineering, and production teams who are in the trenches building products.
The 3DEXPERIENCE Works portfolio of design-through-manufacturing solutions makes it easier to leverage your team’s respective expertise. Basic data management is integrated on the platform, and you can add more functionality as your company grows and needs change. Plus, you have access to purpose-built tools for product development that are available to all key stakeholders, from executives and design engineers to shop-floor personnel and suppliers.
If you want to learn more about efficiently managing product development at your company, contact your local reseller for more information and see how 3DEXPERIENCE Works solutions can connect all aspects of your product development process.
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