CIMdata Says the Key to Success is Controlling Your IP

By

Starting last July, all new SOLIDWORKS licenses come with Cloud Services for SOLIDWORKS. Existing SOLIDWORKS users also have an easy path to upgrading their subscription by adding Cloud Services.

But why should they?

To provide a comprehensive answer, we asked CIMdata, a premier independent research firm specializing in product lifecycle management (PLM), to conduct an in-depth analysis of Cloud Services and their benefits to SOLIDWORKS users.

We published the result of this analysis in Designing Your Future—Your On-Ramp to the Cloud. This eBook delves into the progression of mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD) technologies, explains the expanding role of designers within a broader engineering ecosystem, and explores methodologies for the effective management of intellectual property (IP).

Read on for a sneak peek into a few key points.

Managing Design Activities

It’s critical that your team is aligned and working toward the same goals. Even small design teams require strategies to segment projects into manageable tasks. Traditionally, teams track progress through meetings, emails, engineering change orders (ECOs), or project management tools with Gantt charts and Excel sheets to prioritize tasks—all fragmented processes to be sure.

Cloud Services for SOLIDWORKS offers an integrated solution for task scheduling and project oversight within the context of a product’s visual structure. Its Kanban-style interface minimizes your need for extensive preparation before design reviews by linking tasks directly to the relevant parts, assemblies, and drawings. This approach allows teams to concentrate on the actual design during in-person or online meetings instead of relying on prepared screenshots to highlight issues or concerns.

Also, any team member can check the progress of design tasks at literally any time and examine the 3D models at any stage of the development process without even opening SOLIDWORKS. This increased efficiency fosters a more collaborative environment throughout the project lifecycle.

Managing Change

According to CIMdata, a crucial aspect of maintaining data quality and integrity lies in effective revision management. The journey of product development is inherently non-linear. Not all proposed modifications are included in the final design. Tracking both the released and in-progress versions of a product is an essential yet increasingly complex task even for seemingly simple products.

The integration of Cloud Services with the SOLIDWORKS desktop simplifies storage while maintaining external references. The system enables the creation of new revisions without the need to alter file names, streamlining the storage process. Revision management conveniently lets teams customize their workspace directly within the cloud-based environment and maintain multiple versions of their work without having to install new software or perform complex setup procedures.

Successful Collaboration

Effective collaboration on product data presents unique challenges. A flaw in many visualization tools on the market is how easily files can become disconnected from the original product data. Ensuring all stakeholders are viewing the correct version of a file is a basic but very important necessity of product development. Sharing a representation of a 3D part with non-engineering stakeholders can be a game changer: A 3D image is worth a thousand words.

Cloud Services for SOLIDWORKS offers a contemporary solution for sharing design data that keeps CAD files secure and accessible in a managed environment without the need for any software installation or file downloads.

Cloud-based solutions facilitate real-time collaboration with stakeholders, regardless of location, and eliminate concerns about firewall protection for on-premises data and IP. Organizations continue to manage password security, while global cloud provider Dassault Systèmes invests significantly in cloud security to offer a level of data and process security assurance that individual customers may find challenging to achieve on their own.

Learn More

In partnership with CIMdata, we’ve delved into the transformative impact of Cloud Services for SOLIDWORKS through our eBook, Designing Your Future—Your On-Ramp to the Cloud. This analysis highlights the critical role of Cloud Services in modernizing MCAD technologies, streamlining design activities, securing IP management, and more.

With Cloud Services for SOLIDWORKS, your team can enjoy an integrated platform for task scheduling and project oversight featuring a Kanban-style interface for seamless design review preparations and real-time task tracking. Furthermore, our solution simplifies revision management and facilitates robust collaboration among stakeholders, ensuring data integrity and security without the cumbersome need for software installations or complex setups.

Don’t let outdated processes hold you back. Embrace the future of product development and make more time for design with Cloud Services. Download CIMdata’s comprehensive eBook, Designing Your Future—Your On-Ramp to the Cloud, and see how easily you can transition to a more efficient and secure way of managing your design data and intellectual property.

SOLIDWORKS

SOLIDWORKS

Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp. offers complete 3D software tools that let you create, simulate, publish, and manage your data. SolidWorks products are easy to learn and use, and work together to help you design products better, faster, and more cost-effectively. The SolidWorks focus on ease-of-use allows more engineers, designers and other technology professionals than ever before to take advantage of 3D in bringing their designs to life.
SOLIDWORKS

@SOLIDWORKS