Maximizing the design process: interoperability and collaboration are critical to extending a company's value chain and maintaining its competitive advantage.(CAD)

This part one of a two-part series examines the complex nature of what the industry has been grappling with for years, managing and communicating with CAD data throughout the product life cycle, and what types of solutions are available to companies.

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For many years, creating 3D images with CAD software was limited to an elite few--predominantly those who created the designs and those who studied the engineering and mechanics and tested the physics and durability of that design.

Today, thanks to a shift in market dynamics that has made 3D more accessible and affordable, the adoption of 3D CAD has accelerated. In response to these changing market trends, more 3D images are being created, and the acceptance of 3D is no longer a question in the industry. As a result, a wider range of people within corporate management understands the value of these images and the data locked inside them.

It has become paramount for a company to be able to quickly communicate and exchange its 3D data, as it is integral to an organization's overall value chain. For a manufacturing company, the concept of optimizing the value chain is critical.

Supply Chain Redesign defines the value chain as the connected series of organizations, resources, and knowledge streams involved in the creation and delivery of value to end customers. Value systems integrate supplychain activities, from the determination of customer needs through product/service development, production/operations, and distribution, including (as appropriate) first-, second-, and third-tier suppliers.

This definition fits perfectly with the CAD industry at the moment. The key to making CAD and product life cycle management (PLM) work effectively has more to do with efficiencies of processes and technology than anything else. Competing at a global level means companies need to be able to quickly communicate their ideas across a broad group of disciplines. Extend that to a larger manufacturing infrastructure with designers in multiple locations and suddenly the issue of seamless collaboration and interoperability among CAD files becomes a considerable component of a company's overall success.