Manufacturer enhances engineering efficiency and CAD data management with SOLIDWORKS PDM

Implementation of SOLIDWORKS PDM marks a significant milestone in enhancing engineering efficiency and data management capabilities for Goldacres. By addressing longstanding challenges in CAD data management, the company has positioned itself for continued growth and improved competitiveness in the agricultural equipment manufacturing industry.

This case study underscores the strategic importance of leveraging specialised data management solutions to optimise operations and drive business success in manufacturing environments.

The challenge

Over the years Goldacres has grown as a company and with this growth, the Engineering department also grew significantly. In the early years, the Engineering department consisted of around 3 engineers and it was relatively easy to manage projects and CAD files. By early 2024, the Engineering department expanded to 20 CAD users.

With so many CAD users of varying levels of experience, it became increasingly challenging to manage major projects and CAD data. The poor filing structure along with the increased number of users meant that the Engineering department would continually have ‘Write Access’ conflicts and issues locating and maintaining legacy CAD data.

Decision-making process

Goldacres chose SOLIDWORKS PDM over other solutions primarily due to its seamless integration with SOLIDWORKS, which the company exclusively used for 3D design. They conducted a thorough Return on Investment (ROI) study and comprehensive analysis of their engineering process, considering functions such as:

• Opening, saving and sharing write access to CAD data

• Searching for CAD data

• Automating part number process

• Automation of PDF and DXF

• Automation of Engineering Change process

“We contracted Central Innovation (Ci) to do the Data Migration part of the project to ensure the highest level of accuracy was achieved. Ci did multiple test migrations of all CAD data to ensure any issues were identified and rectified. Any remaining issues were generally due to legacy or corrupt CAD data, which we were made aware of,” Jonathan Roberts, Engineering Manager, Goldacres, explained.

Partnering with Ci, Goldacres implemented SOLIDWORKS PDM with meticulous planning. After committing to the PDM implementation, Goldacres was provided with a project plan scoped to their exact requirements. This assisted Goldacres with the planning of the following:

• Data card design

• Part number allocation process

• Workflows

• New CAD Vault file structure

• Planning of users and user groups

Ci was on-site at Goldacres for the set-up and conducted detailed training with the Admin group to ensure the team was fully aware of all capabilities of the solution.

With Goldacres’ Engineering department continuing to function normally, the implementation process, including data migration, was carefully managed to minimise disruption, with only a brief period of limited CAD access during migration.

User adoption and training

PDM was new to most engineers at Goldacres, so comprehensive training sessions were delivered by Ci, based on which detailed internal procedure documentation was carried out, facilitating smooth adoption. Regular training sessions and continuous communication ensured that the engineering team remained informed and adapted effectively to the new system.

Measurable impact

Since implementing SOLIDWORKS PDM, Goldacres has seen immediate benefits in CAD file sharing efficiency, reduced errors, and faster data retrieval. Automated part number allocation streamlined processes previously managed through excel spreadsheets, enhancing overall productivity.

The implementation allowed them to restructure their CAD data to a better organised layout. It makes finding CAD files much quicker. PDM also has great search functions – searching via part description is a great feature.

The ability for multiple users to have the same CAD files open at the same time and only have ‘write access’ to the files they need is a major efficiency gain.

Prior to PDM, moving data or restructuring files was next to impossible. The ability to freely move files and folders without breaking CAD links is a major benefit.

ROI and business value

Although specific dollar figures weren’t disclosed, Goldacres anticipates recovering the investment in SOLIDWORKS PDM within approximately one year.

The system’s efficiency gains and improved data management capabilities are expected to positively impact the company’s bottom line.

“For any businesses considering upgrading to PDM, Goldacres highly recommend Central Innovation. Their extensive knowledge and experience shines bright. It made the planning and implementation process very stress-free and resulted in a high quality and high accuracy outcome,” Roberts added.

Lessons learned and recommendations

Reflecting on his experience, Roberts advises other companies to not delay adopting PDM systems.

He recommends cleaning up CAD data prior to migration to facilitate smoother migration and implementation.

Additionally, he highlights the importance of choosing a knowledgeable and experienced partner such as Central Innovation for a stress-free and successful implementation process.