How CAD Files Are Becoming the Bedrock of a Manufacturer’s “Digital Thread”

When manufacturers connect the flow of data that accompanies a product through its lifecycle, they can enhance performance across the whole business. By building this “digital thread” they make it possible to automate processes, inform decision making and enhance services. 

They can also create a virtuous data loop so, for example, warranty failure data can be fed into new product designs or bill of materials (BOM) specifications can be used to inform end of life disposal and recycling.

This highly valuable data flow starts to be formed as soon as a designer’s concept shifts from a sketch pad and onto a CAD file. This then becomes a digital asset that can be used to support other functions of the business. 

For example, it’s now possible for manufacturers to automatically convert CAD files into 3D models that can also aid manufacturing, aftersales and customer service teams. When businesses create these digital replicas it provides several advantages. This includes: 

• Efficiency savings. When it’s possible to automatically update a digital replica, any changes made by an engineer to a components’ fit, form or function, will be reflected in the model also seen by other departments. This can save months of update calls and correspondence between the engineers, manufacturing and aftersales teams.  

• Self-service for end users. A digital replica can also help dealers and end customers identify and source parts far more easily. For instance, with a 3D model an end user can view a product from any direction and then explode a product image to reveal its internal components. The end users can then isolate individual parts and see key information, such as the spec and order number. 
• Increased sales. When a 3D model is incorporated in a digital aftersales platform connected to ERP systems (via APIs), it also enables dealers and end customers to view live stock and price details. They can then place orders immediately - which helps businesses capture a greater share of the aftersales market.  

Enabling the digital thread

This will all help to reduce cost and time to market, while helping to nurture customer loyalty. And it can all be made possible by CAD files created by a product designer. 

If businesses are going to turn CAD designs into an asset that can support various functions, however, the data contained within these files will need to be organised and uniform. Currently, it wouldn’t be unusual to have 100 engineers organise their CAD files in 100 different ways. 

But, if we want to make these files accessible so processes can be automated, a common approach needs to be adopted. This will likely require some training to ensure standardisation in the way engineers arrange the hierarchy of an indented BOM with a CAD file.  

Think aftersales from the beginning

Businesses will also need to enable greater cooperation between engineering, manufacturing and aftersales to ensure a comprehensive BOM is consistent. Traditionally, we’ve seen businesses create three versions of a BOM – an EBOM used by engineering for the design, manufacturing would create an MBOM for the production process and sales an SBOM to support aftersales. 

The reason for this is that the EBOM doesn’t always include information needed in the later stages of a product’s life cycle. For example, if an engineer creates CAD designs for an automobile, they might include a supplier’s brake set, with one associated part number. But, the aftersales team may need to split that down into 10 different individual components - the calipers, pads, discs, etc. - so end users can find the relevant part and order number in a parts catalogue.  

If images for those 10 components aren’t readily available to the sales team, they will usually turn to a technical artist to create a 2D image and assign a part number - which is expensive and time consuming. However, if the business is thinking about the digital thread, and what data is needed later, then 3D images can be generated and shared from the beginning of the process.

A different mindset 

When a digital thread connects all the data used to support a product throughout its lifecycle, manufacturers need to think about how this information can be repurposed. In many organisations this will require a shift in mindset - and it will likely require the deployment of new tools and changes to processes, to ensure data is not just connected but useful to other teams. 

Digital tools, such as those helping to create digital replicas in 3D form, are helping to make data available to everyone. They are also enabling automation, which is helping to reduce the duplication of workload across different departments. 

To enable this to happen, there will need to be some changes to how CAD files are organised in the future. But this standardisation is a small price to pay for the potential gains in the form of internal efficiency, better customer service and increased revenues for the business. 

First seen in Design Solutions Magazine.