3DEXPERIENCE Platform brings many advantages to product development and engineering companies. Let us present 7 good reasons to use the 3DEXPERIENCE platform in your daily work.
1. Product data available for everyone in the organization
The first product data is born early in the product development process in the concept stage, and refined until the finished product. This process requires extensive collaboration and successes among design and engineering teams, sales, purchasing, production and so on.
Here the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is the unifying factor. The design information is stored on the platform, well and securely, throughout the product’s lifecycle. Everyone in the team will see the same information, view the latest changes and take their own actions within the boundaries of their roles.
One Single Source of Truth!
Many different tools are needed in product design: 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA, CATIA V5, SOLIDWORKS, SIMULIA, etc. These software are available installed on premise or connected to the system, enabling genuine Multi-CAD approach since the starting point.
3DEXPERIENCE is available on the cloud through internet connection and works on practically any device. Its purpose is to connect the team members with modern tools and product offerings by which everyone can participate in the processes related to the product.
2. From silos to collaboration
Endless amounts of information is created in companies’ operations, which at best serves their strategic goals. For this information to be as usable as possible and to represent the current situation, the availability of information is the key.
Even though the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is a broad set of various functions and software, solid PLM/PDM features are in its core. Within the platform, product information is in the revision and change management – an advantage for the future, because as the company grows, up-to-date information becomes more important, and established rules and processes are needed to guarantee fully functioning operations.
3DEXPERIENCE is a secured cloud service and works through a regular internet connection. The advantage of the platform is that it updates automatically, allowing all users the same user experience, reducing the possibility of errors and interruptions. At the same time the platform enables new ways of working as people are connected to each other; with the platform’s collaboration tools, it is possible to enhance decision-making and share tacit information and experiences. This is an asset to every company when being effectively utilized. No more silos, but collaboration!
In 3DEXPERIENCE product information is arranged into entities. For example, related information, notes and attachment files can be attached to 3D models improving the control of entities, reducing human errors. What was previously envisioned is today utilized and in heavy use!
3. Organizing the product information
Companies have data that usually belongs to a category or a project and contains various properties, which the organization then aims to utilize. 3DEXPERIENCE includes an efficient search function (6WTags) by which information can be retrieved from the system. That’s why it’s good to organize product information to create different entities that can be used to screen the desired properties. For this, the system has its “IP Classification and Reuse” library.
When product information is organized according to its properties, the overall clarity of the information in the database improves. One part belongs, for example, to mechanics, another to electronic components, the third group can be defined according to use or product family. These categories vary in each company and it is possible to build them into the system (Classification Manager).
This kind of “library thinking” greatly benefits the search for parts and features in the database. With an efficient search result, you can find a suitable solution already implemented, no new one is needed! In this way, unnecessary use of design resources and investments can be avoided. This feature should not be left unutilized.
4. Real-time project management
Most organizations’ work is project-based. Tasks that have been agreed upon typically have a time frame, during which given tasks are performed. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform has a feature (Collaborative Task) that can be used to create these tasks, appoint them to members, include the necessary information and estimate the time for performance. Each user of has their own view of the tasks.
In Project Planner, the tool for handling projects, you can create project plans and gain an overall picture of the tasks, resources and scheduled goals. Stages and dependencies between different tasks can be created in the Project Planner, and if any changes arise, the system will notify about possible scheduling risks. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform combines different tools to create completely new functions. In general, increased transparency among the users is the key to successful work. For example, when the designer has completed their task, they simply mark it as done or give an estimate of the progress in percentages. This information is automatically updated in the project plan! Great, isn’t it!?
5. Creating new product structures
Companies’ product portfolios are usually diverse. Some are new products developed from scratch, while others are improvements with changes to the existing products. What is common to all, however, is that the product structure (BOM) should be ready to use so that team members can prepare for the upcoming product project.
The 3DEXPERIENCE platform has a tool (Release Engineer) that creates product structures based on which proactive actions can be taken well in advance. Such actions can include identifying the design need for new parts, utilizing existing parts, or supporting the purchase and production strategy as well as sales and marketing.
This is a product manager’s or lead designer’s tool for product structure creation in 3DEXPERIENCE, enabling efficient use of product structures for everyone involved in all stages of the product development process. This way the product structures improve transparency and communication in the organization and give an opportunity to react in advance if bottlenecks or challenges arise. There is really no reason why the product should not be given a structure, part codes, materials and other necessary initial information right at the beginning of the project or even before the final decision to start the project. This is transferring product information at its best!
6. Sustainability as an integral part of product development
“The world is changing my dear Esko” is a statement of a historic national writer from Finland, which also applies to this moment. Today’s big questions are how to take care of our planet so that we can say with good conscience that we did our best to respect the limited natural resources of our earth.
On 3DEXPERIENCE platform we can study the environmental impact during the different phases of product’s existence: materials, production methods, transportation, loads and finally decommissioning the product. While the competition is about reputation in the market, it also is about clear numbers; price competitiveness follows those who work more rationally in the market.
The competitive advantage of the future is created by eliminating bad choices related to the product. Calculations will show that lack of optimization leads to poor profitability and inefficiency. That is why it is important to create sustainability targets for operations and take action to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. 3DEXPERIENCE Sustainability tools enable a systematic product development process, where choices are based on calculated information according to the requirements (EF 3.0, IPCC, TRACI, ReCPe, EPS).
7. New routines and tools for online meetings
Meeting routines have undergone a major change since 2019. Not always are all participants physically present and often the meetings are remote. No matter how we choose to meet with our colleagues, the most important is effortless communication and mutual understanding on agreed tasks.
The 3DEXPERIENCE platform has the 3DLEAN tool, which was originally developed to share the everyday tasks in production operations. In 3DLEAN a structure is created for the project in advance and relevant documents are attached to it for presentation. Whether it’s about monitoring, notifications, task allocation or other daily routines, it’s possible to view them efficiently on the 3DLEAN display board. The participants have their own profiles and the tasks can be transparently assigned.
After many organizations moved to remote meetings, the features of the 3DLEAN have unexpectedly become more usable. How about organizing a meeting, of which the structure has already been defined, material preparations made and clear goals and duration set up? And on top of this, there would also be an easy access to meeting templates afterwards, where decisions would be gathered and the next time everything could be continued! 3DLEAN is also a virtual strategy room at its best!
This is 3DEXPERIENCE at its best: New times – new ways!
