How Rollco Cut Downtime Risk and Manual Work with 3DEXPERIENCE | PLM Group x Rollco

When Oskar Friberg started at Head of Tech Support at Rollco, SOLIDWORKS was already part of the workflow – but there was no structure around it. One of his first assignments was to implement a PDM system. 

“We looked at several systems and chose the one that suited us best at the time. The team was just four engineers back then, and it was the first PDM system we had alongside SOLIDWORKS. It was clear how important it was, but getting it up and running wasn’t easy,” Oskar says. 

Once in place, the system worked – even though it required several adjustments. But two to three years ago, things changed. At the same time as a generational shift took place internally, new challenges started to pile up. 

“Roughly three years ago, we began to fall behind with maintenance. Updates were skipped, and we weren’t keeping up. Losing even half a day to downtime could cost us a customer.” 

Over time, the system had become overloaded with customizations, which led to both technical issues and unnecessary consultancy costs. The team was also growing. 

“It’s hard to trust a system that doesn’t work. Many were actually positive about switching to something new. I was the one holding back since I had built the old system myself. But sometimes, you have to let go of what you’ve built.” 

The decision was made – they needed a smooth workflow where CAD and PDM worked as one. 

Choosing 3DEXPERIENCE with PLM Group 

In exploring their options, the team identified 3DEXPERIENCE, a cloud-based platform with native SOLIDWORKS integration, as a strong candidate. Since PLM Group was already their CAD provider, it felt natural to include them in the process. 

“What stood out to me was that PLM Group had someone, in this case a Sales person, that I could trust and who could answer my questions. And when he didn’t know, there were technicians backing him up.” 

With a clear Proof of Concept, Oskar and the team got management on board without hesitation. 

“PLM Group didn’t question us – they just said, ‘We’ll set it up.’ We came from an environment where we had spent years developing and fine-tuning everything ourselves, so this was a big change.” 

A Smooth Data Migration 

Transitioning systems goes far beyond interfaces – it requires careful migration of existing data with full integrity. For Rollco, this was a massive project involving the migration of large volumes of data from the old PDM system into 3DEXPERIENCE. The process took time, but ultimately resulted in a successful and well-functioning transfer.

“The migration was demanding, with countless files to transfer. Everything needed to be searchable, with properties and names intact and logically presented in the new system.” 

Previously, the file naming was so complex that people often worked outside the system until they could classify files later, defeating the purpose of having a PDM system. That’s no longer the case. 

“If you work outside the system, you lose the whole point. 3DEXPERIENCE takes care of it, and we were able to sort things out along the way.” 

Oskar was also surprised by how easily data could now be transferred from CAD to their ERP system, Monitor G5. 

“Before, we could spend as much time preparing a finished design for production as we did designing it – and during that time, the customer just had to wait.” 

Better Focus on the Customer 

For Oskar and the team, this was about more than just technology. It was about being able to focus on what matters, the customer, without wasting time on extra steps. 

“Today we spend more time in SOLIDWORKS, focusing on design instead of unnecessary tasks. It gives us more room to create real value, which also improves the return on investment.” 

 What Rollco gained from 3DEXPERIENCE 

• No more duplicate work thanks to CAD and ERP integration 
• More time for product development and design 
• Smoother workflows with Monitor G5 integration
• Everyone works within the same environment 
• Easier communication between engineering and purchasing
• Complete documentation automatically included in requests
• The system handles the process – less manual work and fewer errors

Expanding 3DEXPERIENCE Across Borders

Looking ahead, Rollco is preparing to roll out 3DEXPERIENCE at its Danish site. It will be the first PDM system for this unit, where employees have so far relied on saving files locally. 

“The good thing is that PLM Group has a strong presence and local Danish support, so we know help is always available. It’s a large enough organization to make sure it works out,” says Oskar and finish with:

“3DEXPERIENCE feels modern, and with PLM Group, we know we’re in good hands.”