MCAD Tech News #187
19 Sep, 2006 By: Jeffrey RoweThe Changing Manufacturing Culture Collaboration and flexibility must become part of industry’s day-to-day workings Last week I attended an interesting and thought-provoking event: the UGS Digital Manufacturing Symposium, held in Dearborn, Michigan. (UGS also made a major manufacturing product announcement, but more on that later.) Because the event was held in the Detroit area, the audience was largely, but not exclusively, composed of automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. The audience also included some medium- and a few small-sized businesses -- customer groups that UGS has given more attention to of late. The mix of speakers included UGS representatives (of course), customers and an independent consultant. Manufacturing Differentiators Collaboration. In Smith’s view, collaboration is a process that synchronizes product innovation throughout the entire supply chain -- including manufacturing -- and is key to product launch success. Smith said that in his experience, manufacturing is still all too often an afterthought, with designs literally being thrown “over the transom” to production. This must change, and he suggested that one of the most effective ways of promoting change is to have more employees, regardless of background or job function, spend some time on the manufacturing floor to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the work. Manufacturing must influence design and other areas of an organization so that it’s more integral to, and optimized with, the big picture. Read more>>by Jeffrey Rowe The newest version of PTC's flagship design application,
Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 3, was a bit long in coming -- shipping about 18
months after the previous version instead of the usual 12 months -- but
the result is worth the wait. Instead of just piling on a zillion new
features and capabilities, PTC (like some of its competitors) chose to
improve Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 3 in other ways that matter to most customers,
namely, software stability, better consistency across modeling functions
and promotion of more efficient workflows. Although these areas of enhancement
may lack wow factor, they will definitely be beneficial to most users
in terms of productivity. Mark Your Calendar: MCAD Events For Cadalyst's full calendar of events, click here >> V-STARS Photogrammetry User Group Meeting Webinar: New Dimensions in Technical Documentation V-STARS Photogrammetry User Group Meeting COFES India Summit Online Archives:Click here to view an online version of this newsletter and past issues of MCAD Tech News. MCAD Modeling Methods -- Transitioning From 2D to 3D: Unlike 2D drawings, 3D models let you view a project from all angles. PLM Strategies -- We Gather Today to Join ERP and PLM: Create harmony by consolidating your business and manufacturing processes under one roof. Check Out Cadalyst's Latest Discussion Forum: Cadalyst now offers the Product Reviews Discussion Forum, where you can "review our reviews." Read the latest Cadalyst Labs and First Look reviews of hardware and software, then post your own comments about the review. Share your own experiences with that product and see what other CAD professionals have to say. Visit today! Job Search: If you're in the market for a new job -- or if you just want to see what's out there -- Cadalyst.com offers an online Job Search that will help. Powered by Indeed, this search tool offers a state-by-state list of CAD-related job openings, or you can customize a search to find your own list of U.S. job openings based on the keywords and locations you specify. Check it out today! Use the Job Search button on Cadalyst's Manufacturing Web site or click here for a direct link. Cadalyst Daily Update
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