CAD solutions are among manufacturers’ most vital product development tools. They allow designers to generate detailed models, simulate and analyze product behaviors and performance, and produce essential engineering documentation. But for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the manufacturing sector, maintaining the IT infrastructure required to support on-premises CAD solutions can be a challenge. In fact, many such companies may …

As technology evolves and global competition heats up, companies are showing more interest than ever in engineering transformation (EX). A subset of digital transformation (DX), EX entails overhauling tools, processes, and roles to boost engineering productivity. EX further promises to improve outcomes and make companies more competitive in a marketplace that is increasingly challenging to navigate. So is it working? …

Sustainability is an ever-growing concern for manufacturers in every industry, and for good reason. Improving their sustainability practices can help these companies reduce costs, meet their own environmental goals, and provide consumers with the more earth-friendly products they increasingly desire. But the path to improved sustainability is beset by hidden pitfalls. In the rush to produce better environmental outcomes, companies …

The COVID-19 pandemic changed manufacturing in irrevocable ways. Not only did it make clear to companies the power of technology and the value of automation, but it also reshaped the workforce. Remote work is now more widespread than ever, even in manufacturing. Workforce populations remain well below pre-pandemic levels. And workplace culture is becoming more tech-savvy—and more tech-dependent overall—as older …

Siemens recently presented their solution to manufacturing pitfalls: Industrial Operations X. Here Siemens presented a thorough manufacturing solution that covers everything from shop-floor production tasks to management. By choosing an automated and integrated approach, Siemens targets to reduce issues related to labor shortages, supply chain demands, resource procurement, and sustainability. Here is my take on a few of the presentations …

Today’s manufacturing landscape is filled with competitive challenges. Executives are under more pressure than ever to reduce costs, hit development milestones on time, and deliver high-quality products.  Engineering transformation (EX) initiatives can aid these outcomes and improve competitiveness, but organizations must be prepared to manage the competing dynamics EX introduces. EX Delivers Improvement and Risks Disruption EX is a subset …