Maximizing Efficiency & Savings: How Cloud Data Management Benefits Small Businesses

3DEXPERIENCE, 3D CAD Design, Cloud, Data Management

Discover the numerous advantages of utilizing cloud-based software for small businesses and how it can optimize efficiency and drive savings.

In today’s ever-changing world of engineering and design, many small businesses often face a unique set of challenges that can halt innovation in its tracks. From limited resources to fierce competition, navigating the landscape can be daunting. However, with modern advancements in software technology, particularly in cloud data management, these challenges are being met with precise innovative solutions that have the potential to revolutionize how small businesses operate and compete in their industries. Where innovation is paramount and design efficiency is critical, cloud data management can be the difference between trudging down the road towards stagnation and sprinting on the path of success. The product design industry-leading 3DEXPERIENCE platform delivers the solutions you need with a cloud-based platform that offers a host of applications and benefits tailored specifically for engineering design small businesses.

Small Business Landscape

Before delving into the details of how the powerful 3DEXPERIENCE platform can transform your small business, it's essential to get a better understanding of the landscape in which these businesses operate. Small design businesses are typically characterized by their creativity, agility, resourcefulness, and motivation to adopt new technologies. However, they often face pressure from constraints such as limited budgets, small teams, and the need to quickly deliver high-quality products in a competitive market. This pressure is also compounded by the challenges of manually managing your engineering design files and defining your company processes and best practices.

In such an environment where mistakes and inefficiency can waste scarce time and money, effective data management becomes critical. The ability to quickly and easily access, organize, and leverage design data efficiently can make the difference between success and failure. For decades now, traditional data management systems, with their reliance on on-premise infrastructure and manual processes, often fall short of meeting the needs of small businesses. These shortcomings are also usually combined with high prices driven by features tailored to large, enterprise level usage and not necessarily helpful for small businesses. This is where modern, cloud-based solutions like 3DEXPERIENCE come into play, offering a comprehensive suite of tools and features designed to address the specific challenges faced by engineering design small businesses. And the roles that segment all of this functionality can be individually combined into a software package specifically designed for your businesses needs.

Centralized Data Management

A common challenge not specific to small businesses but one that impacts them unproportionally is the confusion and inefficiency created by working in an environment of scattered, unorganized files. Even with a locally managed network-attached storage system accessible throughout your company, organization can become inconsistent, files can be moved or deleted, and file history becomes difficult if not impossible to effectively manage. One of the most impactful advantages of 3DEXPERIENCE data management for small businesses like yours is its ability to centralize your engineering design files in a secure cloud server, completely managed and backed up without the need for IT support. Instead of searching through scattered files stored on local servers or individual workstations, all of your design data - including your 3D CAD models, 2D drawings, design specifications, and any other documentation - can be stored in a single, secure repository accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.

This centralized approach has paid off for many businesses and not only significantly simplifies data access for your engineers but also ensures file storage consistency and historical version control. Team members can now effectively collaborate in real-time and work with confidence that they are always accessing the latest version of a design, even when working from home or on the road. Moreover, the cloud-based architecture of the platform means that data is backed up automatically without any load on your IT group bandwidth, greatly reducing the risk of data loss due to hardware failures, cyber attacks or human error.

Insightful Searching Capabilities

Design reuse is one of the most effective time saving strategies for small businesses. How much time do you think your teams spends each week searching for specific files to reuse and what happens when they don’t find that file? Are they able to access its full history and refer to comments and other metadata to understand the design progress? These are all things successful businesses have implemented, often after learning the lessons of these challenges the hard way by wasting time and money.

In a fast-paced design environment, the ability to quickly and easily locate specific files or design information is invaluable, and can prevent bottlenecks that slow your designs from hitting the market. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform offers powerful search capabilities that enable users to effortlessly retrieve relevant data based on various parameters such as keywords, current environment variables, project information, or other file attributes. These attributes are segmented into 6WTags – What, Who, When, Where, How, and Why. In addition to all of the basic search criteria you would expect, these search tools also feature advanced search criteria such as what role the file plays in a design hierarchy or if a part has an active governed change action.

Having access to a complete selection of search criteria not only saves time but also enhances productivity by minimizing the frustration associated with manual search processes. Additionally, these examples are only the default attributes. Any custom attributes can also be added and used for search criteria to provide a custom experience when finding files. For small design teams where every minute counts and any incorrect revision of a part getting to production can bring a project to its end, efficient search tools can significantly boost efficiency and enable employees to focus on value-adding tasks rather than getting slowed down by search limitations and design rework.

Collaboration is Key

At some point, every company comes to the realization that skilled employees and accurate information are the two of the most critical factors that determine your success. And if these two are brought together, many challenges that will normally slow down your innovative progress start to disappear. In a survey conducted by the Engineering Management Institute, over 82% of respondents stated that collaborative projects had a significant impact on improving their problem-solving skills. Effective collaboration is crucial for small businesses looking to compete in the fast-paced world of engineering design. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform offers a range of collaboration tools that facilitate communication and teamwork among team members, project partners, and all other stakeholders. Features such as real-time design collaboration, quick-access file status information, integrated markup tools, and project task management enable seamless collaboration regardless of geographical location or time zone. In addition, these collaboration tools run directly out of your browser and only need a device with an internet connection to use. This means you’re never left out of the loop with old revisions when visiting a customer site or presenting ideas to customers remotely.

What about stakeholders outside of your organization that may not have the 3DEXPERIENCE platform or use SOLIDWORKS? Are you still emailing STEP files or uploading copies of your drawings to a separate cloud storage for customers or suppliers to access? How do ensure when a design changes, that they are only accessing the latest revision? Whether you need to share designs inside or outside of your company, we’ve got you covered! It’s now easier than ever to collaborate with anyone with the new Share and Markup capabilities. The beauty of it all is you don’t ever have to leave SOLIDWORKS or make copies of your files, reupload, and email links. You can just share the current model you are working on right from the main toolbar. This and many more time saving collaboration features are all at your disposal with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

For small businesses with distributed design teams, contract engineers or other external partners, these cloud collaboration tools can be game-changers, enabling them to work together efficiently and effectively. By challenging the status quo, breaking down the communication barriers and streamlining workflows, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform empowers small businesses to leverage the collective expertise of their team members and deliver innovative solutions to their clients.

Scalability and Flexibility

One major hurdle small business experience is the difficulty of justifying perpetual license costs for critical design software that is only used sparingly or on certain projects. It could be anything from flow simulation for custom products or an additional SOLIDWORKS license for an engineering intern. These decisions require long-term forecasting and budgeting to ensure the investment will pay off. Do you make compromises and share licenses or maybe you seek out budget alternatives that may suit most of your needs now, but have limitations you’re likely to run into later? Another significant advantage of 3DEXPERIENCE for engineering design small businesses is its scalability and flexibility. Unlike traditional data management systems that require significant upfront investment in hardware and software licenses, 3DEXPERIENCE operates on a module-based subscription model, allowing small businesses to scale their usage up or down as needed. Additionally, as more functionality is required, roles can be added to suit your needs and then removed if the functionality was only needed temporarily. This platform is ideal for small business and global enterprise alike, so your 3DEXPERIENCE platform can be customized for today’s challenges and then grow with you along your journey of success.

This approach not only reduces financial barriers to entry but also allows your small business to adapt quickly to ever-changing business requirements. Whether you’re ramping up for a new project or scaling back during a slow period, you have the power to respond and adjust accordingly, ensuring that you only pay for what you actually use.

Cost Savings

Cost savings are a top priority for small businesses, and 3DEXPERIENCE delivers in this regard as well. Traditional data management systems often entail significant upfront investments in server and network hardware, software licenses, and ongoing costs for database upgrades, backups, hardware replacement and other maintenance. However, cloud-based solutions like 3DEXPERIENCE take a different approach. By eliminating the need for on-premises infrastructure and reducing reliance on IT support for everything from backup restorations to software upgrades, the platform helps small businesses lower their overall IT costs. Moreover, the subscription-based pricing model means that small businesses can avoid large capital expenditures and instead budget for predictable monthly expenses.

When there is a disconnect between engineering and manufacturing, costly errors are almost certainly going to occur. Traditional processes outside of a modern data management system are prone to errors, leading to costly mistakes and delays in project delivery. Files move or change names which result in broken references, copies are stored on user desktops, and old versions of designs end up being accessed by manufacturing. Potentially the most impactful cost-saving benefit of 3DEXPERIENCE data management is its ability to significantly reduce design errors and rework, thereby saving valuable time and resources. By automating data management tasks, ensuring data integrity, and providing the latest design information, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform establishes a sense of confidence in your team when a new design reaches production. Additionally, by streamlining workflows and improving productivity by reducing effort required to accomplish daily tasks, 3DEXPERIENCE enables small businesses to get more done with fewer resources, further driving down costs and increasing profitability. According to a study by Aberdeen Group, companies with centralized data management systems experienced a 22% increase in productivity. In a competitive market where margins can be slim and innovation is rapid, these cost savings can have a significant impact and free up resources for continual innovation.

Future-Proof Your Operations

Cloud data management with 3DEXPERIENCE holds immense potential for small businesses in the industry of engineering and design. The problems faced by a small business today are widespread throughout the market and have been precisely addressed with tools designed to make your engineering team more efficient. By centralizing your design data, making your data accessible yet secure, enhancing team collaboration, offering scalability and flexibility, and delivering cost savings, the platform addresses the specific needs and challenges faced by small businesses in the engineering design industry. Instead of reacting to issues as they occur, take control of your success and by implementing solutions like 3DEXPERIENCE, you can future-proof your operations, stay ahead of the competition, and thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape.