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The Right CAD Communication Tool Saves Headaches |
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Strathroy, ON-based Meridian Technologies (meridian-mag.com), a world leader in magnesium die casting for the automotive industry, routinely encountered unnecessary delays in the project lifecycle. Cost estimators, program managers, tooling engineers, and quality and product engineers ñ all had to wait while actual design specifications were printed before they could begin to assess the number of components and machine holes needed.
To speed things up, Meridian implemented Actify SpinFire (actify.com), design communications software that enables its engineers to view all levels of detail in drawings created using a variety of CAD systems-whether or not the engineers have that CAD software installed on their computers.
For example, DaimlerChrysler engineers typically work in CATIA, the automobile makerís standard enterprisewide engineering software. Meridian engineers do not need to own a copy of CATIA or be trained on the productís use, but they can use Actify SpinFire to extract all the information contained in the CATIA model.
ìSpinFire speeds up the process of giving feedback to our clients,î says Jon Whitlock, Meridian tooling engineer. Clients such as DaimlerChrysler, Ford, GM, Land Rover, BMW, BorgWarner and New Venture Gear ask Meridian to design production die castings for instrument panels, steering column components, front-end radiator supports, transfer cases for four-wheel drive vehicles, and much more. ìNow we can import the data and start working on their input right away. And instead of tying up a software designer, we can do it on our own computers.î
SpinFire software really pays dividends in the field. Says Whitlock, ìI can visit a client, then download their data and use SpinFire to start working on a design review on my laptop right in their meeting room. That really speeds up the process.î
The Meridian Technologies Global Technology Centre is tasked with preparing the CAD models, drawings, and documentation that lead to production. It serves plants in Michigan as well as the United Kingdom, Italy and China.
Richmond Hill, ON-based Solid Caddgroup (solidcadcam.com) ñ a reseller of Actify SpinFire products ñ was first contacted by Meridian five years ago, according to Lori Reid, Meridian Technologies LAN administrator. ìWe were dissatisfied with our software support company because it seemed our calls for help were falling on deaf ears,î says Reid. ìSolid Caddgroup took over the account and really saved the day.î
ìThe problem, it turned out, was Meridian had bought the wrong software,î says Paul Forman, Solid Caddgroup cofounder and vice president. ìWe listened to what they needed ñ as well as to what they wanted ñ and set them up with the right application, in this case Actify SpinFire Professional.î Forman chuckles. ìNow they hardly need us at all.î
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