3DMojo

Many times I am asked to explain how 3DVIA Composer "integrates" into a PDM or PLM system. While this is a perfectly valid question, what I find interesting is that this question is often asked before anyone even begins to use the software, and sometimes it is even asked as a pre-requisite or must-have before further consideration of the product.

I find this line of thought to be extremely backwards. Asking to see the integration before seeing the content creation system is like putting the cart before the horse. And unlike the chicken or egg debate, the answer to this question is obvious: content creation must always come before content management. It makes no sense to create a complex and powerful content management solution, and then not have an effective way to create content to add to that system. It's like buying a PDM system before you have CAD software and CAD data to manage.

Additionally, it makes no sense to implement a content management system but then put in place an inferior content creation system. Without great content, what are you managing? While we could spend all day discussing the pros and cons of a single vendor solution versus a best-in-class composition of products, one thing is certain: a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Take Arbortext and Isodraw, for example: a single vendor solution, for documentation content management and publishing (Arbortext) and for technical illustration creation (Isodraw). Whether or not Arbortext is great at managing and publishing content, all of its potential benefits are lost by Isodraw's inferior ability to quickly create and update content from 3D CAD data. Being inefficient, outdated, and neither easy nor fun to use, the content creation tool is the weakest link.

Content management systems all have their nuances, but as it relates to workflow and vaulting, they all offer very similar benefits. In this context, content creation is king, and our customers keep telling us that 3DVIA Composer is the king of kings. And once they have maximized the initial benefits from a desktop-oriented (i.e.: non-integrated) implementation, they also tell us that 3DVIA Composer is exceptionally easy to integrate into their systems. And their logic is clear: begin by implementing an outstanding system at the desktop and make your users exceptionally happy and productive without a massive process disruption. Then integrate from the desktop back into the servers, based on how the users want to work.

Imagine that: a system that the users like and one that makes IT people happy by offering a natural, phased progression of capabilities that doesn't need to be force-fit into the environment. Now that's like having the chicken and the egg at the same time.

Many people are familiar with this illusion of the "old lady, young lady" image. This old/new paradigm seems to be all the rage lately. On American television, we witness countless new reality shows featuring celebrities from the 80s and 90s, desperately trying to find new fame. While sometimes entertaining, there is also an embarrassing undertone to the shows, like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

It's very similar to how PTC is reviving old Itedo Isodraw references and massaging them into wonderfully new Abortext Isodraw references. These retreads from the past, pure 2D technical illustration references, are being re-framed and re-branded as great new references that are fully leveraging 3D in new and innovative ways. While these references are sometimes entertaining, they are also incredibly misleading -- they are still "old ladies".

3DVIA Composer is faster, easier to use, and far more flexible than anything else on the market, and we continue to prove that in benchmark after benchmark. Don't be fooled the next time you hear some propaganda from the competition, and be sure to put them to the test. It is the new architecture of 3DVIA Composer that is the only "young lady" in the picture.

You've heard us rant about the exceptional qualities of 3DVIA Composer, and how we make better reuse of CAD data than other competitive products such as Isodraw. I've shown 3DVIA Composer to people hundreds of times, and I never grow tired of the look of amazement on peoples' faces when they see what we can do. But what really amazes me is how quickly our customers can go from purchasing our product to being productive and generating positive returns: it's a tribute to our architecture and ease of use.

It's why we win benchmark after benchmark, why customers continually choose 3DVIA Composer over other products, and why customers actually turn off those products in favor of 3DVIA Composer.

But don't take it from me... take it directly from one of our newest customers, Miller Formless. When I heard that they recently purchased 3DVIA Composer to replace Isodraw, I wanted to learn more. This mid-week Podcast is the unedited conversation I had with their VP of Manufacturing and Engineering, Jim Szamlewski. This call was not rehearsed; I had no idea what Jim would say about 3DVIA Composer. My initial plan was to pull some sound bites and quotes from the call, but there are so many good points made by Jim -- and in the interests of bringing you truly authentic content -- here is the full 9 minutes of audio. [Editor's note in the interests of full disclosure: there are 3 edits to clean up audio not related to this particular conversation]

What may surprise you most about this conversation is the enthusiam of the customer only 2 weeks after installing the software, and how the users actually enjoy using it. Imagine your employees using a product that makes them exceptionally efficient, and one that they actually like to use: what would that do for your productivity?

Not only are we faster, easier to use, and more flexible, but our users are passionate about our product. Talk about the ultimate knock out punch to the competition.

 

 Podcast Video [9:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (696)

 

 Online Video [9:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (256)

In any video program -- podcast or network television -- there's occasionally a "can't miss" episode. Number 57 -- this episode -- is one of those must see episodes.

In just about five minutes, this episode really puts it all together for you. Watch it over and over again to see the subtleties of what is going on and you'll get the full understanding of what we mean by product information everyware.

In just a few minutes, Jonathan Riondet shows content creation, creating several deliverables so easily that it looks like one smooth motion. Then he shows how those deliverables can be automatically updated when the underlying product definition changes, such as when the CAD information changes. Of course, this data can be managed by a PLM system. And remember, we mean any 3D CAD data managed by any PLM system.

In less than five minutes, you see how the 3DVIA Composer system can work with any CAD and/or PLM system to completely free the production of product deliverables from the problems of late changes in the design process. It's what 3DVIA Composer is all about.

Note to subscribers: this is my last post as the editor of 3DMojo. I want to thank our thousands of readers and subscribers who have made this one of the more popular blogs in the product development world. I know my RSS aggregator will be looking for the next update to this blog, and I hope you will continue to participate as well in the ongoing community that has formed around 3DVIA Composer.

 

 3DVIA your iPod #57: "Using 3DVIA Composer Sync to automatically update product deliverables" [5:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (676)

 

 3DVIA your iPod #57: "Using 3DVIA Composer Sync to automatically update product deliverables": Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (404)

I expect that everyone has heard of Takeru Kobayashi, a Japanese competitive eater who until 2007 had won six consecutive hot-dog eating contests.

I mention Kobayashi (even though he has been dethroned by Joey "Jaws" Chestnut in the Nathan's contest) because the image of people just wildly stuffing their faces popped into my head as I read Mark Kiker's post on the caddmanager.com blog about CAD training, free food and the rules for making sure the people who come to a lunch-and-learn really are going to be there to learn.

Never one to pass up a good meal for free, even when I can't make heads or tails of the content, I kinda, sorta sympathize with Mark's plight.

On the other hand, the real cure is simple: make sure the training is something people care about.

If I got a training invite for, say, IsoDraw or unraveling a feature history, the only thoughts in my head would be "turkey or roast beef?" "Wrap or pasta salad?" That's because those technical topics would be less relevant to me than the cookies and the desert tray.

OTOH (and you can see this coming a mile away, right?) if the training were to help me make my own product deliverables directly from CAD data, and the training was geared to me, a non-engineering, non-CAD user, well, that's a different story.

I'd still try to stuff 59.5 cookies into my mouth in 12 minutes, but I'd be sitting in the first row, with every brain cell that wasn't involved in chewing focused on the training.

So, Mark, it's about the content. And about making content-creators feel useful. The food is just intellectual lubricant.