Arena PLM

Why Linking CAD & ERP Hurts

It may seem directly linking the design and manufacturing BOM is an effortless decision, but doing so causes a multitude of restrictions.   By linking CAD and ERP, it becomes necessary to include information that the ERP requires despite the fact that it can be irrelevant and unnecessary to the CAD design.  Because this information may be unnecessary, the data may not exist in these models.  The entire process must then be modified in order to prepare the models before the company can even begin to benefit.  Other restrictions that result from “linking” are:

  1. Linking your CAD with your ERP creates a fundamental fallacy that assumes your CAD BOM and your ERP BOM are the same things which is far from the truth. While the CAD BOM includes a list of assemblies, components, and geometry, the ERP BOM offers additional information such as routing times, run times, product codes, and a multitude of relative manufacturing data.  

  2. Linking forces changes to the entire design process. This wastes time and resources by making the implementation take longer which results in inefficiency and a postponement of the benefits.

  3. Linking doesn’t add any value to the integration because it simply just copies the data from one side to the other.  Industry 4.0 and an effective digital transformation requires integration solutions to provide more value than copying data. Integration solutions need to be intelligent and provide AI enhancement to the data and aid truly helps companies transform engineering intent into manufacturing execution which is something linking cannot provide.

STOP Linking- START Talking

Engineer-to-order manufacturing companies are one of the various companies where CAD-ERP integration is critical to effective production. ERP and Engineering BOMs are among the many types of BOMs that companies have to create and keep up with. While working together, the major differences between the two are in their structure and depth. The Engineering BOM is a type of BOM that contains the list of items, parts, elements, and assemblies in the product that is designed by engineers. ERP BOM, however, is a derivative from the Engineering BOM; as a result of this, a transformation from one side to the other is essential to the process. Aiding in this, CADTALK effortlessly takes the CAD data and integrates it into your ERP all while giving full functionality of its suite of tools; this allows for an immediate and overall improvement without engineers having to face a process change. Manufacturers are able to effectively plan, manage, and control production making this technology directly lead to success for manufacturing companies.

Your Time IS Valuable

Whether you’re starting by “talking” or you’re making the switch from “linking” to “talking, your time is valuable. By leveraging artificial intelligence to get your CAD/PLM/PDM data “talking” to your ERP, CADTALK places your time and success above all else. Because of this, opposed to weeks, months, and years, you can implement your integration in just a few short hours. Unlike “linking”, CADTALK doesn’t force you to add a bunch of extra data to your models; instead, it has the ability to leverage the data you already have to help derive the MBOM. Your time and resources are valuable so you shouldn’t have to go through the pain of turning your design process on its head to get it implemented, and by “talking”, you won’t have to.

Choose to TALK

Once CAD and ERP are talking, the depth of integration is boundless.  Enabling the CAD and ERP to communicate with one another allows for an effective and flexible integration; one which places data in the software it belongs to.  This avoids unnecessary and troublesome duplication and lets design engineers and operations management on their part.  Rather than limiting oneself to the strenuous, inflexible binding that linking creates, solve challenging problems with vigor and ease by choosing to talk.

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