How CAD integration helps improve data quality

How well and how efficiently a business works depends largely on the quality of the available data. In discrete manufacturing, the biggest factor is clean CAD data. Only when this data is available can your production operations run smoothly.

Let’s start by taking a look at the numbers. Based on experience, we know that in order for your ERP system to optimally support your company, at least the following requirements need to be met:

• At least 90 percent of all inventories should be logged correctly.
• At least 90 percent of all work instructions and operations should be described precisely.
• At least 98 percent of the parts lists should be accurate.
• At least 99 percent of the article master data should be documented in full detail.

The first step to improving master data quality is the integration of CAD/PDM and the ERP system using an intelligent interface. This prevents unverified article and parts list data from entering the ERP software.

Without an interface, all data has to be copied from the CAD system into the ERP system manually. This results in a much higher rate of errors and poorer data quality.

It also takes more time. Manual data entry takes a design engineer three to four hours per document. When the same process is automated using modern technology, it barely takes two minutes.

On top of that, a test function checks for errors and inconsistencies. So the design engineer is obligated to clean the data up before saving it. Critical errors are identified right away, and the design engineer is able to correct them in good time. Compared to conventional interfaces via transfer tables or file transfers, direct integration improves data quality and speeds up data input.

The cad connector connects the CAD world to the ERP world. Its primary functions include:

• Integration of 20 different CAD, PDM and PLM systems
• Data synchronization in real time
• Direct integration in Microsoft Dynamics NAV
• Provides a visual display of detected faults

Intelligent integration between ERP and CAD improves the flow of information, reduces the risk of errors and speeds up processing times in all the departments involved. It helps optimize processes and provides much greater security.