John Boynton John has worked for EPLAN for 24 years and is our Technical Business Manager. A member of The Institute of Engineering & Technology, and The Engineering Council for over 20 years, John has a wealth of experience and skills ranging from analysing customers' processes in order to identify areas in which could be made more efficient, to project management, consultancy, method counselling and project commissioning. boynton.j@eplan.co.uk John Boynton auf LinkedIn

25/01/23

5 Reasons To Improve Collaboration Between ECAD And MCAD Applications

Author: John Boynton Time to read: minute minutes

Electrical computer-design (ECAD) software and mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD) software play an equally central role in many design engineering applications. To keep up with the increasing complexity of product development in many sectors, it is essential for ECAD and MCAD teams to collaborate effectively. When working productively and managing their responsibilities efficiently, it makes downstream problems easier to identify and resolve earlier on in the process, saving your business time and money.

There is usually room for improvement between ECAD and MCAD functions, even within established teams. As we approach 2023, here are a few reasons to assess where positive changes can be made for better collaboration between your ECAD and MCAD engineers.

1) Defined Areas Of Responsibility

Better collaboration means that roles within a project are clearly delineated and that, therefore, there is no need for mechanical engineers to be doing any electrical work. Your mechanical engineers will have the confidence in the electrical team to complete their design in their preferred native environment, and provide all data in a suitable format that can then be incorporated into the overall design. This saves valuable time, avoids misunderstanding, and prevents resentment between members of each team due to duplicated areas of responsibility.

2) Enhanced Product Quality

By working towards shared goals, ECAD and MCAD teams can ensure that electrical and mechanical components are compatible in function. This level of collaboration helps eliminate inconsistencies between electrical and mechanical aspects which could otherwise lead to costly mistakes and product failures.

3) Reduced Rework Time

Improved interdepartmental collaboration minimises the need for design reworks as data is easily exported from the mechanical system, enriched with electrical elements, and then exported back out again. This enforces a change process which means that changes are identified at the time, rather than missed and have to be rectified later in the process. This leads to reduced time and costs associated with re-engineering the product – as well as a lower risk of production level mistakes.

4) Higher Productivity

Better collaboration always results in higher productivity, as it allows for a more efficient division of labour, fewer miscommunications, and higher output arising from better teamwork. Responsive collaboration also eliminates or reduces redundant activities that might lead to wasted time or resources. This means that ECAD and MCAD teams can significantly reduce the time to market, which from a management point of view, lowers operational overheads and helps achieve project KPIs.

5) Compatible File Types

Compatible file types make it more straightforward for engineers to export and pass versions to the other department and then import revised versions back into their software. This minimises data translation and the mistakes that arise from human error and lost data.

How To Improve Collaboration Between ECAD And MCAD Teams

The best way of improving effective collaboration between your ECAD and MCAD engineers is to allow them to work with the best software for their engineering discipline but also enable smooth data sharing that gives team members project visibility, changes and progress updates.

A specialist electrical design solution, such as EPLAN, contains all the electrical tools that project managers need to help coordinate efficient and cost-effective collaborative projects with the mechanical team. For a first look into the benefits of using EPLAN as your ECAD design tool, why not watch our short 30-minute webcast titled 'Can your CAD do this?'.

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