PITBULL
Aerospace
- Mar 19, 2003
- 1
Decisions, decisions what to do? We now have three software packages in our office, the latest being Inventor which was bought as part of a package when Mechanical Desktop 6 was purchased (decision by management). Scheduling of projects, human resources, training and annual leave has now become complicated with the different software packages and different releases of software, we are now forced to re-evaluate the situation. If you have been in this situation I would like to hear from you.
Here follows a short summery of our current situation:
 Our workload is 60% structural (2D&3D) (plant & conveyor structures), 30% sheet metal work (3D) (underground vehicles & chutes) and 10% mechanical work (2D&3D) (shafts & gears).
 Our team consists of three designers and six draughts persons. We also make use of contract draughts persons when the need arises.
 We have 2 x Inventor packages, 2 x Mechanical Desktop 6 packages, 2 x Mechanical Desktop 5 packages and 4 x AutoCAD packages.
Options:
 Upgrade all other software to Inventor. This would mean that a design could be detailed or revised by any of the draughts persons. There would also be a slump in production, as every one would need to go for training. There may be a problem in the availability of contract draughts persons with Inventor knowledge. I also have my doubts weather Inventor is suited for structural work?
 Upgrade all other software to Mechanical Desktop 6. This would mean that we would need to purchases one or two AutoPol packages for the sheet metal work. The slump in production due to training would not be that great, as most of the staff have a good working knowledge of Mechanical Desktop. This would also mean that a design could be detailed or revised by any of the draughts persons.
 Use Inventor for mechanical work (shafts & gears) and sheet metal work (underground vehicles & chutes) and purchase Rebis AutoPlant for the structural work (plant & conveyor structures). This might mean that the Designers and draughts persons would have to specialize in either one or the other software package. There would be slump in production, as every one would need to go for training. Again there may be a problem in the availability of contract draughts persons with Inventor and AutoPlant knowledge. Making use of Rebis AutoPlant & Inventor should speedup designs and the production of working drawings.
Here follows a short summery of our current situation:
 Our workload is 60% structural (2D&3D) (plant & conveyor structures), 30% sheet metal work (3D) (underground vehicles & chutes) and 10% mechanical work (2D&3D) (shafts & gears).
 Our team consists of three designers and six draughts persons. We also make use of contract draughts persons when the need arises.
 We have 2 x Inventor packages, 2 x Mechanical Desktop 6 packages, 2 x Mechanical Desktop 5 packages and 4 x AutoCAD packages.
Options:
 Upgrade all other software to Inventor. This would mean that a design could be detailed or revised by any of the draughts persons. There would also be a slump in production, as every one would need to go for training. There may be a problem in the availability of contract draughts persons with Inventor knowledge. I also have my doubts weather Inventor is suited for structural work?
 Upgrade all other software to Mechanical Desktop 6. This would mean that we would need to purchases one or two AutoPol packages for the sheet metal work. The slump in production due to training would not be that great, as most of the staff have a good working knowledge of Mechanical Desktop. This would also mean that a design could be detailed or revised by any of the draughts persons.
 Use Inventor for mechanical work (shafts & gears) and sheet metal work (underground vehicles & chutes) and purchase Rebis AutoPlant for the structural work (plant & conveyor structures). This might mean that the Designers and draughts persons would have to specialize in either one or the other software package. There would be slump in production, as every one would need to go for training. Again there may be a problem in the availability of contract draughts persons with Inventor and AutoPlant knowledge. Making use of Rebis AutoPlant & Inventor should speedup designs and the production of working drawings.