What’s Your CAD License Costing Your Business?

Here are the highlights.

360 View of CAD License Costs

In a business, CAD software isn’t just plug-and-play – it has to connect with the rest of the tech stack, e.g. PDM (product data management) systems, PLM (product lifecycle management) systems, servers, VPNs, and hardware compatibilities.

When it came time to renew the CAD license subscription, Velasquez made sure he understood what it would cost the keep the same on-premise software, which had a separate and difficult-to-manage PDM system, hardware requirements, and software updates that would halt design work.

“Those all are costs your engineering team might not see,” Velasquez says, “But, ultimately, your business is going to absorb it in one way or another.”

The Need for CAD Software Stability 

Beyond the hidden costs of on-premise CAD, another problem kept creeping up – crashes. The existing CAD software couldn’t handle the tech stack environment, Velasquez said. Each time a security update would be implemented, engineers would complain of more frequent CAD crashes. 

Rethinking Traditional PDM Solutions

Many of business systems are still based on the old ways of doing things. Even with the implementation of new technology, many product workflows still move through traditional steps, like checking-in and checking-out design files. 

But with cloud computing, is it time to evolve?

Time to Evolve Your Tech Stack

When it came time to share design data with third parties like suppliers and manufacturers, checking-in and checking-out wasn’t cutting it for Dexcom. Velasquez discusses some solutions his team explored and how they were unsuccessful with an on-premise CAD license.

Answering the Mac Question

Another facet Velasquez considered is that the Dexcom team used a variety of hardware devices. Many light CAD users relied on an Apple Mac, but weren’t able to access product data easily because of software limitations. This was another catalyst to look into other CAD licensing options.

The Executive Summary

Velasquez shares some tips on how to communicate with leadership why and how to transition to another CAD software. Think of the problem and offer solutions with clear goals. 

Presenting Onshape as a Solution

To “sell” Onshape to the rest of the team, Velasquez outlined the company goals and paired them with the unique tools and capabilities a cloud-native CAD solution can offer. Some of the most important solutions for Dexcom were related to collaboration, data management, and IT administration.

Making it an Easy Decision for Leadership

Along with a business case and an outline of valuable tools, Velasquez recommends creating a decision matrix to make it easier for leadership to make a decision on CAD licenses. Don’t focus on pitting similar features against each other, as recommended in our Dos and Don’ts of Comparing CAD Systems blog.

But for now, take a look at Onshape’s pricing to see what plan works best for you and your team.