Much has been said in recent years about the continuing loss of UK manufacturing jobs to lower-cost economies.  Yet this is neither an inevitable, nor irreversible, downward spiral.

There is evidence to suggest, for example, that in many areas of engineering the situation has stabilised.  It has become clear that, though in terms of direct cost-per-unit other parts of the world will continue to have an advantage over the UK, the picture is much less clear-cut as regards overall competitiveness.

Where manufacturing has been outsourced, it has frequently proved necessary to put UK management 'on the ground' to manage and control consistency and quality of output.  And, even in those cases where production has moved overseas, design has often remained in-house as companies - both UK- and foreign-owned - have recognised the strength of this country's historic skills and knowledge base.

The torch has to be passed on however and it is essential that those companies with long-serving, highly experienced designers continue to encourage graduates and apprentices into engineering design to maintain this advantage. 

Forward-thinking companies with a solid reputation for developing quality products seem to be able to attract the right kind of new talent.  The key is to recognise the strategic importance of design within the business and reward it accordingly, to meet the career aspirations of young graduates looking at a choice of possible careers.

By contrast, companies that look at design purely as an overhead will fail to secure the skills necessary to deliver competitive, cutting-edge design longer-term.

Reduced time to market

An over-used term perhaps, but there is no doubt that it in this area of 'added-value' - helping companies compete effectively with lower-cost producers - that the channel can provide essential support.

For example, it is almost a truism that companies typically use only a fraction of the functionality of their IT systems.  This is no different in the arena of manufacturing design software.  Resellers with a thorough understanding of the customers' markets and needs thus have a key role in helping to educate and train end-users to get the most from today's highly sophisticated software and - not least - see a real return for their investment.

This does not necessarily require step-change improvement, however, it may be that using just five per cent more of the software's functionality will provide the edge needed.

In response, at Trionics we undertake regular process reviews with both customers and prospects, with the twin goals of highlighting areas of potential process improvement and keeping them up-to-date with the latest design technologies.

Underlying all this is a common driver to improving competitiveness through better mechanical design: reducing time to market.  This is best achieved by using the software's integration and data management capability to deliver the benefits of design to the broader business, from production to purchasing, finance to sales and marketing.

Many marketers, for example, do not get visibility of the product until the final prototype.  Yet it is now possible to see an accurate 3D model of the finished product much earlier in the process - a valuable aid to the development of timely sales and marketing campaigns.

For many businesses, a 3D design approach is likely to be the most beneficial in delivering competitive edge.  Yet equally, for others a mixed 2D and 3D environment will provide the best results.  Whatever the design tools used, the key is to make the best use of them and integrate them within the broader business.

At the same time, professional support combined with an understanding of how these tools are best used in each industry gives the end-user confidence that investment in such solutions offers a greater likelihood of achieving a realistic return.

Two-way dialogue

Nothing stands still of course and it is essential for software developers to be kept similarly up-to-date with evolving user needs to maintain their own competitive edge.  Here too, the channel plays a critical role in feeding back changes in the marketplace.

To achieve this, at Trionics we have in place on-going formal and informal links to ensure that Autodesk is kept abreast of the pressures and requirements of customers.  The key here is to provide an effective filter into the development process, by assessing and feeding through only those issues and opportunities that have broader applicability.

One of the most effective ways in which the channel can help clients get the best use from their design software investment - and at the same time encourage dialogue between end-user and manufacturer - is to provide a common forum for education, training and debate.

At Trionics, for example, our recent fifth annual User Conference proved to be the most successful yet, with more than 100 customers and prospects attending the event.  Attendees heard presentations from senior Autodesk business and technical staff, together with break-out sessions providing the opportunity to explore in more detail the benefits of the latest Manufacturing Solutions Division software.

Equally importantly, two very different Trionics customers presented their experiences of how the Autodesk solutions support them in the workplace and we provided maximum opportunity throughout for delegates to network.

A survey undertaken at the close of the conference showed that this balanced approach was exactly what customers wanted, with 82 per cent citing 'improved technical understanding' as one of the top two reasons for attending, followed by 51 per cent who wanted to learn the 'tricks and tips' of getting the most from their Autodesk investment. 

Perhaps the benefits were best summed up by Chris Prescott of Model-Tech Design who said: "This enthusing event is now part of my yearly diary...it's good to meet like-minded people with a passion for what they do." 

Role models

In working with end-users to improve their competitiveness, there are many examples of best practice highlighting how channel partners can help manufacturing and engineering companies make best use of their design software investment. 

And it is not just major international businesses with large budgets and design teams who lead the way here.  For example, access equipment provider, Planet Platforms shows how providing a quality product, rather than size, is the key to establishing a successful business with such major customers as Amoco, Virgin Atlantic and Eurostar.

Four years ago, the company recognised that it needed to take a step forward in using CAD technology if it was to stay ahead in creating leading-edge products for its prestigious customer base. 

"Some 95 per cent of our work is geared to producing bespoke solutions for engineering and manufacturing clients," confirms CAD department manager, Carl Geldard, "and 3D modelling was clearly the way ahead in providing a high quality, responsive design-and-build service."

Planet Platforms was already working with Trionics in using Autodesk Mechanical Desktop and was convinced that a move to Autodesk Inventor would provide the step-change required. 

A recent project for Land Rover and Jaguar typifies the value of the pragmatic partnership approach adopted by Planet Platforms and Trionics.  Under recent Work at Height Regulations 2005 staff needed access to the vehicle cabins as part of the rigorous component testing procedures.  However, the ability to undertake a site survey to take suitable measurements for a new safety rig was rendered all but impossible, due to the welter of technical equipment around the vehicle, including hoses, hydraulic rams and wire harnesses.

"The only way to tackle the problem was for us to import a CAD model of the cell supplied by Land Rover into Planet Platforms' own system.  Using Inventor, it was then able to design suitable access equipment which could be adapted for the wide range of vehicles using the test rig, something which simply would not have been possible previously." 

Work on this project started in November 2005 and is now fully operational.  For Geldard, the support provided by Trionics has proved "invaluable" in getting the best from Planet Platforms' Inventor investment, in particular with the introduction of a second seat in 2005.  "Trionics assessed our existing network, equipment and office space and recommended the quickest and most cost-effective solution, utilising a spare file server," he says.  "As a result, we were up and running with the second seat in less than one week.

"At the same time, we experienced a hard drive failure on my own CAD machine.  Under our support contract, Trionics immediately loaned us another machine and total time lost was less than six hours.  Such speedy, personalised and highly pragmatic service has typified our relationship with Trionics since day one. 

Previously, Planet Platforms' design office was able to complete 0.9 projects per day: today, by contrast, this has more than doubled, to 2.2 projects.  "Most importantly, however, Trionics continues to show us, in plain English, how Inventor can help us bring better products to market faster - which in turn improves the quality and competitiveness of our customers' output," concludes Geldard.

For nearly thirty years, Planet Platforms has been at the forefront of access equipment development and today is one of the UK's top manufacturers of fixed and portable access stagings and hydraulic access platforms.  In providing safe environments for employees to work, installations range from small step and podium installations to an offshore oilrig platform for Amoco, a 100-foot mobile telescopic boom for Virgin Atlantic and train-cleaning staging built specifically for Eurostar.

Looking ahead

The viability of the channel longer-term is very much in its own hands.  There is a limited future for those relationships where subscription contracts offer little more than once-a-year software updates.

Yet for those resellers who establish proactive partnerships up and down the mechanical design supply chain, they will continue to provide an essential role in helping UK engineering and manufacturing industry to successfully face the challenge of global competition.