Efficient Drawing Retrieval: Unlocking Rapid Search Capabilities for Improved Productivity

Drawing Search Time Impeding Productivity

Sugino Machine is an industrial machine manufacturer that develops, designs, produces, and sells devices and technologies such as ultra-high-pressure water jet cutters, parts cleaners, and small machining centers. Carrying forward the founding ethos of ‘think, create, and serve for oneself,’ they have been steadfast in technological advancement for over 80 years, pioneering six super-technologies: cutting, carving, washing, polishing, crushing, and untangling. Their contributions have propelled diverse global industries, earning widespread acclaim.

 

At Sugino Machine, a lot of design work goes into customizing standard products according to customer needs. When designing, they made every effort to search for and leverage past drawings of identical or similar components. Creating a new drawing not only increases design hours but also involves additional time for drawing registration and processing method consideration, ultimately inflating costs. Even for new development projects, existing drawings were employed as is when available, and if a similar design existed, it served as a reference point. The procurement department also advanced its operations by searching for past drawing data and checking procurement records, recognizing the critical importance of optimal purchase quantities, prices, and timing.

 

However, because drawings were managed in PDF or on paper, the only methods for retrieval relied on individual’s memory or inference from drawing names. Thus, a considerable amount of time was expended on searching for past records. Although a drawing management system was in place, its scope was limited to managing version control and understanding the interconnections between parts in different drawings. This system did not facilitate searches for parts with similar shapes or based on text within the drawings, making it challenging to locate analogous past drawings. The time that should have been dedicated to primary tasks was instead consumed by the prolonged drawing retrieval process.

The Crucial Role of Robust Customer Success Support in Implementation

Sugino Machine, faced with the challenge of low searchability of drawing data, discovered the “CADDi Drawer” cloud system for drawing data utilization. Upon realizing that its implementation would enable the swift retrieval of tens to hundreds of thousands of past drawings via keyword, part number, and image-based searches in just about 2 seconds, they began to explore its potential for enhancing drawing search efficiency and reducing labor hours. Subsequently, they made the decision to adopt the system.

 

Mr. Noda from the Precision Equipment Business Division talked about the background of the introduction as follows:

 

“The decision to introduce and start operations was swift. The speedy support from the customer success team was great. They visited frequently, conducted hearings, and gave lectures. Whenever there was something unclear, they quickly provided answers. When we put forward our requirements, they often fulfilled them in a relatively short period. The most challenging part of starting something new is its adoption. This rapid response was a significant factor in our decision to adopt.”

 

Three weeks after the introduction and start of operations at Sugino Machine, registration of tens of thousands of drawings was completed, and similar drawings could be searched and viewed immediately. With features like multi-condition searches, the accuracy of drawing searches has also improved. Following its implementation, there were instances where they experienced a notable reduction of approximately 50% in working hours compared to the previous workflow.

 

Mr. Ogami from the Precision Equipment Business Division spoke about the effects and expectations after the introduction:

 

“To implement a system successfully, comprehension is paramount. People often exhibit a status quo bias, and even if a system is highly effective, resistance may arise when it’s imposed. I anticipate tangible improvements in terms of both working hours and costs moving forward. While awareness-raising efforts are essential, it becomes particularly compelling when a department’s recent success is partly attributed to the adoption of ‘CADDi Drawer’.”