The Automotive Industry's current methods of sharing product design information generates waste by requiring suppliers to adopt unique product design systems, data formats and information standards for each OEM as the OEM(s) require product designs to be completed in their specified format. Suppliers, especially at the tier one level, must convert information to a usable format for their internal and/or downstream suppliers' operations while operating multiple independent, internal design environments to accommodate each customer's specific digital requirements.
Design records and specifications that are integral components of part prints are not adequately packaged with the master math data. Customers experience risk that their intended design, including design data and design notes, is not accurately translated by the supplier, causing product quality issues either in the field or during assembly. Additionally, customers experience increased design costs and/or slower timing due to the dedicated resources required to handle their unique design and data requirements and operating systems. These scenarios add costs, complexity, delay and potentially diminished product quality while increasing the risk of error due to additional data translations and/or multiple customer specific operating systems.