PROEDIT FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS SERVICES CASE STUDY

© 2013 Dassault SystèmesBusiness and Financial Services Case Study: ProEdit 2

Finding the Right Solution to Update the Technical Manual Design Process Prior to introducing Solidworks Composer, ProEdit created product illustrations in two ways: a client would send over a CAD file as a line drawing, which required time-consuming back-and forth interactions with clients for correct interpretation; or a client would send photographs or prototypes that a ProEdit graphic designer would illustrate to look like a line drawing. This was an expensive process that ultimately prohibited ProEdit from being as competitive as it could be with a more advanced, automated solution.

ProEdit looked at a range of software solutions before selecting Solidworks Composer to advance the production process for technical manuals and assembly instructions. According to ProEdit Marketing Manager Chris Harris, nothing compared to the feature set of Solidworks Composer in terms of flexibility and versatility to future growth. In addition, it was important to the technical writing firm to invest in software backed by the leading 3-D platform company.

Leading Technical Communications Firm Delivers Highest Quality Training and Instructional Manuals with Solidworks ComposerProEdit is one of North America’s largest editing, technical writing and instructional design firms for a reason. The company, built on a customer-first approach, excels at providing the highest quality training and instruction manuals, delivered quickly and with precision. For more than two decades, the Georgia-based service provider has embraced technological advances to develop cutting edge materials in the highly competitive market of technical writing and instructional design.

A diverse customer base, which includes Kids II (a designer of unique infant and toddler products) and BILT by Agassi and Reyes (a workout equipment manufacturer), looks to ProEdit for the rapid production of technical information to match production cycles and meet tight deadlines. Quality instructional writing and illustrations are essential to making sure that consumers install or assemble products correctly. If the technical information enables customers to work with products easily and efficiently, they’re much more likely to be satisfied and return for future purchases.

ProEdit PROFILESince 1992, ProEdit has established itself as one of North America’s largest editing, technical writing and instructional design firms. Among its more than 1,200 diverse clients are IBM, Honda, HP, Nortel, Ericsson, Siemens and Texaco. ProEdit has earned its reputation and achieved success because of its ability to handle any size project with a customer-first mindset and time-tested methodologies.

CHALLENGE • Reduce the time required to produce manuals to meet

tight product launch deadlines.

• Lower the cost to produce manuals by reducing the steps in the process.

• Find a 3-D technical illustration solution with capabilities that meet today’s needs and address the increasing need to deliver instruction and assembly information over the Web.

SOLUTIONIntegrate Solidworks Composer to create content for assembly and instruction manuals.

BENEFITS • The quality of technical manuals has improved while

the production time has been reduced by 15 – 20 percent.

• Updates are completed more easily, enabling ProEdit to pass the cost savings on to its clients.

• The technology has a versatile feature set that supports customers’ future needs, such as online video and HTML instruction.

© 2013 Dassault Systèmes Business and Financial Services Case Study: ProEdit3

Manuals are often started while a product is still in the final stages of development. If a part changes, it’s just a matter of importing the new CAD file and Solidworks Composer automatically updates all relevant illustrations. That’s quite a departure from the former process, which would have required a manual update of all of the instructions and illustrations impacted by the design change.

ProEdit’s technical writers found Solidworks Composer easy to learn, thanks to Solidworks Composer’s videos and tutorials. In fact, the initial users are in the process of training other ProEdit employees how to use the software. According to Harris, one of Solidworks Composer’s most appreciated features is the digger tool, which enables ProEdit users to zoom in, peel away, or section-cut into different areas of a model. This used to be a very manual and costly process. “Now we can create a call-out feature very simply and really customize our clients’ manuals for instruction that improves their customer’s experience,” says Harris.

The Result: Improved Quality, Faster Production Time and Lower Costs for ClientsWhat have been the most important benefits of using Solidworks Composer to produce illustrations for ProEdit clients’ instruction/assembly materials? “The quality of our technical manuals has definitely improved while the production time has gone down, so we can get manuals produced more quickly,” says Harris. Also, updates can be completed more easily, enabling ProEdit to pass the cost savings on to its clients.

Harris estimates that Solidworks Composer has enabled the technical writing team to produce manuals 15 – 20 percent faster than before. “Our team just loves it,” he says. “It’s just a great tool.”

In terms of future applications for Solidworks Composer, ProEdit recognizes a trend toward putting more training and assembly materials on the Web. With Solidworks Composer, the firm will be able to deliver training and assembly materials in video format and HTML, as well as create a Web page directly from the bill of materials. This will reduce the need for customer service calls and provide a better overall customer experience.

To learn more about ProEdit, please visit www.proedit.com.

“The fact that Composer is a SolidWorks product and part of Dassault Systemes meant that we’d be going with something that was leading edge and not just a stand-alone product,” says Harris. “We wanted to work with a company we knew would be around for the long term.”

Solidworks Composer imports all of the most common 3-D file formats and exports in a variety of formats for print and online output. “Solidworks Composer’s ability to not only do everything we need to do now, but also what we’re thinking about doing in the future reinforces the value of our investment in the software,” says Harris.

Solidworks Composer Facilitates the Rapid Production of Manuals with Accurate IllustrationProEdit clients send the technical writing firm 3-D files via FTP in any number of CAD file formats, which are then imported into Solidworks Composer. The software maintains the exact geometry of the model, which prevents ProEdit from being held liable for any changes to the dimensions. The output is exported to Adobe® Illustrator® or InDesign® where text is added and the manual is placed into the final layout.

Call-outs ensure each detail is captured for content-rich technical documentation.

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