SDMC America Technology, Inc designs, manufactures, and sells material handling equipment to handle non-free flowable material, such as solid waste, bio-solids or organic waste. These are materials most don’t want to think about, let alone be responsible for their disposal. “We deal with a lot of organic waste that’s stinky and difficult to move,” says Jerry Yu, CEO of SCMCATI. “Our customers are waste water treatment plants, public works, or waste treatment centers.”
Jerry required a solution that allowed him the freedom to bend and unbend CAD files, but not necessarily all the other bells and whistles that more expensive CAD software packages offer. SDMCATI was looking for speed and clarity in communications with consultants and customers, ensuring that everyone is on the same page before moving forward with an expensive build. He needed all of this at a price point that made sense for SDMCATI.
“I’ve used CAD software since 2000, so maybe 20 years. Before, I was in China, so we used 2D CAD and sometimes Solidworks. At SDMC we were looking for 3D software for the company because AUTOCAD is two dimensions. We are mostly using it for promoting, marketing, or our consultants. They don’t necessarily need manufactured drawing.
“Before, I tried to use a few low-cost solutions, these were at a $90 price point, but I found that they didn’t have the right functionality for me or my team. Then I found Alibre. It makes assemblies, has the same functions as standard 3D software, and it’s affordable. On top of that, it came with CAM and the animation function. That’s how we started.
“We’re outsourcing machining, so for me, I’m looking for software I can use to make 3D models and show them for promotion. Not only does it help to convey the general concept as to what the system looks like, it’s more detailed. There’s no need for something like SOLIDWORKS, because Alibre lets customers see what exactly it is. We just use it every day!”
Alibre helps Jerry communicate efficiently to his customers and consultants, ensuring that these long-term projects are done right and to exact detail.
“When we sell we try to go for the long run. Our kind of projects need 5-6 years of runway, so these companies need to have good drawings with detail. So, we need to supply them with the right materials. From our initial engagement, we give customers brochures and various pomotional materials with all the drawings are made in Alibre. All our 3D models that we use to show our system to Engineers and Consultants are made in Alibre, as well as our technical documents. Also, the number of file extensions it can handle is very helpful.
“We really needed sheet metal design and even material handling, and Alibre Design is great for these processes. We make complex systems and there are a lot of connections, and the tools in Alibre sheet metal help a lot. It makes things so fast.”
SDMCATI’s need for quick turnaround and efficiency in design is met by Alibre Design’s ease-of-use and features, “The best part of Alibre is how it makes things fast. Our process takes a lot less time now, and from our POV; Alibre is just the fastest way for us to get what we need.”
When it came down to it, Jerry wanted to own his 3D CAD solution outright, without being encumbered by the cloud or recurring subscription costs, “From my perspective, I prefer 100% to own the software vs. a subscription model. I would rather pay a little up front as opposed to monthly, and I prefer to keep my files on my hard drive as opposed to the cloud.”
