ComputerAided_Design_Engineering_amp_Manufactur.pdf

learn to master the new system. An acquisition budget that does not include these “soft” costs can cause
financial problems for an adopter firm that hasn’t anticipated these expenses. Research has found that
the underestimation of training and education expenses is a major reason for failure in CAD systems
implementation. 3
The underestimation of CAD costs has created situations in which the firm was
overextended to the point it could no longer remain competitive; in some instances, the result was the
demise of the business.
A related issue is the extent to which training is offered throughout the firm. It is often critical to train
employees besides those who are involved in design in order for the firm to truly understand and use
the technology to its full potential. Examples of such employees may include CAD supervisors, secretarial
staff, and manufacturing employees. Sometimes a new system may be so radically different from the
existing one that any employee who has the slightest contact with CAD should receive training. A recent
survey of firms using CAD systems showed that 50% of all companies with CAD/CAM training provided
training to a wide range of occupational groups, including all shop-floor staff and managers, materials
management, repair and maintenance, manufacturing engineering, and, of course, design engineering. 29
CAD systems were found to be so different from traditional design methods that workers who did not
receive any CAD training were at a tremendous disadvantage when they came into contact with the
system. Thus, the need for CAD training across many different work groups cannot be underestimated.
It is critical that management accurately assess these needs and calculate the associated training costs
before choosing to adopt a CAD system.
Managers also need to factor training needs into the cost-benefit tradeoff. If the firm considers
adopting a new CAD system that promises relatively modest benefits yet requires a great deal of employee
training, it may be difficult to justify the new system. When the combined expense of the system and the
training provides only incremental gains, managers may be wise to invest the money in more traditional
manual methods. 36,42 On the other hand, firms experiencing market pressures such as changes in government
or industrial standards, or customer demand for one-off products might need the system (and
the associated training program) for survival. Thus, in such instances, the cost-benefit tradeoff is moot.
Small firms provide special cases for each of the issues raised above. Because of the limited resource
availability in smaller companies, the issues often represent tighter constraints than those placed upon
larger companies. For example, smaller firms frequently do not have the slack resources to provide a
“buffer” for employees to learn the new technologies. As a result, the loss of productivity and the required
training period that frequently accompany switching to a new technology create a loss of revenue that
small firms may find difficult to overcome. 16,29,42 Small firms are also hurt by the high price of CAD
equipment, which may consume a significant portion of their available funds, and limit their ability to
develop an appropriate training program. These problems would seem to imply that the size of the firm
determines of successful CAD use and should be considered in the pre-adoption decision. However, there
are multitudes of small firms that have successfully implemented CAD systems and are doing very well
financially.
Implementation Issues
Implementation issues are those confronted by the firm after it is already committed to the new technology.
The main concern of training issues associated with the implementation process is how to most efficiently
and effectively develop the workforce so that the system achieves its maximum potential. Some of the training
issues associated with implementation are similar to the pre-adoption issues discussed above, while many
issues are completely different. In the implementation phase, training issues involve not only the financial
cost implied by a particular training strategy but also consideration of the effectiveness of the training
methods, the development of desired skill sets, and the extent to which the value of design work has been
enhanced through de-skilling. The training strategy involves a pattern of decisions regarding: (1) identity of
the workers to be trained; (2) extent to which management will be trained; (3) location of the training
sessions; (4) selection of the trainer; (5) timing of the training relative to installation; and (6) training methods
employed. The issues inherent in a training strategy are discussed below.