Years ago, multiple product development tools may have been a requirement to bring a product to market. Today with Autodesk Fusion 360, that’s no longer the case. Learn why standardizing your team on one product development tool gives you a competitive advantage in today’s ever-changing market.

You know what they say, teamwork makes the dream work. Corny, we know, but it’s an iconic saying for a reason. Teamwork, however, is only possible if each teammate is on the same page. And when it comes to design and engineering teams, seamlessly working together in the digital age isn’t always as easy as it sounds. 

The situation we’re talking about is all too familiar — you might have even dealt with something similar yourself. Say you’re a designer working on a coffee machine. You need to send your electronics engineer your 3D model so they can add their PCB design. But they work on a completely different tool. They have to export your design, import it to their own tool, then export it to send back to you.

But wait! You made a last-minute change to your design — now you need to go through that same process all over again. Not to mention you eventually have to send the design off to your contract manufacturer, who uses a different software, or to your shop floor to build your prototype, which may be on a different version.

Sounds like a headache, right? When designing the next best coffee machine, industrial robot, medical device — whatever your team is working on — the last thing you should be worried about is managing 10 different tools that don’t speak to each other. 

Benefits of One Product Development Tool

Autodesk Fusion 360 is the first and only software on the market that fully integrates CAD, CAM, CAE, and PCB tools, meaning regardless of discipline, teammates can work together in the same place and at the same time. Let’s explore the benefits of standardizing your team on a single product development tool: 

Real-time collaboration

Let’s be real — last-minute changes happen during product development. And they happen often. Fusion 360 enables real-time collaboration and revisioning, so you can forget about the scenario we outlined earlier.

One file, zero headaches

It’s time to leave lost files, over-crowded desktops, and wasted time behind. Everyone working on the same file via the same tool means there’s no more back-and-forth file sharing or data lost in translation because tools don’t speak to each other.

Fewer errors, less rework

There’s no doubt a single tool promotes consistent workflows across the team. It’s easy to establish a common set of processes and methodologies for product development and ensure everyone follows the same best practices.

Knowledge sharing and training, the easy way

When teams use one tool, knowledge sharing and training become much easier. Existing team members can share their skills and expertise for smoother new employee onboarding. Better yet, when it comes to troubleshooting a problem, you have a pool of experts who understand all facets of the software.

Clear costs for a happy budget

One tool for the whole team means one budget line item. Fusion 360 has a clear, affordable pricing structure, meaning even the accounting team would appreciate the switch. 

Smarter Design & Manufacturing Starts With One Product Development Tool

“With Fusion 360, we can execute several different functions within one package, and that has been the most important thing for us. We don’t have to use Rhino for sculpting or SolidWorks for mechanical design. We can do that with the same software and actually, all work on the same file at the same time. It’s a huge benefit.”

— Carl Budd, Engineering Manager, Moose Toys

Why set your team up for failure with multiple tools? Standardizing your team on one product development tool provides a cohesive and efficient environment for collaboration, communication, and streamlined processes. The result is improved productivity and better outcomes throughout the entire product development lifecycle.

Get your team on the same page and start doing what your competition isn’t doing today with Autodesk Fusion 360.