USER STORIES

IN THE EDM/PDM WORLD :

SNAPPER


Problem
With nearly 1,200 employees and 120 products, Snapper is one of the most enduring and recognizable companies in the lawn-care industry. Snapper installed its first PDM system on an old mainframe back in 1991. At that time, the software was primarily used to manage Engineering Change Orders (ECO) and Bills of Material (BOM).

In 1996, after a major server crash, Snapper decided it was time for massive upgrades to both its hardware and software systems. Snapper management wanted a system that didn't alter existing data management procedures or require extensive training. Moreover, they wanted a reliable, user-friendly PDM system that provided state-of-the-art functionality and capabilities far beyond mere ECO and BOM. Advanced document management functions and CAD tool interfaces for Pro/ENGINEER were also identified as key selection criteria, as was a robust ERP interface.

Solution
Snapper investigated a number of PDM systems before choosing CADIM. Snapper chose CADIM because it could be easily and inexpensively tailored to meet the company's specific needs and it had a user-friendly interface, advanced document management capabilities, powerful ERP interface, and integrations for Pro/ENGINEER and other CAD systems. CADIM also could be implemented quickly and inexpensively.

Snapper implemented the CADIM solution over a period of three months. The first phase, which took two-and-a-half months, included bringing over the company's old PDM data. Phase two required only ten days and involved loading legacy data from the old system, preparing for the integration with the JBA system and further automation of the ECO process. Once complete, the CADIM solution provided Snapper with a seamless transition from their old system, and supplied the company with a more efficient flow of information, improved data access, faster process run-times, shorter product development cycles, and greater data security and integrity.

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Copyright 2000 by John Stark