Jason Sandefur

Nearly half of CAD downloads yield sales, according to a user survey by industrial machine components and assembly hardware supplier J.W. Winco Inc.
Winco and Catalog Data Solutions, a provider of online 3D-CAD downloads and catalogs, conducted the survey of designers. Winco CEO John Winkler reported the company has averaged more than 850 downloads monthly from its 18,000 CAD model library since going online in early 2006.
Designers responded that nearly half of downloaded 3D-CAD models result in at least one order for that part.
More than 95% of designers report saving an average of more than 30 minutes per model in design time. A total of 94% reported the downloads help ensure accuracy and minimize CAD errors. The survey also show 82% of designers find the models get designs to the market faster, 75% think the downloads are important in selection of suppliers, and 40% will search for an equivalent part from another vendor if the first doesn”t offer 3D-CAD downloads.
One survey participant responded that as the designer, “I dictate where the parts are purchased from. If you have the CAD model I want, you get the sale.” Web: jwwinco.com \ �2007 FastenerNews.com