PSI is a multi-discipline design and fabrication firm that provides mainly skid mounted turnkey ready packages to numerous industries. Their products are commonly utilized in oil and gas production, but are not limited to those arenas.

Click Here to read more about how PSI can complete large projects with specific requirements.

If you'd like to know more about making your workflow more efficient, contact us at D3.

What can an 'Easy Button' do for you? Here is the next in a series of tasks that we have completed for clients to streamline their workflows.

PROJECT GOALS
The overriding goal was to automate the signing of drawings to reduce the delay in outputs. Company was doing 20-25 a day but they would set on someone's desk for several more days. Once released, they also wanted the engineering stamp applied and the release state updated.

• Capture complete set of project drawings
- Automatically apply the digital signature to each DWG
- Hold complete set in queue ready for Release State

- Once drawings are formally approved and ready to be released
- Each DWG has the electronic seal applied and the state in the Vault was set to Released

SUMMARY
What used to take days with many manual touches now happened in a few minutes with the click of a button at two intervals. Two seemingly simple tasks would create a bottleneck that far exceeded their need.

D3 Technologies embraces a very simple but structured approach to help companies evaluate where they are and where they need to be. We then craft a solution path that allows you to incrementally tap into the benefits to be had. Let us know if you are looking at process improvements and have an interest to invite a partner in to help provide a 3rd party perspective. Take the opportunity to pick our brains on what is working best for others facing similar challenges.

Contact Us if you would like more information.

Recently, we partnered with Accuer to bring their product (Relay) to our clients. It consists of a very powerful communication tool (a dashboard) and is backed up by a methodology that is breathing new life into the hopes of what is possible for reducing cycle times. Specifically, it is turning the traditional approach to cycle times UPSIDE-down and causing many to rethink what they held to be true. Not surprisingly, your current beliefs are your biggest obstacle for this to work for you.

In this series I want to walk you through a few of the concepts that challenge the traditional approach. We will start by telling you what this is not, then cover the series agenda and then dive into the individual topics. I will try to cover a few topics per newsletter, so as to not string it out too long. Feel free to message us if you want to drill into it one-on-one and share this with those on your product development teams.

What it is not:

• It is not a new product development process - our methodology and tools can work within your defined process, if it exist already.
• The principals are very simple and straight forward...even I get it
• The software tools are a simple deployment.

Agenda:
Series 1: Economics: Cost of Delay, Project Objective Sensitivities (scope, schedule, budget), Tradeoff Decisions
Series 2: Phased Requirements: Queues and Batches, Must Should Could, (Economic Tradeoff Decisions)
Series 3: Risk: Information Theory, Early Learning, Variability
Series 4: Architecture: Impact Chain, Risk Isolation
Series 5: Capacity Utilization: Efficiency, WIP, Manage Demand, Flexible Resources
Series 6: Critical Chain: 50/50 Estimates, Buffers, Multitasking, Student Syndrome, Parkinson's Law
Series 7: Daily Meetings and Project Boards: Prioritize and Pull, Decentralized Decision Making, Fast Feedback, (Small Batches, WIP, Capacity Utilization)

Series 1:
Economics: I could start by digging into a lot of things, but let's start at the core; how would you describe your use of economics in your decision making process? Sure you have overhead cost against your resources, but what about the other costs?

It is very important to understand the value of factors going into the decision making process. One key strategy is to standardize how you measure information, as in its impact on Life Cycle Profit. Once you have quantified this, you can then factor the sensitivity of information and remove the emotions that normally drive you. You then understand the true Cost of Delay, which is known by only 15% of companies.

Is a Stage Gate good to have? We would say the stage is good but the gate can kill your Life Cycle Profit if you don't measure the economical impact of all your factors.

Stay with me as we continue to dig into these additional items or simply reach out and we can talk more. The key is to not let what you believe negate the possibility that there is more to learn...even if you have done this a hundred years.

D3 Technologies embraces a very simple but structured approach to help companies evaluate where they are and where they need to be. We then craft a solution path that allows you to incrementally tap into the benefits to be had. Let us know if you are looking at process improvements and have an interest to invite a partner in to help provide a 3rd party perspective. Take the opportunity to pick our brains on what is working best for others facing similar challenges.

Contact Us if you would like more information.

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This tutorial explains how to create custom keyboard shortcuts for Inventor and AutoCAD. Keyboard shortcuts allow you to save time and work more efficiently. The use of "custom" shortcut keys allows each user to save keys that best fit their specific needs from the application with ease.

Learn more about custom shortcut keys and how to make them work for you in this quarter's tech tip. Click Here to download the PDF.

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D3 Recently welcomed Barbara Miller-Webb, 3D Printer Sales Executive, and Chris Rayfield, Solution Executive, to the team.

Barb has been with D3 since September of this year and is based in our St. Louis office.

Education:
Barb holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Business from Missouri State University, where she was also a member of Alpha Delta Pi.

Work History:
Barb has worked in sales & marketing for companies across the United States, including:

• OMD Corporation (Missouri) - as training/implementation specialist
• Computer Peripherals (California) - as regional sales
• Brother International (NJ) - as regional sales for Printer division
• DST Systems(Missouri) - Marketing and Contract Negotiations

Chris came on board with D3 this month. He is based in our Kansas City office.

From Chris:
Early in my career I held roles in the packaging industry with Unisource and then with W/S Packaging Group where we provided customers with application machinery as well as consumables for product packaging operations.

A family-instilled bug for entrepenuership took me down a path to starting a small custom closet and organizational business called Kansas City Closet Company. Since 2005 that company has been providing customers with the highest quality systems in region.

Prior to joining D3, I helped companies implement services provided by Paychex to attract, grow, and retain their employee base, increasing productivity and decreasing costs associated with managing those employees.

With D3 I'm looking forward to helping many of the same companies I've come to know in a different capacity, as well as the customers I'll soon be meeting.

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Meet James Jung, an Escalation Technician at D3. James works at D3's Springfield, MO office and has been with us since 2010.

Click Here to learn more about James and read the interview.

D3's very own Dan Hunsucker was recognized last month at the Autodesk Training Center Summit at Autodesk University in Las Vegas for the highest score in the Autodesk Certified Instructor program. The program is a 3 day course where instructors are required to give live classroom presentations and are scored by a panel of evaluators.

Congratulations to Dan on a job well done!

3D Systems Corporation's new VisiJet® X Plastic Material, the first jetted plastic available with the look, feel and performance of injection molded ABS plastic ideal for prototyping, product mockups and end-use applications requiring extreme toughness and high temperature resistance, is now available.

New VisiJet X plastic works in 3D Systems' ProJet® 3500 3D Printers including the SD, HD, HDPlus and new HDMax models , and provides new levels of durability and functionality previously unattainable with a jetted plastic.

"Our new VisiJet X material is a revolutionary breakthrough in jetted plastics," said Buddy Byrum, Vice President of Product & Channel Management for 3D Systems. "VisiJet X parts have the toughness and durability of ABS for both prototyping and end use applications, and a heat deflection temperature of 88oC right out of the printer with no additional tempering needed. Best of all, VisiJet X parts look great with a stunning white finish that really looks like it came from an injection mold."

If you have any questions about 3D Systems, VisiJet X, or 3D Printers, please Contact Us.

If you have software versions 2012, 2011, 2010, or 2007 and prior, you have until February 1 to upgrade ahead of Autodesk policy changes that will impact customer pricing by as much as 40%. After February 1, software versions that are more than seven releases back will no longer be eligible for upgrade, and versions that are between 1-4 versions back will have a reduced discount.

In order to avoid higher costs to you, take advantage of the Just Better Promotion before January 18^th, 2013. If you are planning to upgrade, now is the time to do it. You could benefit in the following ways:

• 0-day deferred payment, 2.9% financing on all Autodesk software: You can take advantage of our flexible financing options on up to 100% of your investment.
• $0 Down: License the latest design, productivity and creativity software from Autodesk with no money down.
• Reduce Risk: Avoid large down payments and better manage your budget by having fixed monthly payments.

See the "Just Better" Promotion's Terms & Conditions document to help determine whether your software qualifies for this promotion. If you have any questions about the Just Better promotion or the February 1^st pricing policy changes, please Contact Us.

You may also benefit from the AutoCAD LT Light It Up Promotion. Get even more done with the latest AutoCAD LT® 2013 drafting and detailing software. With powerhouse 2D documentation, collaboration, and productivity tools, AutoCAD LT delivers what you need for both Windows® and Mac® platforms. Act before January 25^th, 2013, and save 30%. Click Here to learn more.

If you have any questions about upgrading your software, Autodesk promotions, or the Autodesk pricing policy changes, contact your local D3 representative.

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