Where are the blueprints for that transformer?

12-02-2025 | Posted by Principia

Ten years ago, a company in the electrical transformer sector received an order from a major railway client: they had to manufacture a batch of five large transformers. The project was complex, but it was successfully delivered. Over time, two of these transformers had some problems and, a decade later, the client contacted the company again with a clear request: they needed two additional units, identical to the original ones, to replace the failed equipment.

The problem arose when the company attempted to retrieve the documentation from the original project. As is common in the industrial sector, technical information had been managed for years through a combination of digital files scattered across different folders and paper documents stored in physical filing cabinets. Finding the original blueprints turned out to be a massive undertaking. Days were spent searching through servers, physical records, and consulting engineers who had worked on the project—some of whom were no longer even part of the company. Eventually, the information was reconstructed, but the process was inefficient, costly, and delayed the response to the client.

This situation is more common in the manufacturing industry than many would like to admit. The lack of a centralized document management system leads to a tremendous waste of time and resources on tasks that could be resolved in minutes with the right tools. This is where Dassault Systèmes’ 3DExperience platform comes into play, transforming the way companies manage their product lifecycle.

The best way to control information is to keep it all in a single space. 3DExperience allows companies to centralize models and blueprints in a unified digital environment, accessible from anywhere. Instead of storing files in different local folders belonging to different people—or even on paper—the platform provides a single space where every version of a design is recorded and easily retrievable.

This may seem simple, but it is crucial because it means that if, ten years from now, a client requests another replica of a transformer, all the necessary information can be retrieved with just a few clicks—without having to rebuild the blueprints from scratch or waste time on endless searches.

Another major benefit is traceability. With 3DExperience, every modification to the designs is recorded, allowing users to see who made what changes and when. This facilitates collaboration between engineering, production, and maintenance teams, ensuring that everyone works with the most up-to-date version of the blueprints. By working from the same version, conflicts and errors caused by outdated information or conflicting versions are avoided.

Additionally, the platform integrates advanced simulation tools that help optimize transformer design before manufacturing. It allows for virtual testing of resistance, thermal performance, and electromagnetic behaviour directly within the digital environment, rather than relying solely on physical prototypes. This reduces development costs while improving the quality and reliability of the products delivered to customers.

On the other hand, being able to share all this information directly with the client is sometimes essential. For example, in the automotive sector, collaboration with external partners is common, requiring secure sharing of models and documentation without the need to send endless email attachments or use multiple communication platforms. 3DExperience ensures that everything is managed within a single ecosystem, streamlining information flow and reducing the risk of errors in data transmission.

The industrial world is evolving, and the digitalization of technical knowledge management is no longer optional—it is a necessity to remain competitive. The ability to access critical information at any time, collaborate efficiently, and optimize product design through advanced simulations makes the difference between an agile company and one that falls behind.

3DExperience transforms the way companies design, manufacture, and deliver solutions to customers, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and speed at every stage of the product lifecycle. If we continue wasting time and money on these issues, it is no longer because we can’t, but because we choose not to.