The trend towards performance-based logistics means that profitability in A&D is being driven by post-sales services. This requires efficient, real-time delivery of interactive information, that is engineering configuration controlled, and maximizes use 24/7.

Assembly work instructions, overhaul or S1000D standard technical publications — must all be driven from the engineering change process.

Excellence in customer service and parts sourcing drives brand reputation. Service Level Agreements or extended warranty means that manufacturers need both efficient logistics and execution of repairs on a global basis to increase profitability.

Quality documentation including 3D parts Catalogs, interactive manuals and on-demand interactive training is a key enabler.

Industrial Machinery manufacturers must continuously bring new models to market with increasing options and variants — targeting exact customer requirements and configuration requests.

Resulting manufacturing work instructions and technical support documentation must be configured to match the options and variants as ordered. This is only possible through integration with PLM and engineering configuration and change processes.

Global delivery of information, outsourced manufacturing and multi-supplier systems management are all factors effecting the ship-builders and equipment suppliers.

In support, the Shipdex documentation standard is improving the delivery and common usage of information. In manufacturing, improvements in sharing of design and engineering information is improving efficiencies.

The Energy sector is characterised by large complex multi-year installations. Issues around documentation, training and safety are important elements in commissioning plants. Documentation is required across all aspects of operational and safety planning. Similarly efficient maintenance is based on the level of quality of that documentation driven from the original engineering source.

The use of visually accurate, interactive and immersive 3D information can dramatically improve training, on-time maintenance and safety awareness.

Commodity prices are falling from all time highs and industry wide capital investment is being reduced.

Equipment manufacturers must focus on improving revenue and profitability in the after market. Total service contracts are increasingly being offered and therefore equipment manufacturers must improve logistics and maintenance across a global customer base.

White or Brown good manufacturers must deliver multi-lingual configuration controlled documentation. The large number of product variants and emphasis on quick time to market means that documentation is not accurate increasing warranty costs.

Service and warranty cost reduction is a major driver of profitability which is achieved through improvements in engineering configuration controlled documentation and visualisation.

Constant improvements in technology and methods are increasing the pressure on companies to come to market quickly. Regulators are requiring ever more technical and engineering documentary information, in addition to the usual medical efficacy.

Training both for end-users and a global team of service engineers is an important factor in improved sales and after market profitability.

Cortona3D continues to invest heavily in R&D focusing on next generation mobile applications, augmented reality​ and human machine interaction​. The goal is to ease the down-stream use of engineering design information in a natural and intuitive way.