Outsourcing Your CAD Work – Don’t Do it In-House if You Don’t Have To

29 May
2018

Outsourcing Your CAD Work – Don’t Do it In-House if You Don’t Have To

CAD software delivers sophisticated designs and drawings. Serious designers and architects no longer draw by hand, as CAD produces higher quality results with fewer errors. CAD drawings give a full view that makes it easy to imagine how the design will appear after it’s been constructed.

Using CAD well and to the full extent of its capabilities requires expertise. Training and experience are necessary for efficiently creating CAD drawings. The easiest and best way to ensure high-quality CAD work is to outsource the work instead of completing it in-house.

Outsourcing CAD work offers many benefits, including the following:

  1. Cost Savings: Outsourced CAD drawings can cost up to 50% less than CAD drawings produced in-house. That’s because hiring a full-time employee to produce CAD drawings in your company carries both outright and hidden costs. For example, steady employee costs a monthly salary plus added benefits, such as PTO (Paid Time Off). Employees also take up office space, which costs the company in rent. Additionally, keeping a steady employee who is experienced in CAD can also be costly because you might have times when you do not have sufficient work for that employee, and you will have to pay for idle time. In contrast, you will pay an outsourced CAD drafter only for the hours he or she works. The extra outlays associated with keeping employees on staff disappear when you outsource your CAD work.

    Technology costs are also a consideration when creating CAD drawings in-house. CAD software is expensive, and outsourcing CAD work will eliminate the need for that expense. If a design firm has a project that requires a specific type of software, finding an outsourcing firm with access to that software, instead of purchasing that software, will save the firm money. Outsourced services, which are generally low-cost, become an even better deal when these savings are considered.

  2. Expertise: Your outsourced CAD drawings will be produced by professionals who are skilled at their work and give you a great return on investment. Outsourcers focus all their training and expertise on their core capabilities, instead of spreading themselves thin. They also have access to ongoing training in their field of expertise. Outsourcing firms have access to the best tools, the latest updates to the technology, and a staff that knows how to use them.

    CAD technicians are purely focused on CAD work, and they leave the design work to the professionals. Designers and architects who rely on outsourced CAD work can focus on the essentials, such as design and presentations. They can make the most of their internal resources as they pass along their drafting needs to another company.

  3. Quality Control: CAD outsourcing firms have 3rd party quality control systems in place. A manager supervises and checks the work of all the technicians, making corrections where necessary. In contrast, a CAD technician working in an architect’s or designer’s office is an independent worker with little oversight. That can lead to drawings of uneven quality.

    Properly managed CAD outsourcing companies ensure that only top-quality drawings will be presented to clients.

  4. Time Savings: When CAD technicians manage all the drawings, the designer or architect time is freed up for the creative work of design. Outsourcing CAD work leads to a balance of labor that most designers prefer: the designers take care of the artistry, while the CAD workers handle the technical drawings. This balance conserves both time and stress.

    Outsourced CAD work also grants design businesses a quick turnaround time. Once the designer or architect has given the CAD technicians the basic shapes and measurements required by the design, the team of CAD technicians in the outsourcing team can quickly create the drawings. This fast turnaround time impresses clients and boosts a design business’s reputation of reliability.

    It also helps businesses meet their deadlines. When a project has to be finished quickly, but the staff is swamped with other tasks, an outsourcing firm can take on the CAD duties and help the designer or architect complete the project on time. The firm’s other projects will not suffer while the staff drops everything to meet one looming deadline.

  5. Happier Employees: Some CAD tasks are boring and repetitive. Staff members often resent having to spend time on those jobs, and they recognize that their time would be better used on more critical tasks. Outsourcing tedious CAD assignments to companies that specialize in those tasks will improve staff appreciation and boost their willingness to work harder on tasks that can’t easily be outsourced.

    Outsourcing your CAD work should save you time, money, and mental stress. A reputable company will fulfill your expectations and act like a business partner. Make sure the outsourcing company you choose is reputable and will meet your needs for timeliness and top quality CAD drawings.