In a large industrial company, time is often lost for something as simple as not being able to open a CAD file on time. And when CAD files arrive from customers and suppliers in different formats, the problem grows even bigger.
This was the situation at Mayco International, a Tier 1 automotive supplier headquartered in Michigan with operations in dozens of plants worldwide. Their work depends on fast decisions across departments such as purchasing, estimating, manufacturing, quality, and logistics… but access to CAD models wasn’t keeping up.
The solution was to deploy SpinFire Insight as an enterprise viewer across the entire organization. And the impact was immediate.
The challenge: accessing CAD was slow, expensive, and not scalable
Mayco received CAD files from customers and vendors in multiple formats. This created three critical problems:
1. Users couldn’t open the CAD files they received
Teams outside engineering (purchasing, program managers, estimators…) needed to review 3D/2D designs to move tasks forward, but they didn’t have tools to open them on their own.
2. Buying CAD licenses for everyone was unfeasible
If the files were always from the same software, it might be solved with specific licenses or viewers. But one day it was CATIA, the next day NX, then Creo/ProE or AutoCAD. Having a different license for each case meant enormous cost and an impossible-to-scale model.
3. IT took days to grant access
Every time someone needed to open a CAD file, a ticket was created for IT. The process included request, quote, purchase, installation, and basic training. On average, access took between 3 and 6 days. Mayco handled around 20 tickets per month just for this.
The result was a constant bottleneck and internal workarounds: teams ended up asking engineering for help opening files, diverting key resources away from their main tasks.
The solution: SpinFire Insight as enterprise CAD visualization
Mayco was looking for a single, frictionless, cross-company solution. SpinFire Insight fit for three reasons:
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compatibility with all major CAD formats without relying on native software,
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the ability to view, measure, mark up, and convert 2D/3D models easily,
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and an enterprise license designed to be deployed company-wide without multiplying costs or administrative burden.
Instead of adding floating licenses for various CAD systems or using limited viewers, Mayco chose a global solution that removed the bottleneck at its source.
Results: instant CAD access and faster decisions
After deployment, Mayco incorporated SpinFire as a standard part of the corporate desktop. Every employee, in any department, could open any CAD file with a single click.
The benefits were clear:
1. From 3–6 days of waiting to 0 days
Access time to a CAD file became immediate.
Users simply open the file and SpinFire loads it instantly.
2. Much faster business decisions
Purchasing and estimating no longer had to wait for permissions or external help to review models. This accelerated quotes, validations, and critical tasks.
3. Less workload for IT and engineering
Recurring CAD-access tickets disappeared, as did interruptions to design/engineering for basic visualization tasks.
4. New unexpected uses across the organization
SpinFire began to be used even by departments not initially considered, such as HR or Health & Safety, because CAD access becomes useful when the whole company can consult it without barriers.
5. A company ready for the multi-CAD future
In automotive, formats change quickly. SpinFire enables collaboration without worrying about which CAD customers or suppliers will use next.
Conclusion
Mayco shows that the real value of SpinFire is not just opening files, but removing CAD as a bottleneck. When the entire company can access 3D/2D models without waiting, without full CAD licenses, and without relying on IT or engineering:
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daily work speeds up,
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internal friction disappears,
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and customer response improves.
SpinFire made CAD access something transparent: it simply works.
This case study is based on information published by Tech Soft 3D, the developer of SpinFire Insight.
Does your company also struggle with delays, multiplied licenses, or dependence on engineering just to open CAD files?
Get in touch with CADTECH and discover how SpinFire can provide instant access to 3D/2D models for all your teams, just like at Mayco International.
CADTECH Communications Department
comunicacion@cadtech.es – 800 007 177