Timken Chooses ThomasNet to Manage Online CAD Models and Share Them with Distributors

The Timken Company selected ThomasNet to develop their extensive Online catalog of 3D CAD models.  The interface is seamlessly integrated into the Timken Website and allows any visitor to their website to evaluate and download 3D or 2D CAD models directly into their design.  This is exactly what Engineers want from potential suppliers as it helps them in their modelling efforts.  It is also what they NEED to see from suppliers as it shows them they want their business and want to make it easy to partner with them.

In addition, ThomasNet also provides the technology interface and management of data required to share these drawings with key distributors like BDI.  From Business Wire Online, “The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR; www.timken.com) today announced a system that enables Timken authorized distributors to seamlessly link their websites to 3-D CAD models and 2-D drawings of thousands of Timken products at cad.timken.com. The system offers customers access to technical information from Timken and its distributors more easily and efficiently. Timken worked closely with the Thomas Enterprise Solutions Group in the development of the system and piloted it with BDI, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.

Using technology developed by Thomas Enterprise Solutions—part of Thomas Industrial Network, Inc.—Timken provided direct access to its engineering drawings for BDI’s online customers in the required format. Customers visiting BDI’s e-commerce site (www.bdiexpress.com) can research and select products, compare prices and complete purchases.

“For BDI, this new process is a home run,” said Bill Shepard, vice president for the Midwest region and marketing at BDI. “Previously, we collected data from print catalogs and Excel spreadsheets. Whenever Timken sent us an updated product file, it required a manual review – the whole process often took months to re-synch the data. This new Timken solution provides quick, seamless updates, making us more responsive to our customers.”

“Timken engineers worked closely with Thomas’ Enterprise Solutions team to centralize information about our products, including detailed technical specifications, and to build a library (cad.timken.com) of 3-D CAD models and 2-D drawings,” said Christopher Henson, director of U.S. industrial sales for Timken.

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