A recent trip to Canada prompted me to revisit the perennial topic of virtual desktop solutions – possibly the manufacturing sector’s biggest unsung hero, writes James Delaney.

Taking in the ever-expanding city of Toronto and the French province city of Montreal, I met with some innovative businesses in the fast-paced world of manufacturing. Feedback from these sessions provided insight into the challenges of staying competitive and ahead.

Overcoming these obstacles requires not only cutting-edge technology, but also a skilled workforce capable of harnessing its full potential. Amidst the ever-evolving landscape of CAD, CAE and design applications, IT teams are facing an uphill battle in managing complexity while contending with the industry’s IT skills shortage to support the delivery of services from their business.

VDI has been quietly revolutionising how manufacturing IT teams navigate the intricacies of design software, at scale.

Picture this: A manufacturing engineer, tasked with optimising a product’s design, needs access to resource-intensive CAD and CAE tools. Traditionally, this would require a high-performance workstation, potentially limiting flexibility and scalability. However, with VDI, such barriers dissolve into the digital ether.

VDI empowers IT teams to centralise management, deployment and updates of CAD and CAE software, streamlining operations and minimising compatibility headaches. Moreover, by decoupling software from hardware, VDI facilitates seamless collaboration among dispersed teams, breaking down silos and fostering innovation.

The benefits don’t stop there. With virtual desktops, IT teams can ensure data security through centralised storage and robust access controls, mitigating the risks associated with dispersed design workflows. Additionally, by leveraging cloud-based VDI solutions, manufacturers can scale resources on-demand, adapting to fluctuating workloads without overprovisioning hardware.

Furthermore, virtual desktop solutions democratise access to cutting-edge design tools, levelling the playing field for small and mid-sized manufacturers. No longer constrained by hardware limitations or prohibitive costs, these firms can compete toe-to-toe with industry giants, driving innovation and accelerating time-to-market.

In essence, virtual desktop solutions represent more than just a technological upgrade – they embody a shift in how we approach manufacturing IT. By empowering teams to rise above the constraints of traditional infrastructure, VDI unleashes the full potential of CAD, CAE and design applications, propelling the industry towards new heights of efficiency, collaboration and innovation.

So, to all manufacturing IT teams grappling with complexity and talent shortages: take heed – the future of manufacturing is virtual!