3D simulation supports business improvements in Small Medium Enterprises

Challenged by the need to become more competitive small and medium enterprises (SME¿s) are faced a plethora of business improvement tools and techniques. Some changes are easier to comprehend but other more wide-scale changes required can require a leap of faith. Funding agencies are also driven by targets to help companies and may push changes which may not be entirely appropriate for the SME. Invest Northern Ireland (INI) recognized the challenges in helping implement change for their client SME¿s and sought the help of the Northern Ireland Technology Centre (NITC). INI has "3D Factory Simulation Service¿ to assist client companies to see how they might implement change using the virtual environment, before major funds are committed. This paper aims discuss how the NITC helps to deliver this service; the methodology deployed, the challenges faced, the direct benefits attained by the companies as well as some affiliated bonus¿ not first apparent.