2D drawings remain important in manufacturing and engineering, especially in the context of technical drawings, schematics, blueprints, and other forms of documentation. While 3D modeling has brought significant advancements and benefits to the field, 2D drawings remain the tangible item that anyone is able
Are 2D Drawings a Thing of the Past?
October 30, 2023
Today, 2D drawings are still used in both the engineering and manufacturing arenas. While some may believe that 2D drawings are falling the way of the dinosaur, we still need them to show details in parts, components, and assemblies. They are a fundamental part of engineering documentation. Manufacturers use 2D drawings as their main communication tool. In this blog, we will explore the reasons we believe that 2D drawings will remain an important modeling tool for engineering projects.
The Evolution of 2D Drawings:
Before there were computers, 2D drawings were used to define component specifications. With 2D drawings, engineers were able to navigate the creation of a product, simply by referencing the 2D rendering. The 2D drawing method of production dates to the beginnings of engineering information. Today, this history speaks to the importance of 2D drawings.
As 2D drawings were the sole conveyor of design information for millennia. That all changed with the introduction of computers and 3D software like Autodesk Inventor, and SolidWorks. The choice of CAD software depends on your specific needs and the industry you're working in. You may want to consider factors like your budget, the type of projects you'll be working on, and your familiarity with the software when selecting the right CAD program for your needs.
But before we look at 3D technology, let’s examine the things that are still relevant today with 2D drawings.
2D Drawings Are Better at the Details:
2D Drawings Continue to Serve Critical Purposes:
- Clear Documentation: 2D drawings are crucial for creating technical drawings that provide clear and precise instructions for manufacturing and assembly. These drawings convey essential details, dimensions, tolerances, and material specifications required for producing a component or product accurately.
- Standard Representation: Many industries and regulatory bodies still rely on traditional 2D engineering drawings as the standard form of representation. These standardized drawings ensure uniformity and ease of interpretation across different stakeholders involved in the manufacturing process.
- Legacy Systems and Processes: Numerous manufacturing processes, especially in established industries, are based on legacy systems and workflows that primarily use 2D documentation. Transitioning completely to 3D software may require significant investments in new tools and training, making 2D drawings necessary for maintaining existing processes. Our IT department can help you with legacy system integration. Learn more HERE.
- Simplicity and Clarity: In some cases, 2D drawings are simpler and more efficient for representing certain aspects of a design. For straightforward components or for conveying specific details quickly and clearly, a 2D representation can be more effective than a complex 3D model.
- Ease of Printing and Distribution: 2D drawings are easy to print, share, and distribute, especially in a paper-based format. They can be shared via email, included in reports, or printed for use in various stages of production, making them highly practical and accessible.
- Historical Data and Archives: Many organizations have an extensive archive of 2D drawings and documents that contain valuable historical data. These records are often necessary for maintenance, repairs, or improvements, making 2D drawings indispensable for reference and continuity.
- Integration with Existing Processes: 2D drawings are well-integrated into many existing engineering and manufacturing processes, including software systems and tools that are designed around 2D representation. These processes may not easily transition to a completely 3D-centric workflow.
"At this point, 2D drawings will still be relevant and useful in some respects, but the time we spend perfecting them or communicating information through them will be as small as possible. “ -Trevor English, Interesting Engineering
3D Revolutionized Design.
3D modeling has revolutionized the field of engineering in numerous ways, fundamentally changing the way engineers design, analyze, and communicate their ideas. Technology has expanded the capabilities of the way that engineers design and prototype. Seifert Technologies Engineering division embraced the tectonic shift with the emergence of new tools. Today, the engineers at Seifert continue to bring ideas to life through both 2D design and 3D renderings.
Ways 3D Modeling Has Impacted Engineering:
- Visualization and Design Iteration: 3D modeling allows engineers to create highly detailed and accurate visual representations of their designs. This enables them to visualize the final product or structure in a realistic manner, aiding in better decision-making and design iteration before physical prototypes are created.
- Improved Design Accuracy and Precision:3D modeling provides engineers with precise measurements, angles, and dimensions, enhancing design accuracy. Engineers can create complex geometries with detailed features, ensuring components fit and function as intended.
- Rapid Prototyping and Testing: 3D models can be used to create physical prototypes using 3D printing or other rapid prototyping technologies. This accelerates the product development cycle by allowing engineers to quickly test and validate their designs, identify issues, and make necessary improvements.
- Simulation and Analysis: 3D models can be integrated with simulation software to analyze and simulate the behavior of a product or structure under various conditions. This helps engineers optimize designs for factors such as stress, heat distribution, fluid flow, and other parameters, ensuring the final product meets performance requirements.
- Collaboration and Communication: 3D models facilitate better communication and collaboration among multidisciplinary teams. Engineers can share 3D models with colleagues and clients, making it easier for everyone to understand the design, offer feedback, and make informed decisions collectively.
- Cost and Time Savings: By allowing engineers to identify and address design flaws early in the development process, 3D modeling reduces the costs associated with correcting errors during later stages of production. It also accelerates the design process, leading to faster time-to-market for products.
- Customization and Personalization: 3D modeling enables engineers to easily customize designs to meet specific client requirements or adapt to unique conditions. This is particularly important in industries where customization or personalization is essential, such as medical devices or automotive components.
- Digital Twin Concept: Engineers use 3D models to create digital twins of physical assets or systems. This virtual representation allows real-time monitoring, analysis, and optimization of the physical counterpart, leading to enhanced efficiency, maintenance, and sustainability.
- Automation and Artificial Intelligence Integration: With advancements in AI, engineers can use 3D models as input for machine learning algorithms. AI can assist in automating design tasks, generating design options, predicting performance, and optimizing designs based on specified criteria. You can read more about this in our blog HERE.
How Can Seifert Technologies Help?
While 3D modeling has significantly impacted engineering by enhancing visualization, improving accuracy, accelerating the design process, enabling simulations, facilitating collaboration, and ultimately leading to more efficient and effective product development. 2D drawings still play an important role in both engineering and manufacturing. Although now a days 3D is preferred, our engineers at Seifert Technologies have the expertise to tackle a project using 2D or 3D.
AI isn’t just a buzzword anymore, and it’s not just for Fortune 500 companies. It’s quietly reshaping how businesses—especially small and mid-sized ones—manage their IT, protect their data, and improve productivity. Yet for many business owners, AI still feels like something out of reach. Maybe you’ve heard of ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, but you’re not quite sure how it fits into your world. That’s where we come in! We’re breaking down what AI means for your IT operations today—and how Managed IT Service Providers (MSPs) like us are helping businesses like yours get ahead without getting overwhelmed. What AI Is Doing for IT Management at SMBs (Right Now) From cybersecurity to automation, AI is already making IT faster, smarter, and more secure. Here’s how: 1. AI-Powered Cybersecurity AI tools are becoming essential to detect and stop threats to your business before they become disasters. 24/7 threat detection : Tools like SentinelOne and Microsoft Defender use AI to monitor your systems in real-time and spot suspicious activity—even before a human could. Phishing protection : AI analyzes emails and links to catch impersonation attempts and scam messages. Automated response : If a threat is detected, AI tools can automatically isolate infected systems and prevent spread—within seconds. This is key, pairing your 24/7/365 threat detection with 24/7/365 action! 2. Smarter IT Automation AI isn’t just about fighting cybercrime—it’s helping businesses save time, reduce manual work, and operate more efficiently. Here are some examples of how AI is automating key IT functions behind the scenes: Predictive maintenance : AI can flag hardware or software issues before they cause downtime. User behavior analysis for better permissions control : AI tools can monitor how employees use systems and flag risky access patterns—helping prevent accidental data exposure or insider threats. Intelligent alert prioritization: Instead of flooding your IT dashboard with noise, AI filters and ranks alerts by severity—so real issues don’t get buried under false positives. Self-healing systems : In some cases, AI can detect and fix common problems (like restarting a frozen service) without any human involvement. These aren’t hypothetical tools—they’re already in use by MSPs and IT platforms supporting businesses like yours every day. 3. Productivity Gains with Tools You Already Have If your business uses Microsoft 365, you already have access to AI—and probably aren’t using it fully yet. Microsoft Copilot (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams): Draft emails, summarize meetings, or create reports with just a few clicks. Summarize long threads and documents Build presentations or clean up Excel data without formulas or formatting headaches. Outlook Suggestions : AI can suggest meeting times, draft responses, or flag important messages. Teams AI features: Transcripts, highlights, and action items from meetings—delivered directly after the call. These tools don’t require a tech degree to use—they just need someone to turn them on, configure them properly, and show you how to use them. That’s where we come in. Our job is to make it easy, secure, and practical for you so you can focus on what you know best…your business. Why Business Owners Shouldn’t Wait AI isn’t going away. And for businesses that get ahead of it, there’s a real opportunity to: Outpace competitors with faster decisions and smarter tools Protect against modern cyber threats Reduce costs through automation and efficiency Empower employees with tools that make work easier, not harder The good news? You don’t need a full-time IT team or a PhD in machine learning. You just need the right partner to guide you. Let’s Talk About AI for Your Business Curious about what AI could do for your business? Overwhelmed by options and don’t know where to start? Let’s fix that. Schedule a call with our team to discuss your business, your systems, and where AI could make the biggest difference—today and in the future.
The Real-World Benefits of Keeping It All In-House
For many businesses with up to 100 employees, in-house IT management is a constant balancing act for leadership. You need reliable technology, strong cybersecurity and fast support, but hiring an in-house IT team can be expensive and difficult to scale. Plus, simply making a quality IT hiring decision can be challenging when you or your team don’t possess excellent IT skills yourself. The key decision to keep IT in-house vs. outsourcing is often a financial one. Many business owners assume that keeping IT in-house is more affordable than hiring an IT Managed Service Provider (MSP)—but that’s not always the case. In fact, outsourcing IT to an MSP can provide real cost savings while also delivering substantial incremental value. Let’s break down the numbers of the outsourced MSP vs. in-house IT decision so you can make the best choice for your business. The True Cost of Hiring an In-House IT Team If you're considering hiring an internal IT person, it’s essential to understand the full cost of employment, not just the salary. Here's what you can expect to pay for a single IT manager (estimates only, may vary by geographic location):
In today's competitive market, efficient design and build processes are crucial for manufacturing and maintenance success. Partnering with an engineering services firm that utilizes the latest technology, software and tools can offer significant advantages.
Seifert Technologies recently partnered with the Stark Education Partnership (SEP), Fairless High School and Perry High School and provided a career day for the students. The objective was to provide an insight to local area high school students on the careers and opportunities available right here in Stark County. Our presentations focused on the services which we provide to our clients related to Engineering, IT, and Staffing. We featured interactive displays on Robotics, Machine Design, 3D CAD, PLC Motion Control, IT Infrastructure, Power BI, Software Development, and Career Services. Jaecey Hudson holds the position of Career Champion at Stark Education Partnership (SEP). Her role places her within several local High Schools including Fairless and she counsels the students on their career paths. Jaecey was instrumental in scheduling the day with Fairless High School. SEP is a catalyst, engaging and collaborating with education, business, civic and community stakeholders to drive sustainable improvement and innovation to provide all students with education and career success. SEP serves education, business, and community organizations in the Stark County region as a connector and partner. SEP collaborates with local foundations to ensure a continued focus on meeting emerging needs and works in complementary fashion with other nonprofits throughout the region. Stark Education Partnership’s vision to build generations of successful individuals who fulfill their potential and grow roots in Stark County is brought to life by engaging students in real-world workplace experiences. We also worked closely with the Robotics / STEM department at Perry High School to plan the day for these students. Stephanie Laskey and her team from Perry were the high school coordinators for the event. The Perry Local Project Lead the Way classes emphasize various engineering aspects, spanning from introduction to engineering design, computer manufacturing, digital electronics, aerospace engineering, to principles of engineering. Students were enthusiastic and actively involved in witnessing engineering principles in action at Seifert Technologies. They gained insight into the structure of engineering firms and the key attributes of successful engineers. They left Seifert Technologies with new information, eager to apply their newfound knowledge in the world of engineering. To learn more details about the services of Seifert Technologies, contact us at (330) 833-2700 or sales@seifert.com. Please visit www.seifert.com for more information on our full range of capabilities. For more information related to SEP, please visit www.edpartner.org .
Manufacturing can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution changed the way that manufacturers worked all over the world. There were inventions of new machines and technology. The new production made manufacturing cheaper, faster, and more efficient. The Industrial Revolution changed manufacturing for the modern world. In the First Industrial Revolution, which began in the late 18 th century was a significant change in human history. It transitioned to industrial societies, fueled by innovations in textile manufacturing, steam power, and iron production. This period increased efficiency in the mass production of goods. The invention of the steam engine led to the increase of railways. The First Industrial Revolution was the first step in modernizing the world. The Second Industrial Revolution is known as the Technological Revolution. This happened in the mid-19th century and was known for the adoption of electric power. This transformed the manufacturing process in steel. It led to the invention of the telegraph, telephone, television, and radio. Advancement in transportation was drastically improved leading to increased urbanization. The Third Industrial Revolution is known as the Digital Revolution. It happened in the late 20 th century with digital technology. This was the rise of the internet and digital computers. This changed the way people interacted with each other. The World Wide Web was developed. This led to the digitalization of every known modern aspect of life. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is referred to as Industry 4.0. This revolution is known for technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, and robotics. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is expected to have impacts on society to increase quality, production, and drive economic growth.
Phishing, Smishing, and Vishing are all ways that people try to get sensitive information from other people. They are all done in similar ways, but they have different ways of getting this information. It is important to know the difference between the three and how it looks when someone is getting targeted. Phishing Phishing is an online scam that gets sent to email accounts. It consists of getting sent a link or attachment from an unfamiliar email domain. When a user clicks on the link or attachment that is when the sender gets access to data. There are many different types of phishing to watch out for. Some of include spear, email, and whaling. Spear phishing is when someone specifically targets one person. They do this by adding their name, job, or social life. Whale phishing is when someone targets a big target like a manager, owner, or celebrities. They target these people since they have a lot of information on companies or other people. Smishing Smishing is a scam that gets sent as a text message (SMS). Scammers send a text to a target. The text that the target receives looks like a text from a trustworthy company. The scammers make the message look like it is the real company, and they send a link that they want the target to click on. There are different ways that these messages look. It can look like you won money or a prize. It can also look like a tax report or bank statement. Vishing Vishing is a scam where the target gets called over the phone rather than receiving a text message or email. The target is selected, and they call trying to convince them to download software for their device. How To Protect Yourself from All Three There are many ways to prevent these things from happening. Most importantly, do not click on links or attachments from unknown sources. Report suspicious emails, text messages, or calls that you receive. When you report these, you protect yourself and others from getting information taken. Seifert Technologies’ IT Division is your source for cybersecurity awareness. We are a registered agent of KnowB4 Products ( www.knowbe4.com ). These products implement sate of the art programs which: Send fully automated simulated phishing attacks, using thousands of customizable templates with unlimited usage Train your users with access to the world's largest library of always-fresh awareness training content AI-Driven phishing and training recommendations based on your users' phishing and training history Use Assessments to gauge proficiency of your users in security knowledge and security culture attitudes Easy user management using Active Directory Integration Contact our IT Service Team To learn more details about cybersecurity training contact us at (330) 833-2700 or sales@seifert.com. Please visit www.seifert.com/itservices for more information on our full range capabilities.
For over 10 years the team at Seifert Technologies has participated in the Toys for Tots program. Every year, our employees show their support by donating new toys which are then delivered to local area families. It is an awesome way to give back to our Stark County community. We also want to thank all of our employees for their wonderful donations. Way to go team!
Last month we celebrated a very special evening. Leslie Callahan, who has been with our firm since the beginning years, celebrated her 30th year with the organization. Team members from both our offices in Massillon and Nashville gathered to celebrate this well-deserved accomplishment.
At Seifert Associates, we have been meeting the challenges of hiring technical talent for decades. Finding the right candidate for the right position can be a challenge. Thus, we have put together a list of the top questions we get from HR and give ideas on how to overcome the challenges we face in today’s job market. What Are the Top Hiring Challenges Today? First, we must talk about current hiring challenges. Today, employers encounter new recruitment hurdles as the job market progresses. Employers' obstacles and difficulties arise when it comes to recruiting and hiring qualified candidates. These challenges can come in many forms, such as a shortage of skilled workers, a highly competitive job market, or a lack of diversity and inclusion in the hiring process. The rapid changes in both technology and the evolving job market also contribute to these hiring challenges. Employers must overcome these hiring challenges to attract and retain top talent, as well as build a thriving workforce to drive organizational growth and success. Here is a List of the Top Concerns for Hiring: Finding Quality Candidates Attracting the right talent for a technical position is an employer's foremost concern. The more skilled the requirements are, the more the employee is sought after. With a limited workforce and intense competition for top-tier candidates, employers struggle when it comes to finding technical talent. Along with that, employers struggle to engage with candidates who are not actively seeking a new position. We spoke about the importance of collaborating with a recruiter who has strong experience with finding technical candidates in a previous blog, which you can review HERE . Attracting the Right Technical Talent Another challenge that employers face is attracting the right talent for a technical position. Highly skilled candidates today look for more than just a competitive salary. Candidates want to collaborate with a company that has a quality work culture. But they also want to seek employment with companies who share the same values, as well as have great benefits and a good understanding of work life balance. In fact, 46% of job seekers cite company culture as very important when choosing to apply to a company, and a shocking 47% of employees cite that company culture is the driving factor when looking for a new job. Skills Gap and Training
