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Interview with Rafael del Molino, TDM Solutions CEO (RhinoGold)
Something must be right for jewelry design in Spain. Not only are several jewelry designers active in Spain, but Spain is also the source of some of the best and most popular software tools for jewelry design. Among those tools RhinoGold stands out as a reference point, setting standards both for features and customer support. The manufacturer of RhinoGold is TDM Solutions, a young company founded and led by Rafael del Molino. I interviewed Rafael to get a better idea of how RhinoGold is developed and sold all over the world.
Rafael, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your company?
TDM is working over 25 countries with more than 75 resellers
About myself. Since I was in the university, I was working in engineering stuff, specializing in the automobile industry. Sometime later, I found TDM Solutions to implement my CAD/CAM knowledge in companies. Since there, TDM Solutions has been an official distributor, training center and developers of Rhino-based applications.
Nowadays TDM is working over 25 countries with more than 75 resellers. Developer of design and manufacturing applications, enhancing RhinoGold, and other Rhino plug-in such as RhinoMold, RhinoNest and RhinoShoe.
What are the major reasons jewelry designers choose RhinoGold?
the designer finds confidence and security in our software and therefore chooses it
It is no secret that a product works in a combination of factors. First of all, without any doubt, we must offer a quality product. A product that truly meets the customer and helps/improves their work.
But, this is not the only requirement. This is not about selling a quality product and get the profits. We must provide a post-service. From TDM Solutions we provide personalized support by responding to their problems and concerns within 48 hours, via our forum, via e-mail, phone or connecting to our customer’s computer directly. In addition, we offer this service even before the customer buys the product, it means, when designer are using our 30-day evaluation version from our website.
Upon these basis, the designer /client finds confidence and security in our software and therefore chooses it.
What are the benefits for a company such as TDM to create software programs as plug-ins for Rhino rather than standalone applications?
our client can start working with our software even the first day
Rhino is a software with thousands and thousands of users, and for many areas. Creating plug-ins allows us to specify, and thus improve the possibilities of Rhino in each sector. Furthermore, the learning time of our software it’s shorter, understanding that the buyer already know (or want to know) how to use Rhino. Our client can start working with our software even the first day.
Nowadays, RhinoGold can be considered as a standalone software, having its own interface and allowing the designer to have only the jewelry tools.
Which new technologies from the Rhino platform (e.g. GrassHopper, T-Splines, etc.) will benefit TDM products and their users?
we have had some conversations to implement some of our products in other platforms
Well, right now, RhinoNest and GrassHopper are working together with a program called D.O.F., for architecture… very interesting. Furthermore, we have had some conversations to implement some of our products in other platforms, and we are working on it. So far, I cannot talk that much about that, we will see in the next months how it runs.
In your experience what are the major differences between the US and the European market for your products?
our customers are designers, so, they are different one from the other
honestly, our customers are designers, so, they are different one from the other. They are creative, doesn’t matter if it’s European or American or Asian. Maybe some prefer rings than bracelets, and others a specific pendant, but, all they need different tools, or at least, they use the tools in different ways.
Fortunately, RhinoGold offer such a vast variety of tools, so, so far, we have success in all the markets. Hopefully!
How do you involve and engage the jewelry designer community with the product development of new releases?
using RhinoGold, designers can spend more time in the creative part of the work
Goldsmiths must adapt to new technologies to be more efficient and effective on their business (for example, offering a better – faster and clearer – service to their customers). There are other sectors that some years ago nobody thought about the possibility to implement a software on the business, and now, those sectors cannot run without the software.
We firmly think that using RhinoGold, designers can spend more time in the creative part of the work (guessing it’s the preferred one) and do faster the tough ones.
What kind of feedback from your customers and beta testing do you value the most, and how do you incorporate that feedback back into new versions and products?
we are continuously improving our software
Any feedback is very welcomed. Everything helps to improve our software. We are continuously improving our software. For example, this week we have released a new Service for RhinoGold 2.0.
Also, we have RhinoGold labs. From our website and our Forum, users can give their opinion and post about their ideas. And, since the moment user posts it, our developer team starts working on these ideas. We have launched RhinoGold 2.0, but we already know and we are working on some new ideas for the next version.
I would like to thank Rafael for taking the time to answer my questions. If you have any questions for Rafael or for Novedge, please leave a comment below and we will be glad to answer.
Franco Folini
RhinoGold Training Video
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=4742355&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1
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