Concurrent Engineering Blog

3D modelling software is a powerful tool, which is used to design everything from a new pair of shoes to the next generation of automobiles. Regardless of the types of products you design, incorporating 3D modelling into your design process makes it easier for you to recognise potentially costly design flaws, understand how your product interacts with its environment and what service it’ll be able to provide the consumer. It can decrease the time it takes for a product to reach the market, without compromising on the design quality. But, to get the most out of your 3D modelling tool, what are the 5 important facts that every design engineering office manager needs to know?

In a recent direct comparison review of Pro|Engineer and Creo 2.0 some striking time saving advantages were found.

First of all, what is it we mean by design flexibility? Well, it’s having the capabilities to take you design, as it stands, and react to changes you need to make without impacting on the design integrity. Having tools that facilitate design flexibility mean you’re prepared for the challenges that come as part of product design. So, what are the 5 key challenges that mean you need flexibility in your design work?

It seems that 51% of concept design work is now done using electronic based systems, including 31% already using 3D data. But, this also means 49% of concept designs still begin as hand-drawn sketches and in engineering notebooks. Although paper based design work is a justifiable method for working on concept designs, the limitations are becoming more pronounced. As technology advances and more companies than ever before work on a global scale, it could be time to make the switch.

Did you know 34% of organisations are still using paper-based methods to explore initial concept design?  While this is a valid way to begin concept work, it does have limitations. Taking the paper concept designs to the next stage of development can involve more work. Plus, it can be harder to fully investigate a range of design options. But, what is the case for making the transition to digital 2D concept designs? 

CAD tools need to be flexible, particularly in the later stages of product development cycles. Yet, traditional parametric models can make it difficult to accommodate late-stage design changes and restrict design agility. Recent CAD developments are now addressing these limitations, enabling designers to explore more design possibilities with increase agility.

Engineering teams need to respond to many challenges when developing products, especially in a dynamic, competitive environment. Design engineers must respond quickly to project or bid proposals, rapidly generate design concepts or make late-stage changes to the product based on customer or supplier input.

Part of the Creo 2.0 Parametric upgrade means users can now clearly define 3D annotations as part of their design framework. It's now simple to include and modify 3D annotations on 3D models, capturing design intent as annotation elements or notes.