In this modern digital environment, it has already become common for manufacturers to convert CAD files to 3D from 2D to enhance the design process and improve communication among the design team and customers. Engineers, designers, and clients now use state-of-the-art SolidWorks 3D CAD software for almost anything, including designing and rapid prototyping.
In today’s smart industry 4.0 of IoT, it is essential for manufacturing companies to harness the power and potential for improved creativity, collaboration, and productivity. An integrated framework for design development can provide improvements by using 3D CAD data as the foundational DNA of the whole company.
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What is SolidWorks?
SolidWorks is an extraordinary 3D modeling software application that is now extensively used by drafters, designers, architects, product engineers, construction planners, artists, and mechanical engineers.
SolidWorks provides:
- 3D modeling
- An easy and friendly user interface
- Auto-generated 2D drawings
- Design rendering
SolidWorks designers use SolidWorks 3D CAD software to develop visual models of their content or product. The software is typically used for simulation, visualization, 3D CAD, rendering, and data management and helps clients by providing a 3D visual of the final deliverable.
Designers and engineers extensively use SolidWorks 3D CAD software throughout the design development phase. The SolidWorks 3D models turn ideas into reality with their ability to simulate the concept design through various scenarios and make the necessary adjustments during the design development. With the help of SolidWorks 3D CAD software, designers can import, translate, and store data securely and maintain its accessibility and versatility. Users can also import 2D data in DWG and DXF formats and AutoCAD Sections into SolidWorks to generate 3D models directly from the 2D data.
A Design Clipart tool allows you to drag and drop the drawings into the 3D SolidWorks models from DWG files. The View Folding feature automates the 3D model development by adjusting the different aspects of the imported 2D drawing. An interactive 3D ecosystem like SolidWorks can help your company develop creative designs for the future faster and in the most cost-effective way possible.
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Responsibilities of SolidWorks designers
SolidWorks designers develop technical blueprints, models, and drawings for various structures and products. These models are essential during construction or production, and SolidWorks designers work to include product details, guidelines, procedures, specific measurements, and information about the materials. These professionals often work with product designers, engineers, and architects to address design issues and gather specifications.
Here is a quick overview of the responsibilities of SolidWorks designers:
- Create models, visual renders, or blueprints of existing mechanical designs.
- Conduct design reviews for current assemblies with other related departments.
- Develop DriveWorks configuration projects to automate the creation of prints and assemblies for the manufacturing plant
- Provide and maintain documentation on fabrication
- Improve the design continuously
- Design or develop new product
- Handle technical documentation content
- Update or maintain existing CAD Library
Advantages of SolidWorks 3D CAD design for your company
1. Easy checking of interference and calculations to reduce errors
You can calculate the geometric measures using the critical elements integrated into the SolidWorks 3D design program. The software can also calculate motion, vibration, part stress, deflection, and other external elements. SolidWorks helps ensure that everything is correct according to the criteria you set in your design. It also makes it easier to make the necessary changes to make up for additional design alterations or factors later.
2. Cost-efficient
3D CAD also includes some standard-built components that help save the design the effort and time of designing them from scratch. As a result, your company can also save both money and time. SolidWorks can help you save money by shortening the design cycles and speeding up your time to market. It also gets rid of repetitive and duplicative costs and activities.
3. Better designs
Traditional drafting methods require manual recording of different facets of a mechanical component. Unfortunately, this process can be time-consuming, but it also calls for higher levels of accuracy. On the other hand, SolidWorks 3D CAD models also come preloaded with versatile documentation options such as documenting product measurements and geometries, bills of materials, material specifications, and others, thus helping simplify the process of documentation of component designs.
Designers can also use the existing design templates that allow the automated dimensioning of the 3D CAD models according to industry standards and guarantee design accuracy while saving time. It can also help you calculate forces resulting from deflection, component stress, flow, motion, temperature, and vibration effects.
You can also save time by developing some configurations using guidelines and parameters to come up with existing designs with some minor adjustments quickly. For instance, you can envision and design numerous iterations of the concept at the same time it would require to develop one. Among the most significant advantages of using an integrated 3D design development environment such as SolidWorks is that it lowers the risk of common human errors.
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4. Improved collaboration
Thanks to SolidWorks 3D CAD software, all team members and stakeholders participating in the project can enjoy seamless access to pertinent data. Every member involved in the project will always be on the same page because of the efficient sharing of 2D model sketches and 3D models.
As a result, communication will be more straightforward, and teamwork will always be at its best. With the help of this unified forum, project participants will find it simpler to collaborate and work as a team. The automated workflows also ensure the completion of the construction project according to the budget and schedule.
SolidWorks encourages designers from different engineering disciplines to work together on developing the product. The integrated platform can also promote better collaboration among manufacturing staff, engineers, and designers.
5. Exceed client’s expectations
SolidWorks 3D CAD design can allow your company to meet client’s expectations and offer them more than expected or required. The software can automate the design process, allowing designers to learn more about the design flow.
The knowledge acquired from a single project can be used again to develop more original and innovative designs cost-effectively and within a specified time. An integrated 3D product development such as SolidWorks provides embedded tools that CAD designers require to explore various design methods swiftly. It also aligns the efforts of electrical, electronic, and mechanical designers, allowing the manufacturing and design development team to assess multiple scenarios.
The SolidWorks CAD models can also help engineering experts to conjure the most imaginative solutions. These SolidWorks 3D design models boast remarkable accuracy since the technological challenges and ideas have already been addressed.
6. Increased productivity
With the help of SolidWorks 3D modeling, you can also instantly simulate the design feature in 3D and make all the necessary adjustments immediately. It increases the efficiency of the designers because it eliminates the need for them to reconsider the concept later.
The SolidWorks drawings can also help detect any inconsistencies and let the designer make the necessary changes to the sketches and models before completion. It reduces the manufacturing time and improves the whole process, making it more cost-effective and allowing companies to stick to tight deadlines.
7. Innovative
Finally, manufacturers will also enjoy design versatility, collaborative independence, and product development agility to motivate future creative products with the help of an integrated framework for 3D product development, such as SolidWorks.
With SolidWorks, 3d design service firms can help clients visualize their concepts, including 3D building engineering designs, new product prototype designs, interactive demos, and more.
Visual graphics can help customers understand the properties and features of the component while also aiding in preparing a proposal and explaining the usefulness of the mechanical component to the clients. An integrated solution for 3D product development, such as SolidWorks, provides embedded simulation tools required by engineers and designers to explore many prospective design methods aside from aligning the efforts of electrical, electronic, and mechanical designs. It helps the manufacturing and design development team assess several “what if” scenarios.
Regarding design, the SolidWorks CAD model can also help engineering professionals develop the most advanced solutions. SolidWorks 3D design models are also very accurate since the technological challenges and aspects have been addressed. The results consistently lessen the risks of expensive problems and errors. SolidWorks remains at the forefront of discovering new methods to improve the 3D design and drafting process.
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The bottom line
The SolidWorks 3D CAD software product line is a way to transform your company’s ideas into real-life products and take your entire CAD design experience to a new level. SolidWorks design services and qualified SolidWorks experts are available to help companies with their design needs.
Reach out to Cad Crowd for a free quote today!