CIMdata Publishes 'CAD Selection Considerations: Design Changes'
ANN ARBOR -- CIMdata Inc., the product lifecycle management consulting and research firm, Thursday announced a new white paper advising CAD users on the importance of tools that allow rapid design model changes.
Innovation in product development relies heavily on the fundamental engineering cycle of modify and improve, so most new products are built from changes made to existing products. The modeling tools most beneficial to product designers must align to that cycle and should contain a wealth of rapid and flexible editing methods. When selecting a modeling suite, prospective users must assess their past New Product Introduction experiences and compile a list of their most important and impactful needs.
This paper, the first in a series describing CAD selection considerations, identifies and discusses a number of functional capabilities for changing geometric models that have proven to be of critical use for leading edge product designers. Users of parametric modeling technologies especially need a set of easy-to-use geometry editing tools that allow them to make model changes with the same speed and flexibility associated with dedicated direct modeling approaches. Yet changes must be made without the concern of damaging built in design intent.
This paper cites a number of functional capabilities and some of the significant reasons design engineers should look for flexibility in the design editing functions of their modeling tools. The paper also highlights a number of key technology considerations that potential buyers should require from the tools they select.
The "CAD Selection Considerations: Design Changes" paper is available free at www.cimdata.com/publications/reports_complimentary/white_papers.html.
