December 2nd, 2015

There appears to be a misconception when it comes to computer-aided design, often it boils down to the fear of the unknown or a lack of understanding. Here is where we hope to dispel those fears. We have invested considerable time in your sector – working with many companies, including the British Woodworking Federation – to understand what your business needs are.

3D CAD isn’t commonly used in the Joinery and Woodworking sector due to the amount of time required to achieve an acceptable outcome compared with 2D. However, we specialise in best practice with proven experience of cutting times from quotation to fit-out by over 50%.

The video below is a quick exploration of what 3D CAD can enable you to do.

KeyShot

An enhanced feature that comes integrated with Solid Edge is KeyShot. This tool allows you to render stunning photo-realistic visuals that help to showcase your product to customers. In a sector subject to personal taste and preference, the ability to visualise and change accordingly is invaluable. The video below looks at procedural wood textures.

Some Key Benefits of using Solid Edge

  • Solid Edge® gives estimators the freedom to work in a 2D environment while reusing carcass and assembly data where possible, this retains the background intelligence of the model and provides speedy, but accurate, quotations.
  • You’re able to create Word Document and PDF quotes immediately through the Majenta Engineering Center (MEC). With MEC you can implement wizard technology to detail assemblies in seconds, as well as build an intelligent library of joints for quick and simple detailing.
  • With the aid of synchronous technology you can respond to customer changes as quickly as you’re used to in a 2D CAD system, and it permits new design development without typical 3D headaches and ‘design intent’ limitations.
  • Easily manage your customer requirements with the use of Microsoft SharePoint technology to enable full traceability and notes of any changes. Then impress your customers with photorealistic visuals of your product from KeyShot.
  • Solid Edge is able to produce collated BIM information as you work, and is aided by our joinery methodology training, to ensure your products meet the NBS BIM Object Standard which includes Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie) output.
  • You can produce the clean and simple drawings you are used to without exaggeration of detail, output all drawings to fit your customers DXF/DWG drawing sheets with associated layers and reduce your drafting times by setting drawing sheet templates to your company standard.
  • Siemens PLM Software and OnePLM are working with leading hardware suppliers to enable rule based drag and drop functionality to ensure error free fitting and intelligent cataloguing, this helps to ensure material loss is reduced to a minimum through our use of SigmaNest – the market leading nesting and materials control tool.
  • Use Quadrispace for Solid Edge to produce your fitting instructions easily in a number of ways. These are created during the modelling stage rather than over several stages or using many individually created isometric drawings. Create animated storyboards viewable on a tablet in order to display 3D elements in an interactive way.