SolidWorks 2006 features several performance and productivity improvements, including mainstream design validation (analysis) and tools to ease the migration from 2D to 3D design. Three molded components of a disposable camera are modeled in SolidWorks. To speed design time, Kubotek KeyCreator V5 instantly finds features in imported models. In addition, this package features a wide range of translators. KeyCreator V5 also includes a graphical interface, rendering options, and new direct feature editing capabilities. A large tool for an automotive fascia was created in CimatronE 7.0, which includes solids, surface, and wireframe modeling and specialized tools for creating electrodes. Moldflow Part Adviser now includes a geometry adviser that checks an imported model for potential problems and generates warnings before users spend valuable time on advanced modeling or analysis tasks. Warpage can be predicted in Moldflow Plastics Insight, which evaluates the flow of two materials injected into two separate geometries in a sequential process for overmolded parts. A Pro/Engineer rendering of a multiple-insert core and cavity features the software’s Tool Design module. Tooling for the Moen Revolution showerhead was designed in Pro/Engineer.

Wherever you are on the design spectrum—neophyte, veteran, or in between—adding these services can help to improve your ability to attract customers and boost your bottom line.

January has always signaled reflection and fresh starts, a perfect time to take a look at your design capabilities and how they might be jump-started or expanded. Winning business can depend on your ability to offer these value-added services, and whether you choose to invest in software and staff trained to use it, or decide to outsource, now is time to develop your strategy.

Why take the plunge into this technology? Because globally, we are at a peak in the emergence of design as a means of making products stand out from the competition. From China to the United States, OEMs are avidly turning to industrial design for fresh, appealing products that can command larger profit margins and garner a bit of the coolness factor typified by products such as the Apple iPod. While molders aren’t a classic first source for ID, their ability to work with industrial designers and turn ideas into moldable parts requires a certain level of design sophistication.

Secondly, having the capabilities in-house (or via outsourcing) to turn ID models into parts designed for moldability is a great means of cutting costs for you and your customers. It can also mean optimizing designs for performance and cost.

Finally, design and product development offerings help to shorten time-to-market, still a major driver among OEMs that participate in consumer, electronics, business equipment, and other plastics-intensive markets.

Software basics

If you’ve opted to invest in adding design to your operations, your first action item will likely be to evaluate software packages, which we’ll discuss in a moment. For now, remember that it’s a mistake to think that simply purchasing a CAD/CAM package will immediately give you design capabilities. On the other hand, software is the first step toward that goal. Dedicating someone to use that software efficiently is the next step, and the best path to getting your money’s worth.

What software you use depends on your needs and goals. A small to midsize molder who wants to offer design services but doesn’t want to invest in the capability until it becomes clear that it is profitable can experiment by outsourcing design services at first (see “Outsourcing Design Services,” right). A molder or smaller OEM who has resisted the move from 2D to 3D CAD might begin by adding a single seat of a basic 3D package, and then assess its impact. A midsize to larger molder who already has a design department and 3D CAD and CAM might branch out by adding computer-aided analysis programs such as Moldflow, Cosmos (from SRAC), and others. (For more, read an excerpt from CADCAMNet’s article, “Why Switch to 3D?”. )

While we’re focusing mainly on CAD/CAM systems, there are other considerations. Industrial design packages such as Alias DesignStudio can help inspire a company that wants to have a hand in the conceptual phase of design. Analysis software (other than moldfilling simulation, which is considered here as a design essential) can add structural finite-element analysis and part optimization to your repertoire.

CAD packages offer a variety of functions, and the most common include 2D design, solids modeling (3D), surfaces, wireframe, and rendering. Some are also equipped with translators that enable you to import a customer’s file from another system. Mold design modules are also available from several CAD software vendors and virtually all of the CAM suppliers.

Evaluating software

With software purchases, a hotly debated topic is often whether or not a budget-priced package can do the same work that a more expensive version can. Most industry sources agree it is generally true that higher cost equals a greater level of features and functions. Most will tell you to be skeptical of a package that claims it can “do it all” for less than half the cost of its competitors.

That’s caveat number one. A second caveat: Evaluate packages by getting vendors to demonstrate the software’s capability on one of your own projects. And don’t let the vendor take weeks to get back to you. One industry insider has witnessed cases where a potential customer gave a file to a vendor, and waited several weeks for a demo. The vendor then rigged the demo during that time so that it appeared to take only minutes to model the customer’s application.

Beyond the “buyer beware” guidelines, do some homework before purchasing software. One resource, CADCAMNet, offers reviews and opinions from unbiased sources. Steve Sivitter, CEO of EdgeCAM manufacturer Pathtrace Systems, adds, “Ask the vendor or reseller what the company plans to develop in the future and what it has focused on in the past. Make sure the future plans of the company are in line with your interests.”

By all means, test each of the packages in your price/performance range via a live demonstration. In the chart above, we list only a few of the packages currently available and their approximate price ranges. Find out whether the software can handle your most common applications, and if it can expand with you.

Ask about training—can it be done online, at what cost, and for how long? Try to eliminate previous perceptions. For instance, Pro/E (from PTC) used to be available only in its most expensive form. Eager to reach the midrange market, however, the company has developed a solution (Pro/E Foundation) that lists for less than $5000. Surprised? This industry continues to evolve, and if you haven’t checked in a while, there may be other surprises awaiting you.

Benefits are real

Will investing in design capabilities add to the bottom line? While ROI calculations are difficult to find, the experiences at Mack Molding (Arlington, VT) can shed some light on the benefits of being design-capable.

Mack ramped up with design services more than 10 years ago, and that initial foray has evolved into a sophisticated and well-staffed effort. Stefan Rasch, director of application development, heads up a team of 12-16 CAD users. The number of designers fluctuates, Rasch explains, because he may contract with Mack Design (a wholly owned subsidiary) for different projects.

Rasch recommends that anyone interested in adding design services investigate the types of CAD packages customers will be using so that they can select compatible systems. “For the most part, you have to carry several different software packages in order to be fully compatible, but our customers predominantly use Pro/E and SolidWorks,” he says. “We also use all the engineering analysis programs—Pro/Mechanica, Cosmos, Moldflow, and others. You also have to be able to export files in different formats—IGES, STEP, DXF, XT.”

Remember too, says Rasch, that someone has to drive the software. “Your users have to attend software training sessions, and then continue to work with it and be aware of updates. If you’re going to make the major commitment to sell it as a value-added service, you need to keep it staffed and functioning.”

Rasch believes that the addition of design and product development to Mack Group’s capabilities will continue to evolve and grow. “Customers are sticking with core competencies these days, and design is not one of them. We see the importance of picking up design and prototyping.”

Working with OEMs to design their products, Mack is then able to design for manufacturability, Rasch adds, which helps them to take out cost, and eliminates the “throw it over the wall” mentality. “Issues are resolved here,” he says, “which forces us to approach the design carefully. It also benefits the customer because it takes cost and time out of the process.”

Mack’s design services are offered on an a la carte menu, so customers can choose whatever portion they want and pay for that. This type of pricing is becoming standard among custom molders and contract manufacturers.

A recent project with Transport Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TPI) illustrates how the design process works at Mack Molding. TPI had an overall concept and ID look for a device that delivers acyclovir, an approved cold sore treatment, directly to the skin at concentrations up to 40 times higher than conventional topical products. They also had a prototype. TPI turned to Mack to validate and verify designs of each component for FDA testing. While TPI carries out the pharmaceutical delivery testing, Mack validates the mechanical design. The final product design will enter into critical Phase II testing in mid-2006.

Rasch says that design challenges with materials and functionality are currently being addressed. “The key to any project of this scope is the project manager. Having one person coordinate all of the individual steps in the process really improves efficiency and makes it possible to meet time constraints.”

Definition of parametric modeling Designing objects by modeling their components with real-world behaviors and attributes. You’ll hear this term a lot when evaluating CAD packages. A parametric modeler is aware of the characteristics of components and the interactions between them and maintains consistent relationships between elements as the model is manipulated. For example, a parametric mechanical modeler would ensure that two holes are always 1 inch apart or that one hole is always offset 2 inches from the edge or that one element is always half the size of another.

Is it time for 3D? To find out if switching to 3D is right for you, read an excerpt from CADCAMNet’s article, “Why Switch to 3D?”

Contact information Alias Systems Corp. (416) 362-9181 | www.alias.com Autodesk Inc. | (415) 507-5000 www.autodesk.com Bemis Contract Group (920) 467-4621 www.bemisplastics.com CADCAMNet | (301) 365-9085 www.cadcamnet.com CAE Services Corp. (630) 761-9898 www.caeservices.com Cimatron Technologies Inc. (248) 596-9700 www.cimatrontech.com CNC Software Inc. | (860) 875-5006 www.mastercam.com Dassault Systemes (818) 999-2500 | www.catia.com Delcam Inc. | (519) 974-8088 www.delcam.com Kubotek USA Inc. | (508) 229-2020 www.kubotekusa.com

This chart represents a portion of the design, analysis, and manufacturing software packages available and their price ranges. It is by no means a complete listing—there are software providers in the CAD/CAM and CAE universe not represented here. Likewise, the price ranges are approximate, and do not include maintenance fees. They are intended to be a starting point in your evaluation. Please check with each vendor or their authorized resellers to get an accurate price, which often depends on volume and other factors.