Will form finally follow function?

Executive Summary

The traditional engineering process saw an engineer creating a design, testing it, and iterating prototypes until the design performed as desired. Although this workflow predates CAD and CAE technology, many manufacturers’ design processes continue to follow it.

The first wave of simulation technology reduced the need to test physical prototypes, but now the role of simulation has evolved beyond just validating CAD models. Finally, the laws of physics are starting to drive product design.

How can an organization efficiently implement simulation-driven product development? The key to developing a cutting-edge design process is to ensure that large changes occur early in the design process. Engineers must strive to find optimal concepts as quickly as possible, balancing complex tradeoffs before detailed CAD work commences.

With the traditional iterative model, engineers are confined in their design, thereby missing breakthroughs that a more novel approach could produce. Without testing performance prior to detailed design in CAD, significant changes arise late in the design process when they can be disruptive and expensive to implement.

Until recently, simulation would lag detailed design because 3D models did not exist until designers finished the CAD models required for simulation. To break this chicken-or-egg dependency, engineers are now introducing an inexpensive, preliminary design phase that vets concept models using simulation before detailed design and design-for-manufacture begin.

This preliminary design process has been proven in niche, high-budget industries where manufacturers can invest in specialized CAD personnel who are dedicated to serving the needs of conceptual engineers.

However, most manufacturers cannot justify the costs and time constraints of adding CAD staff to support the conceptual design process.

For up-front simulation to be successful, engineers need 3D tools that are accessible, powerful, and easy to deploy. Most manufacturers find traditional, detail-oriented CAD systems too expensive and complex to be sensibly deployed to all engineers. However, new 3D tools powered by direct solid modeling finally make it practical for all engineers to work in 3D.

Unlike history-based systems that constrain design edits, emerging direct modeling tools foster creativity and substantive engineering early in the design process. Direct modeling helps engineers evaluate the best approaches before detailed design commences.

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