Despite all the best marketing efforts of CAD vendors and compelling articles in the trade media espousing the benefits of 3D design, there are still manufacturers designing products in 2D. You have to look no further than the millions of AutoCAD users still plugging away on the software that is the top seller in the […]
[Alert! Survey and iPad giveaway below.] Technology has brought breathtaking advancements to product development. Or has it? Sure you can design more functional products, test them virtually without physical prototypes, make them smaller, less expensive, and in many industries add aesthetics, ergonomics, and style. But have 3D CAD systems really kept up? Can designers […]
Concept design, the first and arguably the most important phase of product development, often begins with rough sketches, hand drawings, and quickly created 3D models. Once multiple concepts have been generated, debated, queried, tested, refined, and recreated, a concept that best captures the specific criteria and requirements of the design is selected and moved forward […]
When designers are provided with the right tools during the conceptual design stage of new product development, they are empowered to think broadly about a problem; visualize, explore, probe, and fully evaluate many ideas quickly; and ultimately, generate several concept designs that will lead to a better product. These tools should be intuitive and capable […]
Intellectual property is the most important asset of a manufacturer and, if leaked to a competitor, can lead to lost market exclusivity and competitive advantage. Today, IP contained in product concept designs is increasingly at risk, along with the revenue and corporate know-how it represents. The threat to product IP has increased as a result […]
Product design is a cross-functional, knowledge-intensive task that has become increasingly important to the survival of manufacturers in today’s fast-paced, globally competitive economy. The pressure to design and manufacture innovative new products has increased largely because today’s consumers demand greater product variety. Successfully conducting a thorough conceptual design phase and exploring many concept designs is […]
Manufacturers are fully aware that the key to creating innovative new products is in the development of good concept designs or conceptual models. The earliest phase of new product development plays a vital role in the ultimate success of a new product and the prevention of time-consuming and budget-killing changes later in the development cycle. […]
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