Dispelling the Myths of 3D Design with SOLIDWORKS

If you are currently using a 2D CAD system and are thinking about moving to 3D design you have probably heard a few myths and may even have some misconceptions of your own surrounding the transition to a solution like SOLIDWORKS. In this post we will address the doubts you might have about moving to 3D and adopting SOLIDWORKS as your new design tool:

• SOLIDWORKS is too difficult – Change is always challenging, but with access to SOLIDWORKS Essentials training—in a classroom near you or online—you will be able to quickly learn the fundamentals. When you have been using the software for a few weeks other specialized Javelin SOLIDWORKS courses can be taken to help you learn job specific skills. To get immediate answers to questions 100s of MySolidWorks tutorial videos are available, and by gaining experience, you’ll discover that SOLIDWORKS is easier to use and a more natural and intuitive approach to designing products in a 3D world.
• The transition requires significant downtime – Many of our customers believed they couldn’t afford the downtime required to move to 3D. But you can move to SOLIDWORKS without adversely affecting productivity by using either a phased transition—moving projects to 3D in phases— or deploying 3D on a pilot project, identifying and addressing any issues prior to a company wide implementation.
• Simple product designs don’t need 3D – Although modeling simple products in 2D may be just as fast, even the most rudimentary products can benefit from 3D because of the ease and speed of design changes, and the additional capabilities that you can apply to 3D data, such as optimizing designs using SOLIDWORKS Simulation tools or taking designs straight to manufacturing and 3D printing all of which is just not possible with 2D.
• We won’t be able to use legacy data – Actually with SOLIDWORKS you can continue to leverage 2D design data using import and utility tools to create 3D models directly from imported 2D data. Or, if you simply want to print or view a drawing, Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS Corporation provides a free 2D application for this purpose called DraftSight®.
• We will lose our 2D tools – SOLIDWORKS includes the capabilities for easily outputting 2D formats — such as drawings, schematics, or machine layouts from 3D design data. Or you have the aforementioned DraftSight software. With SOLIDWORKS, you can still use 2D when and if you need it.

Many of the world’s most innovative products get their start in SOLIDWORKS. The full suite of integrated solutions branches into every area of product development, providing the most comprehensive innovation platform in the industry. SOLIDWORKS solutions are designed for ease of use, enabling you to become more productive faster, and focus on creating innovative designs, not on CAD.

Take the next step in 3D Design

Fill out the form below to download the Tech-Clarity (independent research firm) White Paper: “Changing CAD Tools? What You Should Know” to find out how easy it can be to make a switch to 3D design… and what business benefits await once you’ve made the switch.

Switching CAD Systems White Paper