{"id":149,"date":"2009-01-19T04:19:32","date_gmt":"2009-01-19T12:19:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/?p=149"},"modified":"2011-03-16T13:23:30","modified_gmt":"2011-03-16T21:23:30","slug":"challenges-in-transitioning-from-2d-to-3d","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/?p=149","title":{"rendered":"Challenges in Transitioning from 2D to 3D"},"content":{"rendered":"

The CAD industry is so far along now that the discussion for many is no longer 2D CAD vs 3D CAD, but methodologies within the 3D CAD (such as direct modelling vs history modelling).\u00a0 However, the adaption of 3D CAD applications such as SolidWorks is still on-going.\u00a0 Many companies are still using 2D CAD applications. \u00a0Why does it take so long for many companies to make the transition when the benefits of 3D CAD seem to be so apparent?<\/p>\n

I think Jeff Ray, CEO of\u00a0DS SolidWorks Corp, properly identified this problem in an interview for the recent article CAD Tools: Breaking Barriers<\/em> by Linda L. Bell (NASA Tech Briefs<\/em>, Jan 2009 issue). \u00a0In part, he states that when a company considers making the transition to 3D CAD “the pain of change has to be less than the pain of the status quo.” \u00a03D CAD still needs to be easy to access and use.\u00a0 It also needs to be robust enough to be a design tool for those users that demand more from their applications.\u00a0 On speaking about how SolidWorks has answered the need to make this transition easier, Ray states, “our last two releases have included a new user interface [where] the workflow predicts which tools the users will need and makes them readily available.”<\/p>\n

Even still, there are many challenges to making the transition.\u00a0 These involve learning a whole new way of working.\u00a0 For example, when one\u00a0draws a square, it doesn’t stay a square.\u00a0 It can become a cube, rectagular rod or a plate.\u00a0 It can also become a recess or square hole\u00a0in another feature.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Once one gets a grasp on these concepts, setting up the new 3D CAD software to work within the company’s documentation system can seem even more challenging.\u00a0 This is one area that seems to missed (or at least not implemented fully)\u00a0by many of the 3D CAD applications.\u00a0 Having the ability to make drawings isn’t the end of it.\u00a0 Communication with PLM’s and ERP’s is just as important in many companies.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As my friend Chris MacCormack has recently pointed out<\/a>, management of the 3D CAD files themselves must also be addressed.\u00a0 With one or two users, this matter solves itself with simple use of folders.\u00a0 However, as departments expand and companies grow, solutions for the raising difficulties change.\u00a0 Of course, this must also be addressed with 2D CAD applications, but it is a much more complex matter with 3D CAD applications.<\/p>\n

Most of us first address these issues with wide-eyed innocence.\u00a0Upon going through this once, that becomes innocence lost.\u00a0 To consider the transition from 2D CAD to 3D CAD, all of the above must be taken into consideration, and actually other issues too.\u00a0 To improperly paraphrase Uncle Ben<\/a>, with the great power enjoyed with the use of 3D CAD comes great responsibility in how it is used.<\/p>\n

Now, it is understood that 3D CAD applications are not useful to all CAD users.\u00a0 But if the field is mechanical engineering, it is very likely 3D CAD going to be worth the transition from 2D.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The CAD industry is so far along now that the discussion for many is no longer 2D CAD vs 3D CAD, but methodologies within the 3D CAD (such as direct modelling vs history modelling).\u00a0 However, the adaption of 3D CAD applications such as SolidWorks is still on-going.\u00a0 Many companies are still using 2D CAD applications. … Continue reading “Challenges in Transitioning from 2D to 3D”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[284,9,11],"tags":[396,397,398,401,402,400,1562,399],"series":[],"class_list":["post-149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial","category-methodology","category-news","tag-2d","tag-3d","tag-cad","tag-chris-maccormack","tag-erp","tag-jeff-ray","tag-plm","tag-transitioning-challenges"],"yoast_head":"\nChallenges in Transitioning from 2D to 3D - SolidWorks Legion<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/?p=149\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Challenges in Transitioning from 2D to 3D - SolidWorks Legion\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The CAD industry is so far along now that the discussion for many is no longer 2D CAD vs 3D CAD, but methodologies within the 3D CAD (such as direct modelling vs history modelling).\u00a0 However, the adaption of 3D CAD applications such as SolidWorks is still on-going.\u00a0 Many companies are still using 2D CAD applications. … Continue reading "Challenges in Transitioning from 2D to 3D"\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/?p=149\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SolidWorks Legion\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2009-01-19T12:19:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2011-03-16T21:23:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"fcsuper\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@swsuper\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@swsuper\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"fcsuper\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/?p=149#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/?p=149\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"fcsuper\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/#\/schema\/person\/859d9f25668554f7193852892dbad92b\"},\"headline\":\"Challenges in Transitioning from 2D to 3D\",\"datePublished\":\"2009-01-19T12:19:32+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2011-03-16T21:23:30+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/?p=149\"},\"wordCount\":524,\"commentCount\":5,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/#\/schema\/person\/859d9f25668554f7193852892dbad92b\"},\"keywords\":[\"2D\",\"3D\",\"CAD\",\"Chris MacCormack\",\"ERP\",\"Jeff Ray\",\"PLM\",\"transitioning. challenges\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Editorial\",\"Methodology\",\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/?p=149#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/?p=149\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.fcsuper.com\/swblog\/?p=149\",\"name\":\"Challenges in Transitioning from 2D to 3D - 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