Concept Modeling

SpaceClaim enables engineers to easily visualize, communicate, and evaluate designs in 3D in order to achieve new levels of product innovation. The SpaceClaim user interface allows both non-CAD experts and seasoned CAD professionals to refine and optimize concepts before locking down the design in a traditional CAD package.  Traditional CAD is ideal for your existing core CAD design work and documentation, while using SpaceClaim to produce models quickly and easily, on the fly and in a fraction of the time.

Challenge

Traditional history-based CAD software was designed to constrain models for manufacturing documentation and is not appropriate for the concept phase of product development. Using a CAD specialist to support concept modeling can be slow and expensive. Turnaround can take weeks and cost thousands of dollars. Also, use of traditional CAD early in the design process can stifle innovation. Often, engineers make the mistake of modeling in traditional CAD too early, locking down the design before it is optimized across departments. Critical factors in accelerating the design process are time-to-concept and fast, clear communication between project stakeholders, such as physical architects, project managers, CAE analysts, and sales engineers.    

Solution

SpaceClaim enables an expanded use of 3D in the concept modeling phase. SpaceClaim’s unique user interface enables engineers to work in 3D but, it is not a lifestyle tool. Engineers don’t need to use SpaceClaim daily to remain proficient, and engineers who aren’t CAD specialists -- and don’t want to be -- can learn SpaceClaim in hours not weeks.   

• Create new concept models quickly and easily that you can share with your customers, R&D engineers, CAE analysts, manufacturing and the CAD team
• Merge data from various CAD formats, supplier components, and in-house CAD data in one environment
• Pinpoint product cost early and increase profitability
• Eliminate surprises late in the design process and last-minute ECO's
• Copy and paste from old models into new ones, regardless of origin
• Collaborate in real-time with your design team in 3D
• Create photorealistic rendering before going to detailed design in CAD

Advantages

• Rapidly produce sophisticated 3D models
• Quickly converge on the right engineering solutions
• Learn 3D in hours instead of days or weeks
• Easily open and edit all popular CAD formats
• All necessary stakeholders can contribute to the concept

Benefits

• Decrease time-to-market by 30% or more
• Lower total cost of ownership, saving thousands in training
• Reduce ECO’s late in the process where they are most expensive
• Improve final design
• Increase iterations by four to five times in the same time period during concept phase

Features

• Use four simple tools for majority of functions to create new models and modify existing models: Pull, Move, Fill, and Combine
• History-free (feature-free) design environment supports multiple design scenarios and evolving ideas during design reviews
• Create stylized geometry with Tweak Face tool
• Turn parts into assemblies or assemblies into parts using the Combine tool
• Use standard Microsoft office tools like Cut, Copy, and Paste to work on geometry for fast ideation from existing designs
• Work with 3D or 2D cross-section geometry easily
• Import or export of most data formats with unrivaled interoperability
• Import images and trace over them with the Sketch tool to begin modeling in 3D
• Import video files and play them on the model to bring the concept to life
• Speed system packaging and configuration with constraint-free assembly tools
• Enable 2D and 3D communication and collaboration with 3D Markup, Notations, Dimensions, and Drawing tools
• Evaluate different material design scenarios with Material, Library, and Mass Properties tools
• Create a BOM to evaluate weights and lengths for cost calculations
• Use Luxion KeyShot for fast photo-realistic customer images
• Integrate with leading CAE packages to help drive simulation-driven product development