Blog entry by William dew
In the fast-paced world of product development,product design consultants need tools that offer power, flexibility, and precision. SOLIDWORKS has earned a reputation as one of the most trusted CAD platforms in the industry, and for good reason. It delivers a complete suite of tools that support the entire product design process—from concept to final production—making it an indispensable solution for design professionals.
Seamless Collaboration Across Teams and Clients
Product design is rarely a solo process. Consultants often need to collaborate with engineering teams, manufacturers, and clients. SOLIDWORKS supports collaborative workflows with features like PDM (Product Data Management) and cloud-based 3DEXPERIENCE integration, which ensure that every stakeholder has access to the latest files, revisions, and design intents.
Real-time collaboration tools reduce miscommunication, improve productivity, and keep projects aligned. Consultants can quickly implement feedback, share updated 3D models, and track design history—making client communication more efficient and transparent.
Accurate Simulation and Testing Capabilities
Design consultants don’t just model products—they validate them. SOLIDWORKS Simulation tools allow for in-depth stress testing, thermal analysis, and motion simulation directly within the design environment. These capabilities are essential for evaluating how a product will perform under real-world conditions before it’s ever manufactured.
This not only saves time and cost on prototyping but also builds confidence in design decisions. Consultants can present clients with data-backed insights, ensuring both form and function are optimized early in the design process.
4. Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing Integration
Consultants are often expected to deliver designs that are ready for production or prototyping. SOLIDWORKS simplifies this by offering tools like SOLIDWORKS CAM, which allows users to generate toolpaths and CNC-ready files from within the platform. It also supports integration with 3D printing workflows, making it easy to export models for rapid prototyping.
Additionally, its comprehensive drawing and documentation tools help consultants create detailed technical specs, assembly instructions, and BOMs (Bills of Materials) with minimal effort. These documents are essential for communicating designs to manufacturing partners.
Customization and Automation with DriveWorks
For consultants who work on product variations or custom design configurations, solidworks training integrates seamlessly with DriveWorks, an automation tool that allows for rule-based design. This helps consultants reduce repetitive work and deliver custom design options at scale.
Whether it’s generating new sizes of a product or creating entire configurations for sales teams, automation adds significant value to consulting services—boosting both efficiency and profitability.