‘conceptualzation’

Do You Use SolidWorks Concept Work to Rock Your Final Design? [Poll]

14 Apr, 2010 by in CULTURE

So, you’re sitting in a design review with a concept model of the product and the topic quickly changes to schedule. “You can just use that model for the engineering, right,” your boss asks confidently in front of the customer. Now, before your sweat glands burst and your eyes glaze over, rewind a few days.

There’s a discussion going on in the SolidWorks forum where good ol’ Mark Biasotti is asking how you use concepts for a final design and if SolidWorks is a good tool for doing so or if it needs improvements.

It’s a great question and reminds me of a method for creating concept designs we discussed a while back which allows you to try out different variations of a concept. But using that for engineering? Where do you stand?

[poll id="20"]

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A Better ‘Blade’ For Saving Your Drowning Body From the Sharks? Yes.

21 Jul, 2009 by in DESIGN

There are a lot of silly things you can strap to your feet. but when it comes to saving someone’s life, there’s nothing silly about strapping on plastic booties with extendable ‘blades.’

It’s just the concept Edward Shelton of Oxford, UK came up with for his final year project at Loughborough University. Ed developed the Amphibian to aid lifeguards during the beach rescue process. The design was developed and tested with assistance from the Royal National Lifeboat Association (RNLI). Design Blade. Extend Blade. Save Life. Here’s more.
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The Making of… ZWEISTIL. How 3D CAD Could Have Helped, and Couldn’t

07 Jul, 2009 by in DESIGN

I see that look in your eye. You want to see some sweet bicycle convertin’ design that makes falling off your bike and hitting a street sign look like fun again.

Well, here it is. It’s called the ZWEISTIL [two style], named by the designers, Stefan Wallmann and Daniel Knüpfer, for it’s unique variable frame construction that gives you the ability to drop it down cruiser style and turn the heads of the hunnies… or just save some gas.

Stefan fills us in on the greasy details. I think you’ll like the way he explains it.
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Ask the Reader: What Process/Programs Do You Use in Design? Examples?

17 Jun, 2009 by in DESIGN

You are lookin’ sporty. Really, you are stylin’ the design and engineering process like no other and everyone wants to know just how you do it… or at least, we do.

Is it possible that you use more than one process or program to design and engineer products? We may not even realized it if 90% of our day is spent in one program. But, as is the case with many, there’s an insanely complex series of events that put every bit of design into play. What are yours?

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