CAD Drives Automotive Component Designs to New Heights

Apr 7, 2017 -- Modern automobile is more than just a mere assemblage of components. It is, in fact, the holistic functioning of systems and subsystems of engine, gears, shafts, axels, outer body, screws, nuts-bolt assembly etc. Additionally, to automotive fabricators, almost all automotive products are fabricated as per the customized requirements based on the load carrying capacity, power transmission requirements, pressure, thrust, etc. showed in CAD fabrication drawings of automotive components. With such customized needs, fabricators have to deliver products that ensure trust of proper functioning against heavy investments of resources, time and money.

In order to be able to deliver timely results automotive components fabricators should take assistance from 3D CAD modeling experts. It minimizes engineering change orders, increases transparency in design communication and obtaining intuitive user interface.

To develop automotive component designs, factors such as innovation, value addition and longevity are amongst the prime ones. To meet the demands of new generation user, automotive component design engineers employ custom industrial designs considering aspects like welding, assembly etc. Here is how 3D CAD modeling is boosting the life span of the vehicle.

CAD Driving New Values in Market

With multiple components in any automotive assembly, and each customized; even the smallest bolt or a screw has to function as intended to avoid Noise, Vibration and Harshness - NVH and other hurdles. It is the smaller components that fail rather than the big mechanical failure [of entire assembly] due to gaps in designing and fabrication. To avoid such mechanical failures in automotive assembly, it is important that each assembly linkage mesh with other components and perform motion across the intended path.

Another important technique to avoid mechanical failures is to adopt an uninterrupted fabrication technique that adds value to the component’s functional requirement. 3D CAD models with annotated PMI essentially aid fabricators to drive uninterrupted fabrication processes. Investment by automotive component fabricators in 3D CAD modeling helps them to afore said values their products each time they launch a new product.

Ease of Work Done Offered by CAD

Because of a variety of CAD software such as SolidWorks, Autodesk’s AutoCAD, CREO etc. available in market, sharing and interpreting CAD files has always been a headache to automotive design engineers. Interoperability is a challenge since a multi component assembly is made by importing various components that are usually modeled in different CAD system. But with CAD software along with various plugins for data management, accessing almost all the models in various versions is convenient. IGES/STEP file formats have given a freedom to designer to use any CAD system. It enables seamless flow of data from stakeholder to fabricator and right back again.

CAD Intensifies USPs Of Fabricators and Keeps Them Stay Ahead

Automotive industry is very versatile and includes a range of commercial and heavy duty vehicles for which, each component have varying designs. These components could be anything from incandescent brake lights to gadgets that aids night vision for road works, mining, etc. along with modules that monitor lane departure and others of the kind.

Automotive component fabricators strive to stay ahead in market by delivering quality products, meeting deadlines and inculcating innovation especially when there are several market players. Robust CAD designs not only empower automotive components fabricator with accurate design data sets but also give them reliable output to strongly market their USPs. These USPs help fabricators stay ahead of competition and be the market leaders.

CAD is Paving the Way Ahead

3D CAD modeling is stashing cost overruns and empowering fabricators to compete in international markets. It drives innovation before the current automotive components run out of practice and cause a gap between fabricators, distributors and consumers. CAD drafting and design solutions give a scope of design changes way before the fabrication begins, and reduces idle time on fabrication shop floor.

In the current era when new products are being rolled out faster in low cost automotive markets; fabricators’ strive to remain profitable with maximum gains with optimum investments. 3D CAD part modeling and assemblies empower fabricators to bring more to table with minimum engineering change orders that aims at reducing reworks and scrap.

About Author:

Kashyap Vyas is an Engineer at Hitech CADD Services and holds a Master’s degree in Thermal Engineering with several research papers to his credit. He covers CAD and CAE topics for the engineering industry. His contributions are primarily focused on encouraging manufacturers and suppliers to adopt virtual product development tools to build efficient products with reduced time-to-market.