CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
3 March 2008
Product News
SolidWorks’ 3D ContentCentral 2008 Further Unites Global Engineering Community
SolidWorks Corporation unveiled the 3D ContentCentral® 2008 software service, the latest update of its online community that allows engineers to download and share content globally, helping them to save time and design more innovative products.
3D ContentCentral is free to registered engineers and designers who use it to share design information across geographies, sharing 3D models and 2D drawings with other design teams, regardless of their CAD system. Key enhancements in 3D ContentCentral 2008 include:
• support for more content types, including parts/assemblies for almost all CAD tools, as well as 2D blocks, SolidWorks® software macros, and library features;
• community features, including content search, user ratings, and tools to request content from the community all give engineers more information about content creators;
• personalization features, such as “My3DCC” enable users to create their own area of the site to help focus on their particular needs; and
• improved content upload tools that let engineers upload content by simply dragging and dropping.
3D ContentCentral’s network of designers continues to grow, with more than 360,000 registered users around the world. The site averages more than one million model views and downloads combined per month. In the past six months, the site has logged more than 16 million page views and 600,000 3D model or 2D drawing downloads.
“I use SolidWorks macros to automate CAD processes,” said Colin Fitzpatrick, mechanical designer at avionics product supplier Securaplane Technologies. “3D ContentCentral 2008 has become more of a one-stop shop for me – a place where I can find and configure the components I need, the pre-built macros to save time, and the partners/suppliers to streamline and improve development.”
Engineers can streamline product development with 3D ContentCentral by finding and configuring the part they need from online catalogs in seconds, not weeks. They can then check precise form and fit by downloading the model or drawing directly into their designs, ensuring the parts they’re buying work with their design. 3D catalogs save product designers valuable design time they would otherwise spend searching through paper catalogs or talking on the phone with the supplier’s sales support staff to find and configure a supplier component.
The 3D-enabled catalogs available on 3D ContentCentral showcase everything from sensors to large motors. Components from global suppliers such as SMC Corp. of America, Misumi USA, Inc., CarrLane, Omron, and Bimba Manufacturing Co. are among those featured on 3D ContentCentral. All 3D components can be conveniently accessed for free via SolidWorks’ 3D ContentCentral service.
“Getting at the right resources is essential to success in the world of product design,” said Austin O’Malley, SolidWorks’ chief technology officer. “3D ContentCentral 2008 gives the design community global access to usable, accurate content they need to design better products. It also fuels the information sharing that lets companies of any size effectively compete in their markets, both locally and abroad.”
Learn more about 3D ContentCentral from the tour video available at: http://www.3Dcontentcentral.com (select ‘Tour the site’- at lower left).
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