Do you enjoy research?

No, I'm not talking about the dry make-you-fall-asleep stuff that are published by professors from universities. I'm talking about research that's relevant to your work life. Statistics and facts that describe what your peers are doing on a day-to-day basis.

Well, I admit it. I do.

I find that nothing cuts through the opinions, positions and debates like some hard facts. That one of the reasons that I'm currently running the 3D Collaboration and Interoperability study. I'll use the findings to publish an infographic-based market report at the end of May.

Most of the time, I enjoy uncovering some best practices and progress made in the industry. But every study carries some ugly realities with it. And, unfortunately, that's the case with the 3D Collaboration and Interoperability study. Ready for a couple ugly early findings?

• 59.0% cited that ENGINEERING exchanges neutral formats with CUSTOMERS
• 65.2% cited that ENGINEERING exchanges neutral formats with SUPPLIERS

The Ugly Truth about Imported Geometry

Tell me this: how much time this week have you spent fixing or rebuilding imported geometry?

That's the rub about wonderful collaboration (insert sarcasm here). There often isn't a frictionless medium for it. At least in the engineering world, exchanging neutral formats between organizations translates into geometry that has holes, unzipped edges and other missing yet important geometry snippets. And of course, you need a sealed solid.

So engineers have plenty of time for that, right? Well… unfortunately, these nasty little geometry issues aren't slated into the development schedule. And when design projects get behind, you know what happens? You work late nights and weekends. That's when it gets personal.

Direct Modeling: A New Hope?

There is some new hope, however. And its not far off in the distance. It's here now.

Direct Modeling approaches provide tools to fix, heal, repair and rebuild imported geometry fast. And the best thing about it is that no features or parameters are required to make changes. You select geometry and push pull or drag it.

Now, as a result, there are some serious implications for the organization and the individual.

Join Us for a Webinar on May 21st

Any of this resonating with you? If so, then we have good news. I'll be hosting a webinar on May 21st covering this exact topic in more depth. I'll have Joshua Walles, Senior Project Engineer, with me to relay some first hand experience of how things have changed for him with Direct Modeling approaches.

You can sign up here.

Come and join us if you can. Take care. Talk soon. And thanks for reading.