3D CAD modelling still failing to hit the button

Just over half (51%) of the sites in the UK’s mechanical engineering sector that have CAD are using 3D software, up 1% on last year. And although more companies are indicating their intention to move over to 3D from 2D in the future than did last year, there remains no headlong rush. These are the top line findings of telephone research among managers responsible for design/development at 262 engineering sites, conducted by Business Advantage Group in January and just released. Of the half that have taken up 3D, just 10% (5% of the total) are using 3D only, while 90% use both 2D and 3D. And nearly a quarter (24%) of those not using 3D (12% of the total) say they are planning to do so at some time in the future, compared with 18% last year. Yet 68% of sites only using 2D said they have no plans to adopt 3D. The survey confirms the tragedy for a significant proportion of UK engineering and manufacturing companies. These have still apparently failed, after all years of evidence to the contrary, to comprehend the overwhelming advantages of moving to 3D – not just at the design and development stages (though here they are incontrovertible) but on into manufacturing and beyond. They are missing out on speed, efficiency, collaboration and ultimately profitability opportunities that will see them left behind by their competitors – here and abroad. The cultural re-assessment and retraining required to get the best out of 3D are not trivial, but it is little short of astonishing that so many have chosen not to bite the bullet and thereby to risk biting the dust. And for doubters, the research’s findings that of sites using 3D, 60% said solid modelling had increased productivity (and 31% even more than expected), while just 25% said it hadn’t, ought to serve as a wake up call. Incidentally, the survey also finds half of those not planning to move up to 2D saying that 3D isn’t relevant to their business, and a third insisting that 2D is adequate to their needs. For some the benefits may not be that great – but not for that many. Meanwhile, the same research also finds that use of rapid prototyping software, dependent on 3D has risen to 15% of sites – with a further 11% considering it for future use. Seems it is slowly spreading beyond its automotive and aerospace sector roots – although of the few harnessing the technique 87% use bureau facilities, and most users are evenly split between saying usage will remain the same or grow.