Prior to the introduction of SolidWorks at Fox International, Chairs and Bed chairs were all designed using the traditional drawing board and then later moved over to 2D AutoCAD. Although useful tools they had many inherent constraints on the concept-development-manufacture time and accurate 3D visualisation of the products prior to receiving first samples from manufacture.

SolidWorks has helped us to address many of the issues within the product development cycle, allowing us to design, review and manufacture products within a reduced time in comparison to relying on 2D design methods. This fact has proved to be especially true in products with large assemblies with increased complexity such as the Chair and Bed chair ranges.

The following list details some of the main benefits of using SolidWorks noticed at Fox International during the design and development of the Chairs and Bed chairs:

• It has become easier and quicker to show current designs, discuss and resolve issues due to the ability to view, section and examine products in 3D on any computer with the use of the SolidWorks and SolidWorks Viewer. Prior to being able to show products in 3D, designs were discussed using 2D drawings as the main method of communication, which sometimes made details and forms hard to distinguish, resulting in the need to wait from manufactured samples in order for all to fully understand complex shape or functionality therefore increasing development time.
  
• SolidWorks has helped in the reduction of time taken to make design modifications to parts once initial samples have been reviewed, allowing drawings to be quickly changed, up issued and returned to the manufacturer.
  
• Finally, SolidWorks has provided us with greater flexibility when it comes to supplying manufacturers with the data they require in a variety of 2D and 3D format. For example, the tool maker who manufacturers the plastic components prefers to work directly from 3D parts using the data to CNC the tools whilst using simplified 2D drawings of the parts for reference, whereas the manufacturer who creates the metal work can only work off 2D manufacturing drawings which can be created easily and at speed once the 3D part has been drawn.

Overall SolidWorks has allowed us to have a much more integrated and smooth running design process, which is allowing Fox International to develop the next generation of Fishing products from simple beads through to Bed chairs. [Case study written by Fox International]