How can you balance speed and accuracy in CAD work?

Start with the basics. Going back to the beginning could help you acknowledge something simple you may have forgotten. It’s good practice to refresh the memory.

Many CAD packages offer a wide variety of tools that complement a given design process. It is also useful to recognise that not every role using CAD requires in-depth knowledge of every tool available in a given CAD package. Understanding the core tools needed to get a specific job done is essential. Understanding the best practice for these core functionalities and the approach required to fulfil the design objective can also take time to master. Therefore, best practice is the main consideration here and if working on your own or in a team, having a standardised approach to best practice workflows will ensure that everyone understanding how things have been created, how things can be edited and how things should be designed in the future.

Understanding the bigger picture when planning your design project can be a daunting task, but is essential to the success of a given design. We all know that designs can change over time, so documenting scope and objectives early on help define the project roadmap and allow us to build a timeline that suits the timescales associated with the project. Having access to key specifications and industry standards, alongside understanding how to incorporate these into a design using best practice design methodologies help the designer progress towards the end goal quickly. If good documentation and processes are implemented early on, the designer can focus on the important requirements to ensure accuracy where it is needed the most.

Templates and libraries are a key contributor where speed and accuracy is concerned. Using a template that has been pre-loaded with standard information helps reduce repetition and ensures standard information is always present. Template information can also help speed up tasks required for downstream workflows. Libraries help designers store and reuse key design information and therefore managing inhouse or supplier libraries commonly used in designs ensure the correct information is available when needed.

Understanding and following best practices in a busy design office is crucial to speed and accuracy. For example, If a team of designers have a standardised approach to their pre-sales design workflow, building on this design after receiving the purchase order should flow with ease. It is very easy to pickup bad habits if a standardised approach is not outlined by senior members of a team. Building a standardised way of working whilst empowering the whole team can be a successful way to ensure best practice approach is followed and managed successfully. Therefore, open and honest team collaboration when outlining standardised best practices, helps build trust within this type of approach and generally increases the teams productivity.

Reviewing and testing a product could happen before, during and after the design process. Some procedures may include the following; relevant pre-calculations made to ensure the design is feasible. Hand calculations can be backed up with finite element analysis conducted by the designer throughout the design process and again maybe by a quality department as proof of concept. Once designed, manufacturing feasibility checks may also occur to see if the product can be manufactured successfully. Accompanying documents such as technical drawings should also be reviewed and potential concepts checked to ensure the right information is available and the product can be produced successfully. Other review and testing could include rapid prototype.

In my experience attending product update training, keeping up to date with "What's new" presentations in CAD releases always helps inspire CAD designers. Being open to change and more efficient ways of doing things should be any designers outlook. People get stuck in the "way they have always done things", so as a designer who wants to balance speed with accuracy they should be keeping up the the most recent product and industry trends and looking for ways to improve their processes. Also, feedback from piers, customer insights and industry expert will help a designer grow and navigate the ever changing landscape. Obtaining industry recognised certifications regularly help prove designers knowledge and competency with a given CAD product.

Things to consider the help balance speed with accuracy with CAD work; Standardisation/automation of regular tasks helps creates time for better innovation. Make standardisation a team effort and create a trusted process that people want to follow. Be proactive to constructive feedback and open to change and better ways of doing things. Don't be afraid to fail, as this is a great opportunity to learn. Regularly review processes/strategies and learn from what has been done in the past and make change if better ways are presented. Empower your team to learn and keep up-to-date with the latest industry trends and CAD Tool improvements. Contact Leading CAD Providers for training and certification and build a good expert relationship.