How 3D CAD Modeling Enhances the Efficiency of Furniture Manufacturers
The remarkable capabilities of parametric 3D CAD modeling have made many manufacturers transition from traditional 2D drawings to intuitive 3D models. Its ability to seamlessly adapt in-trend customization and furniture designs makes it a prominent choice among manufacturers.
3D CAD modeling tool brings the designer, manufacturer, and other stakeholders on the same page, keeping them informed about all the changes and ongoing development. In no time, one can develop a new design by making changes in the existing design, which saves time and improves productivity.
To understand how 3D CAD modeling has become the most promising tool let us first look at the challenges faced by furniture manufacturers in the traditional design approach.
Challenges of a furniture manufacturer
Need for accurate design intent
Most of the time, what a furniture manufacturer receives as a design is just a 2D drawing designed on paper and some furniture specifications. Such designs do not pass the critical information about the product including the purpose and justification for specific design decisions. Although one can start the manufacturing process with the above information, the challenges can clearly be seen as the process begins. As a result, lots of back-and-forth communication happens for design clarification, impacting the overall productivity of the furniture manufacturer.Sufficient manufacturing information for material
Another factor that hampers a furniture manufacturer's productivity is insufficient manufacturing information about the material. The designs with limited material information often frustrate the manufacturer as he has to halt his work for information gathering. To access such information, the manufacturer has to refer to an external resource, which increases errors and production time.Meeting custom demands of customers
In a traditional manufacturing process, only primary materials such as Metal, Wood, Glass, etc., are available for consideration and selection. In today's competitive market, the customer does want to settle for less. Instead, he comes with a customized demand for furniture. He has his own choice of material, fabric, and design, which the primary manufacturing materials cannot meet.
These were a few of the challenges that most furniture manufacturers face today. 3D CAD modeling addresses all such challenges with an automated, reusable, and tech-driven drafting solution. Here are some of the remarkable features of 3D CAD modeling that enhance the efficiency of furniture manufacturers and improve customer experience.
How 3D CAD modeling addresses these challenges:
1. Comprehensive design concept model
Furniture designing is an iterative process. It starts with a new idea or a market demand and ends with a model that fills the need or embodies the concept. From defining specifications, determining function structure, evaluating concepts, developing layouts, to preparing detailed drawings, each phase passes significant information to the other.
3D CAD modeling eases this challenge efficiently and effectively. It saves all the information, which the furniture manufacturer or other stakeholder might need later in time, in one file. Anyone who wants to view the information of a specific part of the design can simply jump to the 3D CAD platform and get all the required information from that file.
Not only this, if the furniture manufacturer or any other stakeholder changes the file content, the solution keeps a record of changes to keep all users on the same page. All this reduces iterations, fastens design approvals, and speeds up the entire manufacturing process.
2. Ability to derive shop drawings from approved models
The CAD modeling tool gives you a new and efficient way to design 2D shop drawings from approved furniture models. It helps you create a comprehensive 2D drawing with detailed instructions and specifications in reference to the approved model shared by the manufacturer. The best part about such 2D CAD drawings is that you can easily modify and reuse them whenever required.
For example, you can easily modify a single-seater sofa design for a larger capacity by modifying the existing drawing instead of starting from scratch. This is a great way to maintain consistency in shop drawings. Since the model was already approved, the chances of getting the design errors and Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) from the shop floor decreases.
Furniture manufacturer saves 70% of design cycle time through CAD 3D design modeling.
A UK-based client from the furniture design and manufacturing space needed to transform their conceptual sketches into detailed CAD drawings with manufacturing details and instructions. The inability to pass accurate intent through hand-drawn sketches was hampering the manufacturing process.
Hitech CADD Services engineers developed comprehensive 2D CAD drawings & 3D models with manufacturing details, which resulted in:
70% reduction in the overall design cycle
60% reduction in design costs
45% reduction in transportation cost due to knockdown design approach
Enhanced quality
3. Opportunities to leverage design automation for mass customization
To be able to fulfill mass customization orders, you need to automate your design process. The traditional paper drawing approach won't help you in this case. Instead, it will slow down your design cycle and increase operational costs. A minor iteration in one design will make you change the design of all the drawings, and in worse cases, you may need to start from scratch all over again.
CAD modeling introduces you to top-notch automation and configuration tools such as DriveWorks and Tacton that help reduce the cost of custom designs and enhance product quality. These tools give you the ability to automate custom designs and accelerate design cycles using 3D CAD modeling tools.
Hitech CADD Services team delivers faster design cycle for furniture manufacturer
A UK-based client from the furniture manufacturing space faced challenges in incorporating manufacturing needs in design models. The existing 2D working environment was leading to unnecessary human errors and rework.
Hitech CADD Services furniture designers helped the client to have a seamless transition from 2D to the 3D environment with DFM Strategies, which offered:
reduced ECOs
reduced design development cycle
reduced engineering lead time
enabled custom design manufacturing
4. Informed decision making with material information
3D CAD models are always developed considering the material. It allows you to change any information saved in the design without breaking the chain of information shared between the design engineer, manufacturer, and other stakeholders. It keeps a record of every change, be it a change in the material type or a component, to ensure drawings and manufacturing information. It brings better-decision making and more awareness to the process.
Retail furniture manufacturer gets effective assembly and installation guides
A UK-based client from the furniture manufacturing space faced challenges in delivering technical information in his manufacturing drawings. The insufficient information restricted the service engineers from providing an effective assembly and installation of made-to-measure products.
Hitech CADD Services engineers developed the installation guides and assembly guides from the existing drawings. The team also reverse-engineered the available inventory to deliver a novel shop-fitting product to the client.
Results:
Significant reduction in material waste and damages
Improved communications among the team
Sorted tools to carry on site
Developed new products by using the existing inventory
Conclusion
As a manufacturer, you always aim to offer exceptional design services to your customers who approach you with a custom furniture design requirement. For the same, your services need to be versatile, quick, and up to the mark. With 3D CAD modeling, you not only automate the furniture design process but also improve communication among the stakeholders. With interactive 3D models, you essentially meet the custom furniture design requirements with minimum iterations, which boosts productivity and delights the customer.
About the Author:
Usha B. Trivedi is an engineer and she contributes in-depth articles for mechanical and industrial equipment designs, furniture designs, and the fabrication sector. Her contributions are primarily focused on enabling engineering professionals, furniture manufacturers, and fabricators to optimize design outcomes through CAD and CAE tools.