Cambridge Design Technology, PTC Creo & Root Solutions

Back in August 2016 we wrote about our skills in 3D modelling application PTC Creo and our relationship with Root Solutions, who we’ve worked with for many years.

Since then, the tool has moved on is now at version 7.0.

For Cambridge Design Technology, Creo continues to provide a scalable range of 3D CAD product design and development tools which form an essential part of our overall capability.

All clients who work with us do so because of our ability to innovate, deliver outstanding 3D product and technology design quality and work to deadlines to provide faster time to value.

Creo plays an important in this, and also helps us maintain a high level of cost effectiveness whilst at the same time focusing on the service innovation and quality our clients demand.

Here at Cambridge Design Technology, we have been using PTC Creo since 1992, back when it was known as Pro/ENGINEER.

In this article we explain why we continue to use Creo in our tool set and talk about the importance of our long-term partnership with Root Solutions who supply and support us along the way.

Creo 7.0

PTC Creo is one of the original CAD packages and in our opinion continues to be a

global leader alongside other pioneering and leading-edge product design software tools such as Solidworks.

Creo is used by the design and engineering community around the world not just to create 3D models, but also to explore how different elements of a product might work together as well as carrying out stress analysis testing.

As designers, we need to be able to use our design tools to create superior and innovative product designs at speed and cost effectively, but Creo extends that capability by allowing us to create product designs specifically for 3D printing and additive manufacturing applications.

Key features of Creo for Cambridge Design Technology

Creo 7.0 offers some exciting and innovative features for us as product designers.

Generative design capability

Firstly, PTC refers to Creo as “generative design software”. In essence this is software which can be used to autonomously create designs from a defined set of system design requirements and goals.

By using specific parameters such as preferred materials and manufacturing processes, our designers can use Creo’s generative engine to produce manufacture-ready design, dramatically speeding up timescales from concept to production readiness.

Real time design feedback

A key factor in our ability to reduce time-to-value for product or manufacturing clients is cutting the number of times we have return to the drawing board.

By reducing the number of iteration stages, for example by picking up problems or design issues at an earlier stage and reducing the number of prototype models required, we can both cut the time to value and keep costs under control.

Creo Simulation Live provides instant and proactive feedback in real time as we work on CAD designs, reducing trial and error work by modelling how the design will operate and behave in real world conditions.

Additive manufacturing and 3D printing optimisation

At Cambridge Design Technology our preferred prototyping partner is Prototype Projects.  They offer a range of 3D printing and additive manufacturing services such as SLA, SLS and FDM, using technologies based on different manufacturer platforms.

Creo’s 3D printing features offer us the capability to create designs specifically for additive manufacturing, and to optimise parts for production, for example building in lattice structures.

It also allows us to spot issues that may impact on the printability of our designs.

Core capabilities

We find certain aspects of Creo’s capabilities particularly useful, including:

• Unite – to open and manipulate multi-CAD files
• Flexible modelling – to modify geometry with no history
• Freestyle sub-divisional modelling – for rapid freeform surface creation and concept generation.

We’ve been using Creo for 28 years to create designs for our clients at speed, which in an ever-faster and more competitive world is critically important.

Delays in product or technology design, with the knock-on effect to development and production are absolutely key to the success and profitability of a new innovation, which is why Creo – along with Solidworks – continues to be our design platform of choice.

Root Solutions and Cambridge Design Technology

We have discussed in recent blog posts our strong belief in partnering with complementary organisations who share our values and principles.

Among the services we can deliver through and with our valued partners are:

• Prototyping, 3D printing and Additive Manufacturing of new product designs
• Protecting yourIntellectual Property with patent law
• Using SolidWorks CAD software to create the product design

As is generally the case with many of our other partners, we have enjoyed a long and fruitful working relationship with Root Solutions since 2002.

Root Solutions have PTC-accredited platinum status, meaning they offer the very highest levels of service, support and PTC-certified training – critically important for product design consultants such as Cambridge Design Technology.

Our partnership with Root Solutions means we have access to up-to-date Creo expertise and support – on the rare occasions that our own expertise needs a boost.

To stay on top of developments, we regularly attend trade events run by Root Solutions and others, so we remain fully apprised of new Creo features and imminent version updates.

Root Solutions also ensure we receive regular news, product demonstrations and hints and tips that we can use in our client work. Roger French, Managing Director of Root Solutions says of Cambridge Design Technology:

“I have seen first-hand some of the excellent design work done by Cambridge Design Technology for clients across the UK. Their strong reputation has been well earned by Jon and his colleagues and we are delighted to be their support provider for Creo.”

For more information about Cambridge Design Technology and how we can use Creo for your product or engineering design project, call Jon Plumb now on 01787 377106 or email info@cambridge-dt.com