Product category:
3D CAD software
News Release from: Siemens PLM Software | Subject: Solid Edge
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 08 October 2004
Williams innovates in medical design
With Solid Edge at the core of its design process, Williams Medical Supplies is aiming to expand the revenue it generates through the design and distribution of its own products.
Williams Medical Supplies, traditionally a reseller of a range of medical supplies, set up its Technical Development Department to enhance the design of medical products currently available on the market using UGS' Solid Edge CAD solution With Solid Edge at the core of its design process, Williams Medical Supplies aims to expand the existing figure of GBP 10 million revenue that it currently generates through the design and distribution of its own products
"Our aim is to innovate to enhance current medical tools, taking a routine surgical instrument like a needle holder or fibre optic light source and bringing something new to the design that will provide significant benefit to the end user", said Robert Steele, Director of Technical Development at Williams Medical Supplies.
The design and manufacture of Williams Medical Supplies' day surgery operating table, Opmaster Series 4, typifies the company's approach.
The enhanced design allows a patient to be examined, operated on and recover on the same table.
"We took into consideration the need to protect the patient as they went through the various medical processes while balancing the requirement for good access during surgery", said Steele.
The final solution included cot-side rails, which allow accessibility during surgery and afford good protection to the patient when in the latched up position.
Using Solid Edge's 3D environment, Williams Medical Supplies was able to model parts of the table and run a number of analyses, such as collision analysis, interference analysis and motion simulation at this stage - considerably speeding up the design process.
"We were able to sit down with the sales and marketing team during the initial stages and get their feedback on the design".
"As a result we were able to move more rapidly to the manufacturing process".
"Essentially, designers don't always get it right, but with Solid Edge we were able to rehearse the design, thereby minimising the risk of getting it wrong".
"In fact, we were almost able to dispense with the prototyping phase and go straight into manufacturing", added Steele.
Williams Medical Supplies bought Solid Edge from Solid Applications - UGS' largest UK business partner.
Solid Applications implemented the software and provides ongoing support.
Solid Edge is powerful 3D CAD software that allows manufacturing companies to "design with insight" and achieve competitive advantage through cost reduction, while increasing top line revenues.
The exclusive Solid Edge Insight technology embeds design management capabilities directly within CAD, providing insight into design intent to the entire organisation and enhancing collaboration.
Insight, complemented by Solid Edge's superior core modelling and process workflows, greatly eases the design of increasingly complex products required to meet continually changing market demands.
The extensive Solid Edge user community is comprised of designers at thousands of companies worldwide, including Alcoa, NEC Engineering, and Volvo.
The Solid Edge Voyager Programme includes 200 integrated engineering software applications and computer hardware solutions.
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