Collaboration aids web-based component selection

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Apr 15, 2002

SolidWorks and GlobalSpec have joined forces to help manufacturers' customers find technical components and systems more easily and ensure that they fit exactly into their product designs.

SolidWorks and GlobalSpec have joined forces to help manufacturers' customers find technical components and systems more easily and ensure that they fit exactly into their next generation product designs.

This strategic alliance pairs GlobalSpec's SpecSearch Pro product, an e-catalogue solution with specification-based search capabilities, and SolidWorks 3D PartStream.NET, which enables manufacturing customers to view and download 2D drawings and 3D computer-aided design models.

The integrated technologies will help engineers reduce the time it takes to search for vendor components and incorporate them into their designs, and greatly enhance a component manufacturer's ability to provide fast, accurate component discovery on its website.

Design engineers share a common frustration when it comes to specifying the right components for their designs - it takes too long.

GlobalSpec and SolidWorks have solved that problem.

Using GlobalSpec's SpecSearch technology, SpecSearch Pro allows engineers to hone their searches on a manufacturer's website by including specific parameters so they can find the parts they seek much more quickly than poring over paper-based catalogues.

For example, to search for an electrical component, Web users would base their searches on a range of industry-standard attributes such as voltage and size.

Once they have found the part with the attributes they need, they can use 3D PartStream.NET to view and download a 3D solid model or 2D drawing of the part directly from the manufacturer's online catalogue into their own product designs to make sure the part fits.

"We founded GlobalSpec because of our own frustrations as engineers, spending days hunting for just the right component", said John Schneiter, president of GlobalSpec.

"By combining these two technologies, we're simplifying that process and helping component manufacturers increase sales.

Studies have shown that 80% of customers who download CAD models into their designs buy the corresponding product.

Integrating 3D PartStream.NET into SpecSearch Pro helps component manufacturers ensure that customers incorporate their products into the end product design".

GlobalSpec has further streamlined product searches by creating its own web-based product discovery gateway through which component manufacturers can expose their products to over 250,000 engineers, purchasing managers, and research and development professionals.

With 3D PartStream.NET and SpecSearch Pro, suppliers have an opportunity to attract new prospects and keep them coming back by offering downloadable CAD models via GlobalSpec's online database as well as through their own corporate online catalogues.

"First, it takes time to find the right product.

Then, it takes time to ensure the product fits exactly into your design", said Bob Noftle, general manager for 3D Content Solutions at SolidWorks Corporation.

"Together, these technologies remove the headaches and the exhaustive time spent during the product specification process.

By offering this capability, component manufacturers can attract new customers and allow them to focus on developing new designs rather than hunting for days for the right bearing and then drawing the component from scratch".