AUCKLAND, New Zealand - The move from 2D drafting to 3D engineering has paid dividends for New Zealand firm Napier Engineering and Contracting (NEC), eliminating manufacturing floor errors and raising the bar on customer service.

That's the view of NEC General Manager Lorenzo Haupt, who first used SolidWorks - the industry-leading 3D software supplied locally by CAD/CAM specialist Intercad - in his time as an engineer in South Africa before migrating to New Zealand.

"SolidWorks is number one by virtue of its ease-of-use and functionality, but more than anything it's streets ahead of the old 2D 'drafting' software we were using before, and in another league entirely from manual drawings which, believe it or not, are still being used in the industry today," he says.

NEC is in the process of recreating its legacy drawings in SolidWorks, and has completed almost 7,000 to date. Haupt says the process has allowed the company not only to create a repository of easily-accessible digital files, but also to improve on older designs.

"SolidWorks allows us to freely experiment with different materials, tweaking our designs and making better decisions for the customer," he says. "It's improved our manufacturing process to the point where shopfloor errors have virtually been eliminated, and gives customers a tangible design to work with so they know exactly what they're getting before production begins."

Founded in 1890, NEC is today an international market leader in the design and manufacture of telecommunication, transmission and substation structures, as well as specialised equipment for the meat production industry. The company has completed major telecommunication tower projects in Australasia, and is busy with numerous projects overseas. It has also supplied the Australasian meat industry with complete manufacturing solutions for its processing requirements, from production to preparation.

"Moving to a 3D environment gives engineers and designers the freedom to experiment with different 'what if' scenarios, which they can then present to customers as prototype designs," says Sarah Berlini, NZ country manager, Intercad. "SolidWorks reduces wastage because designers don't have to start again if there's an error in the prototype - it's all virtual. Assembly time is also reduced because all the trial-and-error happens in the computer."

Haupt concurs: "We've been in business a long time, so our products are tried and tested. Improving customer service requires adjusting to today's technology, and Intercad has helped us in this respect by guiding us through the deployment and use of SolidWorks and its key features as they relate to our business.

"The next step is to embrace SolidWorks' analysis functionality so we can refine and innovate our products, and create new products with the help of the software's intelligent modelling features. We're actively hiring people already trained in SolidWorks, which is important given that it's the standard 3D platform for our industry."   

About SolidWorks Corporation
SolidWorks Corporation, a Dassault Systèmes S.A. (Nasdaq: DASTY, Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) company, develops and markets software for design, analysis, and product data management. It is the leading supplier of 3D CAD technology, giving teams intuitive, high-performing software that helps them design better products. For the latest news, information, or an online demonstration, visit the company's Web site (www.solidworks.com) or call +1-978-371-5000. 

About Intercad Pty Ltd

Intercad Pty Ltd is the leading distributor of SolidWorks in Australia and New Zealand. Intercad Pty Ltd is an Australian-owned company specialising in Mechanical Computer-Aided Engineering, Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (MCAE/CAD/CAM) solutions. Established in 1989 with offices in each major state capital in Australia and in New Zealand, its core activities include software sales, training and consulting services as well as technical support. For more information please visit http://www.intercad.co.nz/ or call Intercad's head office on 09 525 9870.