3D Design

When the Boeing 777 became the first airliner to be designed entirely using computers, the Computer Aided Design systems used were still the preserve of enormous companies working in big industry.

Now, the power of personal computers has opened up this 3D world to everyone.  The software used by Boeing in 1990 has evolved into the modern desktop systems that allow even the smallest companies to create complex products in the virtual world before a single item is manufactured.

Manufacturers of components have joined in, and now many support the 3D designer by providing models of their own, ready to be incorporated into new designs.  Distributors have a key role to play too, allowing designers to download a vast selection of models from a single source.

The 3D world continues to offer new features.  For companies that need to demonstrate new designs rapidly, the developments in 3D printers allow prototypes to be created in minutes.

3D modelling has become an important market for software companies with a wide array of software. Even Google has got into the game, releasing a free system called Sketchup.

In the 3D Design Centre, we'll try to keep you up to date with some of the latest news in the electronics world and show how 3D might transform your design process.