Speeding up engineering with design automation
For manufacturers of highly customised products, balancing configurations with accuracy and efficiency can be a constant challenge. As product complexity grows, so does the risk of errors, delays, and inefficiencies. DriveWorks design automation, 3D product configurator, and CPQ solutions enable manufacturers to automate complex engineering tasks, maintain quality standards, and deliver customized products efficiently. Lawrence David use DriveWorks to successfully manage complexity, improve accuracy and efficiency, and speed up their turnaround times.
The challenge
Lawrence David is based in the UK and manufactures custom trailers and vehicle bodies. Because each customer order is different, ensuring consistency and accuracy across the business was increasingly difficult. Their legacy systems, some dating back to the 1970s, relied heavily on manual updates and documents. This created several challenges:
- Limited visual guidance for teams on the shop floor
- Increased risk of manual errors
- Difficulty validating designs before production
- Heavy reliance on individual engineering expertise
The solution
Lawrence David implemented a DriveWorks design automation solution, fully integrated with SOLIDWORKS®, to overcome their challenges. DriveWorks enables manufacturers to create configurable, rules‑based models that can be adapted to meet specific customer needs, while maintaining accuracy and consistency.
Using DriveWorks, Lawrence David now:
- Automatically generate job-specific drawings for every order
- Validate designs before production
- Create structured, multi-level BOMs
- Standardize their processes while retaining flexibility
The benefits
The implementation of DriveWorks delivered several benefits for Lawrence David:
1. Faster turnaround times
Automating internal processes and removing bottlenecks has reduced turnaround times for standard jobs from several days to as little as one day.
2. Increased efficiency
Streamlining workflows and reducing manual intervention enables teams to handle multiple jobs at once without adding extra workload.
3. Improved accuracy and visibility
Engineers and production teams now have access to clear, detailed models and drawings, reducing ambiguity and improving build quality.
4. Stronger sales support
By creating a tailored CRM-style interface within DriveWorks, sales teams can present visual models and examples, reducing miscommunication and increasing quote conversion rates.
5. Capturing and reusing engineering knowledge
Years of engineering expertise have been embedded into rules and workflows, ensuring knowledge is retained and can be regularly updated. DriveWorks models also provide a valuable training tool for both new starters and experienced engineers.
We have many automation tasks that DriveWorks handles. We’ve given ourselves a more complex workflow without any additional demand on the engineers.
James Pacey
Technical Engineer at Lawrence David
DriveWorks technology solutions for all manufacturing industries
Design automation, 3D product configurator, and CPQ solutions developed for manufacturers of custom products in all industries.
The demand for configurable products has increased across all manufacturing industries, and customers expect to configure products to meet their exact requirements. DriveWorks design automation, 3D product configurator, and CPQ solutions enable manufacturers across industries to meet that expectation, no matter how complex the product or where it’s produced and sold.
DriveWorks is used by manufacturing companies from a range of industries, enabling manufacturers to overcome the challenges of designing and selling configurable products.
Because DriveWorks is modular, scalable, and incredibly versatile, manufacturers use DriveWorks in many different ways, building design automation, product configurator, and CPQ solutions to suit their needs.