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Laing ORourke is an international engineering and construction company delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure and buildings projects for clients in the UK, Middle East and Australia.

“By leveraging the right technology we know we can spark positive change for our clients, their projects and the wider industry. That’s why our 2025 mission is to be the construction sector’s recognised leader for innovation and excellence.”Laing O’Rourke

Transforming the Bridge Industry

Laing ORourke collaborated with Tony Gee and Partners and Cambridge University to develop a unified digital delivery process for the bridge industry. The project configures bridge designs from a set of key inputs and a library of parametric components.

The key focus of the project is to create a common standard by synchronising data and protocols. The aim is to improve interoperability between different parts of the bridge building process.

The project integrates best practices for manufacturing, assembly and design, to ensure consistent data formats and reduce manual processes required between stages.

For this to happen, naming conventions and output files from each stage of the process need to be structured and arranged in a systematic way. Using DriveWorks, Laing ORourke can specify rules to determine how and where each file is saved.

‘Before and after: a SOLIDWORKS render of a bridge compared to a photograph of the bridge taken immediately following construction

Digitising Bridge Design Processes

The project uses standards to simplify bridge processes and reduce the time it takes to complete a bridge. The current design process is complex and typically a fully detailed design would take around 30 weeks to complete

By digitising the design process with this project, Laing ORourke has identified savings that could see bridge designs produced in days or weeks instead of months or years.

The design configuration tools, created using SOLIDWORKS and DriveWorks, provide a smoother digital process for the design, manufacture and assembly of components, which reduces the time it takes to complete a bridge.

At DriveWorks World 2018, Laing ORourkes Digital Engineering Leader, Dr Scott McGovern, told us more about how the project uses DriveWorks.

We wanted to implement a system that gave users the ability to make informed decisions so they could quickly see the impact of their decisions on the overall design.

Were using DriveWorks in three main areas within our toolset. Firstly, we used the software to build the user interface and capture user defined inputs. We then linked these inputs into our structured dataset that would drive the rules to define component dimensions and features.

Finally, we utilised DriveWorks design automation capabilities to automate the development of model assemblies and engineering drawings of the bridge.

The Benefits

By using DriveWorks and SOLIDWORKS, we hope that we will be able to dramatically reduce the time taken to reach the final design of a bridge.

This has several benefits as the impact of decisions can be investigated much earlier in the process and reduce the many design iteration cycles that are currently undertaken.

The impact of design on cost will be quickly realised. This allows the design to be truly informed by cost rather than the traditional process of costing up a design.

Construction times are likely to be made shorter and component selections will be finalised earlier, this eliminates the need for last minute design changes and reduces delivery risk on the project.

Bridge design will be simplified to a component led solution, allowing greater ability for design optimisation of the individual components that make up the kit of parts.

Dr Scott McGovern, Digital Engineering Leader at Laing ORourke, presenting at DriveWorks World 2018.

Reducing Turnaround Time

Our extensive experience in designing for manufacturing and digital engineering allowed us to take the lead when developing the toolset for the research project. There are two key parts to the toolset: the data and the software tools.We structured the data to provide a reusable set of digital assets, but this alone does not make up the tools.

DriveWorks has allowed us to automate the routine processes that we undertake on this data, day in and day out, with traditional bridge design. This automatic creation of models and drawings rapidly improves the turnaround time to reach sign-off on designs and makes all of the downstream benefits possible.

The results give us and our clients confidence in the price and programme.
The data thats generated also allows effective lifecycle quality management from reusable digital assets.

Success at TechFest 2023

The TechFest Awards recognise and rewards the projects, teams and companies doing the most to develop innovations and harness technologies that drive the construction and civil engineering industry forward.

The TechFest awards represents a unique opportunity to celebrate successes within the civil engineering and construction sector.

At TechFest 2023, Laing O’Rourke received the Award for Best Use of Technology: Digital Engineering for their Digital Bridges Toolkit.

Laing O’Rourke Team and Solid Solutions at TechFest Awards 2023

Customer Success Stories

DriveWorks is used by manufacturing companies from a range of industries.
DriveWorks is modular, scalable, and incredibly versatile so our customers use DriveWorks in many different ways, customizing their Design Automation and CPQ solutions to suit their needs.
We’re always interested to hear the different ways our customers use the software we’re proud of, regularly posting customer case studies on our blog.

Here’s what some of our customers have to say about us.

DriveWorks has allowed us to automate the routine processes that we undertake day in and day out, with traditional bridge design. This automatic creation of models and drawings rapidly improves the turnaround time to reach sign-off on designs and makes all downstream benefits possible

Thanks to DriveWorks, we provide quotes and drawings for each custom order, at no extra cost. Customers can get a quote anytime they want it, 24/7/365. With every order, customers receive everything they need. We are building customer loyalty, increasing sales and avoiding mistakes.

For us, the most important thing about DriveWorks is our improved efficiency and reduced costly data entry errors

For us, the most important thing about DriveWorks is that it helps us to drive consistency and maintain control of our engineering data.

Using DriveWorks, we’ve reduced the amount of time taken to complete forms from half a day to only 30 minutes.

We use DriveWorks for quoting and approval drawings for almost 160 teams and 530 users. We also use DriveWorks for production part component generation for various product lines and a whole bunch of other great stuff!

Before DriveWorks, generating a layout for a customer used to take us up to 2 weeks. This time has now been reduced to just 30 minutes

Our design process using DriveWorks Solo is 10 times faster than our previous manual process. Our engineers also dont have to waste time making drawings, and instead can focus their time on more rewarding projects.

What I knew of DriveWorks was that it was a CAD automation system. But, once we started exploring the product, it became very obvious that it could do much more. The speed of DriveWorks is critical because it enables distributors to get a lead within minutes and allows us to see when the prospect was contracted, quoted and closed.

Thanks to DriveWorks, we have cut down design time from 40 hours to 20 hours, improving the customer experience to help enhance their decision making process.

In its current state, DriveWorks outputs 245 files, 60 of which are assemblies, 85 are drawings and the rest are parts files. With DriveWorks handling repetitive tasks, our engineers are freed up to focus on customized aspects of our designs, such as the internal cabinets of the vehicle.

“Our order volume has increased so much since adding DriveWorks that our engineering team has more than doubled to handle the amount of requests we receive!”

Merging projects further and adding additional functionality is a continuous process for us now, and I estimate we add additional functionality at least every couple of months. We are also currently looking into what benefits DriveWorks Pro can offer different departments outside of engineering.

With DriveWorks we can create all drawings and manufacturing data within one day. Using SOLIDWORKS alone this process used to take three to four days.

Customers can now see exactly what was configured and what they will receive, long before engineering has to sink the time in to generate a complete model with full production details.

DriveWorks is interactive and fun to use, more flexible, and benefits from the excel syntax in the rules builder. The most important thing about implementing DriveWorks Solo has been the speed in getting our products into production

DriveWorks is very reliable and robust. Now I never have the feeling that Ive forgotten something.

We can completely document the entire development process of a new markilux design awning

DriveWorks – A Scalable Solution

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DriveWorksXpress

Free entry level design automation included in every seat of SOLIDWORKS.

Upscale to DriveWorks Solo or DriveWorks Pro anytime.

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DriveWorks Solo

Powerful SOLIDWORKS part, assembly and drawing automation.

Download your 30 day free trial of DriveWorks Solo and get started today.

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DriveWorks Pro

Complete SOLIDWORKS automation and online 3D CPQ configurator software.

Explore our configurator examples to see how flexible DriveWorks is.

Find Out More About DriveWorks

Get in touch with us to find out more about DriveWorks and take your first steps towards design automation and improving customer experiences.

Door manufacturers are using DriveWorks to optimize their sales & manufacturing processes.

Digital technologies are enabling manufacturers to design quicker, communicate better, and transform the customer experience.

Read about how door manufacturers are using DriveWorks software to save time and reduce errors.

Eurobond Doors

Eurobond Doors, headquartered in Wales, UK, manufactures design-to-order industrial and commercial steel doors. As a customer-driven business, Eurobond Doors wants to ensure that its customer base has the best possible experience, which means shorter lead times and increased efficiency and consistency.

Eurobond Doors product offering consists of 83 configurable parts. The DriveWorks configurator allows them to easily enter the door specification as detailed in their job traveler. This can be done manually, or directly from an XML generated by their ERP system.

Working together, DriveWorks Autopilot and SOLIDWORKS then generate the required models and manufacturing drawings automatically, ready for checking by the engineering team.

When a customer approves a quote, the salesperson can go back into the system, pick up the quote drawing, and produce the shop drawing automatically, along with the BOM all through DriveWorks.

DriveWorks is helping Eurobond to work more efficiently and their DriveWorks project is easy to maintain.

Eurobond Doors' logo and a picture of their configurator form.

Learn more about how Eurobond Doors are reducing reducing costly design errors with DriveWorks Pro:

For us, the most important thing about DriveWorks is our improved efficiency, and reduced costly data entry errors

Anthony Coombes, Design Manager, Eurobond Doors

JELD-WEN

JELD-WEN manufactures a wide range of high-quality timber doors for the construction and renovation markets around the world.

The speed at which JELD-WEN creates new product configurations is now much faster, thanks to DriveWorks.

DriveWorks covers 75-80% of customer orders for special cut-outs for doors and complete glass panels. JELD-WEN has over 25,000 drawings in DriveWorks that form the basis for the development of new products.

This makes the development of new products much faster andcustomers receive drawings of their custom product drawings quicker. Drawings are received and sent to customers within minutes with DriveWorks.

The benefits of DriveWorks go further than engineering. DriveWorks is helping sales team members to communicate with customers more effectively, delivering drawings of their custom products to customers.

Previously, it could take up to 3 days for JELD-WEN to make the drawings available for the customer.

Now, drawings are received by a salesperson inas little as 5 – 10 minutes. The drawing isforwarded directly to clients for final review before manufacturing.

Learn more about how JELD-WEN are saving engineering time and improving customer experience with DriveWorks Pro:

As well as time saving, DriveWorks has enabled saving on costs & overall efficiency.

Karpen Steel

Karpen Steel, based in the USA, manufactures high-quality custom doors and frames. They aim to exceed customer expectations by manufacturing dependable products that meet critical quality standards with prompt, on-time delivery.

Using DriveWorks Pro, Karpen Steel has streamlined its order process. The amount of employee time needed to process each order has been reduced and the process is nowslicker and more efficient, allowing Karpen Steel to concentrate onwinning more ordersand providinggreat customer service.

Once an order is received, the customer service team enters the parameters of the order into the DriveWorks Configurator. This then creates the 3D SOLIDWORKS model and orderdocuments for both the customer and the workshop. The price for the order is also generated and the order or quote is placed as a database entry.This is all done in one single step with DriveWorks.

The form within the DriveWorks Pro Configurator guides a user through the order process. Customers can only see, and are prompted to fill out, the relevant fields on the form for the product line they have selected. By using pictures, pop-up warnings, and instructions, errors are highlighted before the order progresses to the next step. The ability to set up error checking within DriveWorks Pro prevents the user from leaving out required information or entering parameters that cant be manufactured. This helps to minimize the number of times orders must be returned due to incomplete or inaccurate information, which would disrupt the order flow.

As DriveWorks automates SOLIDWORKS, the customer service team are effectively now using its powerful 3D capabilities,without the need for any SOLIDWORKS training. Karpen Steels engineering team are freed up from simple, repetitive tasks to focus on the more critical aspects of the order.

Learn more about how Karpen Steel are streamlining their order process with DriveWorks Pro:

A process that previously required 4 team members is now automated and streamlined.

Explore Online Configurator Examples

Our productconfigurator examplesare a great way tosee whats possible with DriveWorks, in a range of scenarios and industries.

DriveWorks product configurator software isused by companies of all sizes. Its suitable forany industrywhere quotes or 3D files and drawings are part of the sales to the manufacturing process.

Our configurator examples show howversatile and customizableDriveWorks is and provide greatinspiration for your DriveWorks projects.

The software is not limited to what you see in our examples, with DriveWorks you builda custom solution that suits your needsand iseasy to maintain and update.

Explore our online configurator examples to see how versatile and easy-to-use DriveWorks is.

Try DriveWorks

Follow the 3 easy steps below to download the DriveWorks Solo 30 Day Free Trial and get started.

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Join the DriveWorks Community

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Download and Licence DriveWorks Solo

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Automate SOLIDWORKS

Using DriveWorks, Extronics have streamlined processes, reduced lead times and driven product development, all whilst ensuring consistency and quality.

Extronic's logo.

Extronics are headquartered in the UK,and operate around the world. They specialize in developing and manufacturing equipment for use in hazardous areas. Their aim is to to deliver world-class products and solutions that help their customers work smart, safe, and connected.

We recently visited Extronics to chat with Nick Saunders, Operations Director, who has led the implementation of DriveWorks at Extronics.

We saw where they design and manufacture their products, and learnt more about why they chose DriveWorks, and what they’ve achieved as a result.

Putting Customers and Quality First

Extronics were seeing increased demand for wireless products. They were receiving more and more inquiries for different devices, not just industry standard devices.

When a customer came to them with a request for a custom solution for a wireless product, it would need to go through an assessment process. For each custom request, a member of the Extronics technical sales team would need to review the device before they were even able to provide a quote.

Extronics lead times were extending and they recognized they needed to make a change.

As Extronics specialize in products for hazardous environments, its vital their products are correct and safe. They needed a solution to improve lead time, without taking shortcuts.

“Bringing wireless technology into hazardous areas isnt easy. Extronics made a conscious decision to invest in technology to streamline this process.”

– Nick Saunders, Operations Director, Extronics.

Speeding Up Processes, One Step at a Time

Extronics decided automating their processes would remove friction and barriers for their customers. It would make it quicker and easier for them to deliver products to their customers.

All Extronics CAD models are in SOLIDWORKS so they were looking for a solution that integrated well with SOLIDWORKS. DirveWorks was the obvious solution.

Extronics have a team called the Configured Products Group (CPG). They are the solutions experts, any bespoke or custom orders would go through the CPG team. It made sense that that CPG team would implement DriveWorks, to put their knowledge and expertise in to their DriveWorks project.

They started by creating a price configurator for their Sales Team. Extronics have integrated DriveWorks with their existing ERP solution, so the Sales Team can generate quotes directly within the ERP system. This was a big win for the Sales Team, as this was previously a manual and time-consuming process requireing specific technical knowledge.

After implementing the price configurator, Extronics then moved on to automation of the CAD models. Automated documentation came a bit later.

Extronics have taken an iterative approach to implementing DriveWorks. They built specific solutions that resulted in wins for the company, got value from those and then moved on to another part of the project.

Driving Product Innovation

When reviewing their SOLIDWORKS models, Extronics realised they needed to make some changes to their models, to make them more suitable for automation.

This prompted Extronics to look at their products in a different way and opened up opportunities that they hadnt previously considered. They were able to do new things with their products, and allow customers to configure solutions in a way that they couldnt do before.

Reducing Errors and Driving Consistency

Before using DriveWorks, Extronics would sell a product, it would then need to be engineered, then it would be sent to manufacturing. This was all done manually and there was high potential for misalignment between departments.

DriveWorks has driven consistency.

At the point of placing an order, sales are able to give documents to the customer to confirm what they have ordered. The engineering of the solution is automated and rules-based.

Extronics now have consistent outputs that are used by all teams, including manufacturing, ensuring the customer gets exactly what they need.

Extronics have taken a complicated assessment process, that was taking days previously, and reduced it down to a matter of minutes with DriveWorks.

Next Steps with DriveWorks

Extronics are planning on taking the benefits of DriveWorks even further. Their plan now is to build an online product configurator, so customers can configure their ideal product on the Extronics website, without needing to get in touch with anyone from the Sales Team. This will give customers the ability to configure their desired product, see what’s possible and really understand what Extronics can do for them online, anytime.

“DriveWorks is a tool that allows us to accelerate our digitalisation strategy”

– Stuart Milne, Marketing Manager, Extronics.

Try DriveWorks Free for 30 Days

Get started with DriveWorks.
Download and use DriveWorks Solo free for 30 days.
Available to anyone with SOLIDWORKS.

A computer screen with DriveWorks Solo on the screen and a 3D visual of a trailer.

With DriveWorks, Karpen Steel’s order process is streamlined – customers are receiving their orders quicker, and engineers are saving time.

Karopen Steel's logo.

Karpen Steel, based in the USA, manufactures high-quality custom doors and frames. They aim to exceed customer expectations by manufacturing dependable products that meet critical quality standards with prompt, on-time delivery.

Before using DriveWorks, the technical data involved in each custom order made tracking and verifying each order a long process. Once an order was placed, it would be checked by two members of the customer service team and two engineers, to ensure everything was accurate.

Streamlining processes, winning more orders

Using DriveWorks Pro, Karpen Steel has streamlined its order process. The amount of employee time needed to process each order has been reduced and the process is now slicker and more efficient, allowing Karpen Steel to concentrate onwinning more ordersand providinggreat customer service.

Once an order is received, the customer service team enters the parameters of the order into the DriveWorks Configurator. This then creates the 3D SOLIDWORKS model and orderdocuments for both the customer and the workshop. The price for the order is also generated and the order or quote is placed as a database entry. This is all done in one single step with DriveWorks.

A process which previously required 4 team members is now automated & streamlined.

A picture of 3 configurations of Karpen Steel doors.

Intelligent guided selling

Karpen Steel’s form within the DriveWorks Pro Configurator guides a user through the order process. Customers can only see, and are prompted to fill out, the relevant fields on the form for the product line they have selected.

The Configurator forms have been designed to provide feedback to whoever is filling them out. By using pictures, pop-up warnings, and instructions, errors are highlighted before the order progresses to the next step.

The ability to set up error checking within DriveWorks Pro prevents the user from leaving out required information or entering parameters that cant be manufactured. This helps to minimize the number of times orders must be returned due to incomplete or inaccurate information, which would disrupt the order flow.

The customer service team at Karpen Steel use the 3D capabilities without needing extra training.

Saving time for engineers

As DriveWorks automates SOLIDWORKS, the customer service team are effectively now using its powerful 3D capabilities,withoutthe need for any SOLIDWORKS training.

It means that Karpen Steels engineering team are freed up from simple, repetitive tasks to focus on the more critical aspects of the order. DriveWorks Pro also saves time by creating all the required documents. These documents contain images specific to the order details such as the frame profile, anchor types, hardware locations and door vision light size and placement.

These documents are sent to both the customer and the workshop, with each document being designed for the customer’s unique needs. Potential errors or required changes can be quickly identified, and any feedback is passed to the shop personnel so it can be fixed.

See What You Can Achieve with DriveWorks Software

Online Configurator Examples

Our productconfigurator examplesare a great way tosee whats possible with DriveWorks, in a range of scenarios and industries.

DriveWorks product configurator software isused by companies of all sizes. Its suitable forany industrywhere quotes or 3D files and drawings are part of the sales to the manufacturing process.

Our configurator examples show howversatile and customizableDriveWorks is and provide greatinspiration for your DriveWorks projects.

The software is not limited to what you see in our examples, with DriveWorks you builda custom solution that suits your needsand iseasy to maintain and update.

Explore our online configurator examples to see how versatile and easy-to-use DriveWorks is.

Try DriveWorks Free for 30 Days

Get started with DriveWorks.
Download and use DriveWorks Solo free for 30 days.
Available to anyone with SOLIDWORKS.

A computer screen with DriveWorks Solo on the screen and a 3D visual of a trailer.

With DriveWorks, JELD-WEN delivers drawings for custom products within minutes.
Engineering time is also reduced, with this saved time now dedicated to the development of new projects.

JELD-WEN's logo.

JELD-WEN manufacture a wide range of high-quality timber doors for the construction and renovation markets around the world.

More time dedicated to project development

DriveWorks is helping JELD-WEN to save the time spent on the daily registration of orders.
Before implementing DriveWorks, it would typically require 4 JELD-WEN team members to handle this process. Now only 2 team members need to do this job, freeing up time for engineers to focus on the development of new and existing projects.

As well as time saving, DriveWorks has enabled savings on costs & overall efficiency.

A picture of wooden JELD-WEN sliding door.

Faster product configuration with DriveWorks

The speed at which JELD-WEN creates new product configurations is now much faster, thanks to DriveWorks.

DriveWorks covers 75-80% of customer orders for special cut-outs for doors and complete glass panels. JELD-WEN has over 25,000 drawings in DriveWorks that form the basis for the development of new products.

This makes the development of new products much faster and customers receive drawings of their custom product drawings quicker.

Drawings are received & sent to customers within minutes.

Optimizing JELD-WEN’s sales process

The benefits of DriveWorks go further than engineering. DriveWorks is helping sales team members to communicate with customers more effectively, delivering drawings of their custom products to customers.

Previously, it could take up to 3 days for JELD-WEN to make the drawings available for the customer.

Now, drawings are received by a salesperson in as little as 5 – 10 minutes. The drawing isforwarded directly to clients for final review before manufacturing.

See What You Can Achieve with DriveWorks Software

Online Configurator Examples

Our productconfigurator examplesare a great way tosee whats possible with DriveWorks, in a range of scenarios and industries.

DriveWorks product configurator software isused by companies of all sizes. Its suitable forany industrywhere quotes or 3D files and drawings are part of the sales to the manufacturing process.

Our configurator examples show howversatile and customizableDriveWorks is and provide greatinspiration for your DriveWorks projects.

The software is not limited to what you see in our examples, with DriveWorks you builda custom solution that suits your needsand iseasy to maintain and update.

Explore our online configurator examples to see how versatile and easy-to-use DriveWorks is.

Try DriveWorks Free for 30 Days

Get started with DriveWorks.
Download and use DriveWorks Solo free for 30 days.
Available to anyone with SOLIDWORKS.

A computer screen with DriveWorks Solo on the screen and a 3D visual of a trailer.

Valve manufacturers are using DriveWorks to save time and optimize their sales processes.

Embracing digital technologies brings many benefits to manufacturers. It helps businesses to stay ahead of their competition and improve traditional processes. The integration of technology into manual business processes enables manufacturers to respond quicker to growing demand, communicate better between teams and customers, and automate error-prone and time-consuming manual tasks.

Read about how valve manufacturers are using DriveWorks software to save time and improve customer experience.

Fresno Valves & Castings

Based in California, USA,Fresno Valves & Castings manufacture some of the worlds leading water control devices. Its product range has expanded over the past 25 years to include water valves, gates, and pipe fittings.

Fresno valvesdon’t just use DriveWorks for design automation. They are also taking advantage of DriveWorks integration capabilities. They can pull information directly from their costing database, which is used to calculate pricing in DriveWorks.

Since the pandemic, raw material pricing has continued to fluctuate. This means the ability to draw relevant information automatically from a database is essential to their quoting process. With DriveWorks handling the quote, drawing, and manufacturing data generation, the engineers at Fresno have more time to focus on research and development.

Before DriveWorks, this full quoting process could take up to 4 weeks. Now, the fully approved specification is sent to the shop floor ready for manufacturing within a day.

Fresno now generate a full quote for a customer within seconds, along with a Bill of Materials and quote drawing. In another 30 minutes, they will have the shop drawing and a BOM sent to their ERP system.

When a customer approves a quote, the salesperson can go back into the system, pick up the quote drawing, and produce the shop drawing automatically, along with the BOM all through DriveWorks.

Fresno Valves logo and a picture of one of their valves in practice.

Learn more about how Fresno Valves is reducing their quote to manufacture time with DriveWorks Pro:

Our order volume has increased so much since adding DriveWorks that our engineering team has more than doubled to handle the amount of requests we receive!

Sukhbir Singh, Mechanical Engineering Manager, Fresno Valves

VanAire Inc

VanAire Inc, headquartered in Gladstone Michigan, develops Engineered Valve Automation Hardware. They make parts that connect valves and actuators on pipelines. VanAire has been using DriveWorks since 2006.

VanAire used DriveWorks first in its engineering team. Engineers with SOLIDWORKS were able to configure new brackets using DriveWorks Pro to generate the manufacturing data.

What used to take 15 to 20 minutes is now cut down to 3 to 4 minutes.

After seeing the benefits of DriveWorks had for its engineers, VanAire expanded DriveWorks use to other teams.

The shipping team once used an Excel spreadsheet and a member of the design team to create shipping labels, attach it to the PO, and then send it over to the shipping department. This manual process is now entirely automated, using DriveWorks.

After success automating tasks for the shipping team, VanAire moved on to their next DriveWorks project – integrating DriveWorks with their ERP system. Using DriveWorks, VanAire can create a specification, have it in their ERP system, and print it. Before implementing DriveWorks, this process could take up to two hours, before the information was even created within their ERP system.

The sales team can now run specifications themselves with DriveWorks. This gives the design team more time to focus on innovative R&D projects. Sales team members can also instantly access information, such as the customer’s purchase history. This means they know their customers better, which in turn leads to more positive relationships and continued custom.

VanAire's logo and a picture of a trans Alaska Pipline.

Learn more about how VanAire optimizes processes across teamswith DriveWorks Pro:

VanAire wanted to implement DriveWorks into even more of the company’s systems. After pulling information from their ERP system, they have created a feature-driven costing system. The costing system takes into account specific features and sizing, as well as how long it takes to make the parts. Before implementing DriveWorks, it could take up to a week to get actual costing if it was a big order.Using DriveWorks, VanAire has been able to drop it down to seconds for each part.

Everything is done automatically and DriveWorks has made that very easy for us, as we used to have lots of issues with the previous manual system.

Ismael Lopez, CAD Administrator, VanAire

Online Configurator Examples

Our productconfigurator examplesare a great way tosee whats possible with DriveWorks, in a range of scenarios and industries.

DriveWorks product configurator software isused by companies of all sizes. Its suitable forany industrywhere quotes or 3D files and drawings are part of the sales to the manufacturing process.

Our configurator examples show howversatile and customizableDriveWorks is and provide greatinspiration for your DriveWorks projects.

The software is not limited to what you see in our examples, with DriveWorks you builda custom solution that suits your needsand iseasy to maintain and update.

Explore our online configurator examples to see how versatile and easy-to-use DriveWorks is.

Try DriveWorks Yourself At No Cost

Follow the 3 easy steps below to download the DriveWorks Solo 30 Day Free Trial and get started.

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Join the DriveWorks Community

A computer screen showing a drawing using DriveWorks.

Download and Licence DriveWorks Solo

Two computer screens showing a drawings using DriveWorks.

Automate SOLIDWORKS

Technology is enabling manufacturers to make custom products while saving on engineering and project lead times.

Embracing digital technologies bringsmany benefitsto manufacturers. It helps businesses to stay ahead of their competition and improve traditional processes. Technology isdriving the manufacturing industry forward, helping organizations to succeed and deliver on customer demands.

Read on to learn how manufacturers in the Power & Plant industry are leveraging technology to create custom solutions faster with DriveWorks.

Winder Power

Winder Power specializes in the design, build, deployment, and management of power transformers and distribution transformers. They serve a wide range of customers in the utilities, renewable energy, and industrial sectors across the UK and internationally.

Winder Power is using DriveWorks in its engineering department to generate models and drawings for several components within its design process.

The components include:

  • Full transformer assemblies
  • Transformer active part clamp systems
  • Oil conservators
  • Cooler bank a-frames
  • Transformer rating plates

These components are all based on standardized design rules and are either generated complete with the drawings and assemblies, or partially generated. The partially generated projects are then developed to completion by their engineers.

Before using DriveWorks, Winder Power were designing to order using SOLIDWORKS, design tables, and equation-based parts.

DriveWorks Pro has allowed Winder Power to design components in much shorter time frames, with reduced errors due to the more rigid design process. They can now offer their customers a reduced product lead time.

Merging projects further and adding additional functionality is a continuous process for Winder Power now. They are also looking into what DriveWorks Pro can offer different departments outside of engineering, enabling all teams to benefit.

Winder Power's logo and a Winder Power power transformer.

Learn more about how Winder Power is reducing product lead times with DriveWorks Pro:

We have also taken advantage of the additional functionality available within DriveWorks Pro in order to directly extract information from excel spreadsheets that exist elsewhere in our organization.

Luke Beeson, Mechanical Design Engineer at Winder Power

WEG Energia

Headquartered in Jaragu叩 do Sul, Brazil,WEGoperate worldwide with branches in 36 countries and manufacturing plants in 12 countries. Their portfolio of over 600 product lines includes electric motors, generators, transformers, drives, and coatings. WEG provides custom solutions for demanding and heavily regulated industry sectors, including oil & gas, marine, mining, and energy.

Typically each contract means a new and often complex product needs to be custom designed, complete with detailed SOLIDWORKS manufacturing data and drawings. Even with SOLIDWORKS, some customized WEG Energia projects took longer than desired to complete. These projects were liable to non-conformity and often did not include updates requested by manufacturing or the engineering department.

With DriveWorks’ rule-based software, their design process is faster. Calculations, databases, engineering procedures, and standards are set up by key users, allowing designers to reuse this captured knowledge every time they need to specify a new custom product.

Designers using DriveWorks can enter values intoan interface that is easy to use and understand, and incorporate product improvements from across different departments. They are applied only once to the master product, ensuring thatall future products respect the best existing practices.

WEG achieveda return on investment after just six monthson the generator carcass product, the first to be automated. Savings came fromreducing rework, errors, and development time. Each product can generate several different variations of the same product family.

WEG Energia's logo and a WEG generator.

Learn more about how WEG have reduced engineering time by 75% with DriveWorks Pro:

With DriveWorks we can create all drawings and manufacturing data within one day. Using SOLIDWORKS alone this process used to take three to four days.”

Carlos Jose Bastos Grillo, Engineering Manager, WEG

Online Configurator Examples

Our productconfigurator examplesare a great way tosee whats possible with DriveWorks, in a range of scenarios and industries.

DriveWorks product configurator software isused by companies of all sizes. Its suitable forany industrywhere quotes or 3D files and drawings are part of the sales to the manufacturing process.

Our configurator examples show howversatile and customizableDriveWorks is and provide greatinspiration for your DriveWorks projects.

The software is not limited to what you see in our examples, with DriveWorks you builda custom solution that suits your needsand iseasy to maintain and update.

Explore our online configurator examples to see how versatile and easy-to-use DriveWorks is.

Try DriveWorks Yourself At No Cost

Follow the 3 easy steps below to download the DriveWorks Solo 30 Day Free Trial and get started.

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Join the DriveWorks Community

A computer screen showing a drawing using DriveWorks.

Download and Licence DriveWorks Solo

Two computer screens showing a drawings using DriveWorks.

Automate SOLIDWORKS

Technology is enabling manufacturers to deliver custom products in record time while creating a great experience for customers.

See how manufacturers in the furniture industry are using DriveWorks software.

Embracing digital technologies bringsmany benefitsto manufacturers. It helps businesses to stay ahead of their competition and improve traditional processes. Technology isdriving the manufacturing industry forward, enabling organizations to deliver on customer demands.

Technology is changing the way consumers and businesses research and buy products. Digital technologies enable more immersive buying experiences. This is particularly effective in the furniture industry as more and more customers are expecting bespoke, tailored products. Manufacturers using digital tools to offer customizable furniture are able to do so profitably, quickly and accurately. With a 3D product configurator, customers can make changes, personalize options and visualize their selections.

Rules-based automation in the background generates accurate quotes and necessary sales and manufacturing documents, whilst ensuring products can be manufactured accurately, and in-line with regulations.

Costly errors are reduced, processes are faster, and overall customer satisfaction is increased.

Read on to learn more about how manufacturers are using DriveWorks to sell and manufacture custom furniture products.

Marelli

Marelli, based in Caxias do Sul, Brazil specialize in the corporate and collaborative furniture market, providing products for meeting tables, management rooms, and workstations, along with seating, fixed and swivel chairs, floor-to-ceiling partitions, sofa enclosures, and armchairs.

Marelli implemented DriveWorks to automate and ensure a robust product development process. The software enables the automation of engineering processes such as customization and configuration. Now, customized designs are created quickly and efficiently.

Daniel Toigo Bortoncello, a Marelli designer who developed the automation process with DriveWorks has seen a63% decrease in the time spent on repetitive tasksfor customized projects. This time reduction enables designers to have more time to dedicate to the development of new projects and means that they can launch new products faster.

Owing to the product development capabilities in DriveWorks and the easy integration with SOLIDWORKS, Marelli estimates thattime spent on design has reduced by 50%.

As customized products are designed faster, the wait time between the customers initial request and their final approval of the design has also significantly reduced. This further increases the satisfaction of the customer, the most important factor!

With the implementation of DriveWorks, we decrease the chance of error and repetitive tasks, and gain in quality and robustness in deliveries.

Michael Panassol Moreira, Engineering Manager, Marelli

Marelli's logo and a picture of one of their wall partitions in an office.

Learn more about how Marelli is reducing project development time with DriveWorks Pro:

PMF – System

PMF-System, headquartered in Switzerland, is an award-winning start-up company specializing in custom-made furniture for industry.

PMF-System uses SOLIDWORKS as their 3D CAD solution and selected DriveWorks as their configurator solution due to the software being a SOLIDWORKS Gold Partner Product. The out-of-the-box integration with SOLIDWORKS made it easy to set up the configurator and start automating their product lines.

PMF has utilized the integration capabilities of DriveWorks to integrate their configurator with the e-commerce solution WooCommerce. PMF
selected WooCommerce because it easily integrates with DriveWorks, owing to DriveWorks ability to send HTTP requests.

When PMFs customers access the online configurator tool, they can select the type of product they want to configure, for example, a table frame or workbench. They can then specify the options they want for this product, such as the style, colors, and dimensions.

Each time an option is selected, an interactive 3D model is displayed automatically.

Once the customer is happy with their configured product, they simply click add to cart inside the online configurator and can proceed to
payment.

Our configurator not only enhances the experience for our current customers, but we also use it as a marketing tool to attract new clients.

Lino Peverada, CEO & Founder, PMF-System CH

PMF-System's logo and a picture of one of their work stations.

Learn more about how PMF-System built an integrated online sales configurator with DriveWorks Pro:

Online Configurator Examples

Our productconfigurator examplesare a great way tosee whats possible with DriveWorks, in a range of scenarios and industries.

DriveWorks product configurator software isused by companies of all sizes. Its suitable forany industrywhere quotes or 3D files and drawings are part of the sales to the manufacturing process.

Our configurator examples show howversatile and customizableDriveWorks is and provide greatinspiration for your DriveWorks projects.

The software is not limited to what you see in our examples, with DriveWorks you builda custom solution that suits your needsand iseasy to maintain and update.

Explore our online configurator examples to see how versatile and easy to use DriveWorks is.

Try DriveWorks For Yourself

Follow the 3 easy steps below to download the DriveWorks Solo 30 Day Free Trial and get started.

A picture of a computer screen with a ''activate your DriveWorks community account'' on the screen.

Join the DriveWorks Community

A computer screen showing a drawing using DriveWorks.

Download and Licence DriveWorks Solo

Two computer screens showing a drawings using DriveWorks.

Automate SOLIDWORKS

DriveWorks is used by manufacturing companies from a range of industries.

Manufacturers are using DriveWorks to optimize processes and improve customer experiences.

A circle with text that reads: Digital transformation and a focus on customer experience can generate a 20-30% increase in customer satisfaction.

Technology is changing the way consumers and businesses research and buy products. Digital technologies enable more immersive buying experiences. Customers can make changes, personalize options and visualize their selections. This detailed information eliminates costly and time-consuming changes later on in the process.

Embracing digital technologies bringsmany benefitsto manufacturers. It helps businesses to stay ahead of their competition and improve traditional processes. Technology isdriving the manufacturing industry forward, helping organizations to succeed and deliver on customer demands. Digital transformation and a focus on customer experience can generate a 20-30% increase in customer satisfaction.

Customer expectations are higher than ever. Digital transformation enables organizations to meet rising customer demands profitably, without needing huge teams and budgets. Satisfied customers are more likely to return and recommend.

Read on to learn how manufacturers are leveraging technology to deliver great customer experiences with DriveWorks.

Dolphin Solutions

Dolphins Solutions, headquartered in Robertsbridge UK, design and supply a range of products and accessories for commercial washrooms.

To save design time, Dolphin Solutions has automated the creation of drawings. The process used to be manual, but now with DriveWorks and SOLIDWORKS working together,a drawing is automatically generated for each specification, ready for manufacturing.

Dolphin alsocaptures customer data, allowing them to track orders and assign an ID to the customers project. An email alert is also triggered when a specification is complete,automatically sending an emailto the sales and marketing team, with information such as the customers name, email, phone number, and company. The customer also receives an email automatically as confirmation of their request.

Dolphin has created an aesthetically pleasing, easy-to-use online configurator, with all the relevant information.

The configurator guides the customer through the configuration process easily. Each time a selection is made, the online configurator takes the customer a step closer to a final design. Based on the previous selections, options will become greyed out if they are unavailable. Thisguided sellingtool has helped Dolphin to achieve so much success, and they are consistently seeing more interaction with it month on month.

Dolphin Solutions logo with a Dolphin bathroom and a laptop screen showing their order process.

Learn more about how Dolphin Solutions is reducing design time with DriveWorks Pro:

F.H. Brundle

F.H. Brundle is a family-owned business. Founded in 1889, they are wholesalers of steel products which include a market-leading range of handrail and balustrade systems. F.H. Brundle stocks over 8500 products and new lines are continuously being added.

To save design time, Dolphin Solutions has automated the creation of drawings. The process used to be manual, but now with DriveWorks and SOLIDWORKS working together,a drawing is automatically generated for each specification, ready for manufacturing.

Dolphin alsocaptures customer data, allowing them to track orders and assign an ID to the customers project. An email alert is also triggered when a specification is complete,automatically sending an emailto the sales and marketing team, with information such as the customers name, email, phone number, and company. The customer also receives an email automatically as confirmation of their request.

Dolphin has created an aesthetically pleasing, easy-to-use online configurator, with all the relevant information.

The configurator guides the customer through the configuration process easily. Each time a selection is made, the online configurator takes the customer a step closer to a final design. Based on the previous selections, options will become greyed out if they are unavailable. Thisguided sellingtool has helped Dolphin to achieve so much success, and they are consistently seeing more interaction with it month on month.

F.H.Brundle's logo, LiveConfigurator Logo with a screenshot of what it looks like inside the configurator, and a picture of an F.H.brundle residential balcony.

Learn more about how F.H. Brundle is providing quotes anytime, anywhere with DriveWorks Pro:

HSI Cranes

Handling Systems International Inc.(HSI) is a leading manufacturer of Jib Cranes, Gantry Cranes, Workstation Cranes, and Bridge Cranes, headquartered in McCook, IL USA. HSI remains true to the brands original value and vision for cranes, which is that they supply custom-built products to meet the needs of each customers exact specifications.

Since purchasing DriveWorks Pro, HSI have built Quotinator, their online tool for dealers, customers, and distributors.

Quotinator uses DriveWorks and SOLIDWORKS to provide scaled drawings and quotes for their ranges of cranes. Dealers can access Quotinator from anywhere, through the distributor login on HSIs website.

Owing to the scalability of DriveWorks software, the data captured in the DriveWorks Solo project was not lost and was easily migrated to form the basis of their DriveWorks Pro web-enabled project. Quotinator was BETA tested internally for two months and then rolled out to distributors.

It also doubles as asales tool, because they can track who is interacting with the site.

End users dont have to sit around waiting for a quote and are returning to HSI after receiving such prompt service. HSI is also constantly improving and adapting the configurator and product options in response to customer demand. HSI believe in continuous improvement and are utilizing the form building tools in DriveWorks to enhance the look and feel of the UI to make Quotinator even more user friendly, particularly on mobile devices.

HSI Crane's logo and a picture of a HSI crane in a warehouse.

Learn more about how HSI Cranes is generating quoteswith DriveWorks Pro:

European Special Ladders (ESLA)

European Special Ladders S.A. (ESLA), headquartered in Barcelona, design and manufacture tailor-made ladders, work platforms, and scaffolding.

ESLA worked with Authorized DriveWorks Services Partner,Ingenieria SAMAT to build an online configurator. Previously, clients would wait at least 3 days from the initial inquiry to receive a quote.

When accessing the online configurator, the customer can select the model of the ladder they want to configure. They can also select the environment on which the ladder will sit, for example, a wall. The ladder is then configured against the chosen environment and a 3D preview is displayed automatically. This helps the customer to better visualize the end product.

Every time a new specification is run, DriveWorks automatically generates a personalized PDF quotation featuring a summary of all the parts, a price breakdown for each part, as well as the final quote price for the customer. Customers are also sent a personalized cover letter. Once the customer is happy with the quotation and product, the 3D models have generated automatically in SOLIDWORKS, along with other important manufacturing documents such as the drawings, a Bill of Materials, and a Bill of Profiles.

ESLA's logo and a picture of an ESLA ladder.

Learn more about how ESLA have reduced the manufacturing process from 3 days to 3 minutes with DriveWorks Pro:

DriveWorks CPQ Software Helps Manufacturers Deliver Great Customer Experience

DriveWorksgoes furtherthan traditional CPQ solutions.

DriveWorks software is proven and extends the power of a CPQ solution, withindustry-leading automation features.

Dealers, distributors, and internal sales teams configure the ideal solution every timewith DriveWorks intelligent rules-based guided selling and validation,eliminating errorsand expensive, time-consuming design changes. Real-time pricing updates ensure accurate quotes are generated.

DriveWorksintegrates seamlessly with other company systems to reduce bottlenecks, cut costs, optimize processes, and ensure accuracy. Improving communication between departments and keeping everyone up to date and in the loop is key. All of these benefits of CPQ work towards delivering a great customer experience.

Online Configurator Examples

Our productconfigurator examplesare a great way tosee whats possible with DriveWorks, in a range of scenarios and industries.

DriveWorks product configurator software isused by companies of all sizes. Its suitable forany industrywhere quotes or 3D files and drawings are part of the sales to the manufacturing process.

Our configurator examples show howversatile and customizableDriveWorks is and provide greatinspiration for your DriveWorks projects.

The software is not limited to what you see in our examples, with DriveWorks you builda custom solution that suits your needsand iseasy to maintain and update.

Explore our online configurator examples to see how versatile and easy to use DriveWorks is.

Try DriveWorks For Yourself

Follow the 3 easy steps below to download the DriveWorks Solo 30 Day Free Trial and get started.

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Join the DriveWorks Community

A computer screen showing a drawing using DriveWorks.

Download and Licence DriveWorks Solo

Two computer screens showing a drawings using DriveWorks.

Automate SOLIDWORKS

DriveWorks Customer Success Stories

DriveWorks is used by manufacturing companies from a range of industries.

DriveWorks is modular, scalable, and incredibly versatile. Our customers use DriveWorks in many different ways, building a Design Automation and CPQ solution to suit their needs.

Here’s what some of our customers have to say about our software.

An F.H Brundle residential balcony.

Thanks to DriveWorks, we provide quotes and drawings for each custom order, at no extra cost. Customers can get a quote anytime they want it, 24/7/365. With every order, customers receive everything they need. We are building customer loyalty, increasing sales and avoiding mistakes.

– Richard Twiddy, Design Office Manager, F.H.Brundle

Two factory workers carrying a Eurobond Doors door.

For us, the most important thing about DriveWorks is our improved efficiency and reduced costly data entry errors

– Anthony Coombes, Design Manager, Eurobond Doors

A Laing O'Rourke bridge

DriveWorks has allowed us to automate the routine processes that we undertake day in and day out, with traditional bridge design. This automatic creation of models and drawings rapidly improves the turnaround time to reach sign-off on designs and makes all downstream benefits possible

– Dr Scott McGovern, Digital Engineering Lead, Laing O’Rourke

A Shotton Group commercial lift.

For us, the most important thing about DriveWorks is that it helps us to drive consistency and maintain control of our engineering data.

Using DriveWorks, we’ve reduced the amount of time taken to complete forms from half a day to only 30 minutes.

– Martin Clenick, Engineering Manager, Shotton Group

Blue Giant hand pallet truck inside factory.

We use DriveWorks for quoting and approval drawings for almost 160 teams and 530 users. We also use DriveWorks for production part component generation for various product lines and a whole bunch of other great stuff!

– Christopher Zona, Manager – Systems Automation, Blue Giant

MicroStep's MG CNC cutting machine.

Before DriveWorks, generating a layout for a customer used to take us up to 2 weeks. This time has now been reduced to just 30 minutes

Matej Sedlack, DriveWorks Specialist, MicroStep

HW Ventilation fan propeller.

Our design process using DriveWorks Solo is 10 times faster than our previous manual process. Our engineers also dont have to waste time making drawings, and instead can focus their time on more rewarding projects.

– Matteo Morlacci, Engineer & Main DriveWorks Administrator, HW Ventilation

WEATHERGUARD truck box inside truck.

What I knew of DriveWorks was that it was a CAD automation system. But, once we started exploring the product, it became very obvious that it could do much more. The speed of DriveWorks is critical because it enables distributors to get a lead within minutes and allows us to see when the prospect was contracted, quoted and closed.

– Pete Robinson, Manager of Engineering Systems, WernerCo

Alitex glazed garden structure.

Thanks to DriveWorks, we have cut down design time from 40 hours to 20 hours, improving the customer experience to help enhance their decision making process.

– Elliot Dean, Designer, Alitex Ltd

P L Custom ambulance.

In its current state, DriveWorks outputs 245 files, 60 of which are assemblies, 85 are drawings and the rest are parts files. With DriveWorks handling repetitive tasks, our engineers are freed up to focus on customized aspects of our designs, such as the internal cabinets of the vehicle.

Shawn Casebolt, Engineering Lead, PL Custom Body.

Fresno Valves and Castings valve on a lock.

Our order volume has increased so much since adding DriveWorks that our engineering team has more than doubled to handle the amount of requests we receive!

– Sukhbir Singh, Mechanical Engineering Manager, Fresno Valves & Castings

A Winder Power distribution transformer.

Merging projects further and adding additional functionality is a continuous process for us now, and I estimate we add additional functionality at least every couple of months. We are also currently looking into what benefits DriveWorks Pro can offer different departments outside of engineering.

– Luke Beeson, Mechanical Design Engineer, Winder Power

WEG Energia gas turbine generator.

With DriveWorks we can create all drawings and manufacturing data within one day. Using SOLIDWORKS alone this process used to take three to four days.

Carlos Jose Bastos Grillo, Engineering Manager, WEG Energia

Industrial Magnetics magnetic in factory.

Customers can now see exactly what was configured and what they will receive, long before engineering has to sink the time in to generate a complete model with full production details.

– David Dewey, Engineer, Industrial Magnetics

A van that contains a Carrosserie Cazaux HVAC system inside.

DriveWorks is interactive and fun to use, more flexible, and benefits from the excel syntax in the rules builder. The most important thing about implementing DriveWorks Solo has been the speed in getting our products into production

– Guillaume Guerin, Design Engineer, Carrosserie Cazaux

markilux patio awning

DriveWorks is very reliable and robust. Now I never have the feeling that Ive forgotten something.

We can completely document the entire development process of a new markilux design awning

– Alexander Metten & Daniel Becks, Designers at markilux GmbH

Knapheide configuration on screen in their warehouse.

Utilizing DriveWorks has allowed us to create that base model and handle that proliferation much more consistently, efficiently, and a lot faster as well

Justin Steele, Engineering Manager, Knapheide

Marelli wall to ceiling partition.

With the implementation of DriveWorks, we decrease the chance of error and repetitive tasks, and gain in quality and robustness in deliveries

– Michael Panassol Moreira, Engineering Manager, Marelli

An ESLA special ladder.

Before using DriveWorks, ESLA had the capacity to handle 480 quotations a year. In 2022 they made 2000 quotations

– Ingenieria SAMAT, Authorized DriveWorks Services Partner on ESLA, European Special Ladders

A PMF-System workstation.

Our configurator not only enhances the experience of current customers, but we also use it as a marketing tool to attract new clients. Potential clients can easily browse the range of products and try out the configurator for themselves.

– Lino Peverada, CEO & Founder, PMF-System CH

DriveWorks Software

A computer screen with DriveWorksXpress software on the screen.

DriveWorksXpress

Free, entry-level design automation included in every seat of SOLIDWORKS.

Activate in the SOLIDWORKS Tools Menu to get started.

Computer screens with DriveWorks Solo on it.

DriveWorks Solo

Powerful SOLIDWORKS part, assembly and drawing automation.

Download your 30 day free trial of DriveWorks Solo and get started today.

DriveWorks Pro showing on several devices including a computer screen, Laptop, tablet and mobile phone.

DriveWorks Pro

Complete SOLIDWORKS automation and online 3D CPQ configurator software.

Explore our configurator examples to see how flexible DriveWorks is.

Find Out More About What DriveWorks Can Do For You

Get in touch with us to find out more about DriveWorks, design automation and improving customer experiences.

Automation is key for Knapheide – DriveWorks automates mundane tasks, improves communication, and helps their engineers keep up with demand.

Knapheide's logo

Based in Illinois, USA, Knapheide is a truck body manufacturer with a family-run history that spans over 175 years. They are committed to supplying a diverse product offering and encouraging customization. They were guided and supported with DriveWorks software by value-added reseller, Hawk Ridge Systems.

Before implementing DriveWorks software

Engineers were undertaking a lot of mundane tasks in design work, drawings, creating BOMs, adding notes, dimensions, and tens of thousands of parts throughout product iterations. Engineering at Knapheide was not able to create 3D models for all of their products because they couldnt keep up with the volume.

Automation is key

DriveWorks has enabled Knapheide to automate mundane tasks so that designers can focus on the fun part – the design cycle.

“We do a lot of creating base models, and configuring that across the product line, and utilizing DriveWorks has allowed us to create that base model and handle that proliferation much more consistently, efficiently, and a lot faster as well”

Justin Steele, Engineering Manager, Knapheide

A picture of a compter screen at Knapheide showing a 3D drawing produced using DriveWorks.

Knapheide is now working more consistently and efficiently.

A picture of a Knapheide employee looking at a 3D model inside a warehouse.

Optimized communication between teams

DriveWorks has opened a communication bridge between designers and those on the shop floor. Knapheide’s engineers can now provide detailed 3D models directly to the shop floor. They are more efficient and able to keep up with the demand they struggled to meet before implementing DriveWorks.

”They can measure, pull things apart and get that extra perception. This has made the production process much more efficient by creating a communication path and allowing users to open CAD files from others even if theyre on a different shift”

Marty Ohnemus, CAD Administrator, Knapheide

Working with DriveWorks reseller, Hawk Ridge Systems

Based in California, DriveWorks reseller Hawk Ridge Systems have been supporting Knapheide to identify and select the right tools to help Knapheide optimize their business processes and create a custom service for their customers.

Hawk Ridge System's logo.
A computer screen with DriveWorks Solo on the screen and a 3D visual of a trailer.

See What You Can Achieve with DriveWorks

Download and use DriveWorks Solo free for 30 days.

Available to anyone with SOLIDWORKS.

Marelli now have more time to dedicate to the development of new products, thanks to the time saved using DriveWorks

Marelli's logo

Marelli, based in Caxias do Sul, Brazil specialize in the corporate and collaborative furniture market, providing products for meeting tables, management rooms, and workstations, along with seating, fixed and swivel chairs, floor-to-ceiling partitions, sofa enclosures, and armchairs.

Before implementing DriveWorks software

Before using DriveWorks, the assembly process was done manually and each product had to be developed component by component.

For Michel Panassol Moreira, Engineering Manager at Marelli, “the development demanded a lot of time from the Engineering team. We also suffered a lot with the manual process, which allowed for several possibilities of error. With the implementation of DriveWorks, we reduced the chance of error and repetitive tasks, and gained quality and robustness in the deliveries”.

Being an innovative company in a competitive market, Marelli was searching for a way to improve efficiency, save time and most importantly, improve the experience of their customers.

Marelli decided to implement DriveWorks in the design of their floor-to-ceiling partitions, obtaining impressive results for several areas of the company.

Marelli implemented DriveWorks to automate and ensure a robust product development process.

Saving time by automating manual processes

Daniel Toigo Bortoncello, a Marelli designer who developed the automation process with DriveWorks has seen a 63% decrease in the time spent on repetitive tasks for customized projects. This time reduction enables designers to have more time to dedicate to the development of new projects and means that they can launch new products faster.

Owing to the product development capabilities in DriveWorks and the easy integration with SOLIDWORKS, Marelli estimates that time spent on design has reduced by 50%.

As customized products are designed faster, the wait time between the customers initial request and their final approval of the design has also significantly reduced. This further increases the satisfaction of the customer, the most important factor!

The software enables the automation of engineering processes such as customization and configuration.
Customized designs are created quickly and efficiently.

With the implementation of DriveWorks, we decrease the chance of error and repetitive tasks, and gain in quality and robustness in deliveries.

Michael Panassol Moreira, Engineering Manager, Marelli

Working with DriveWorks reseller, SKA, for over 10 years

Marelli has been working closely with Brazilian Certified DriveWorks Reseller SKA for more than 10 years. You will even find Marelli’s office furniture throughout SKA headquarters in S達n Leopoldo, and in their office in Americana.

A computer screen with DriveWorks Solo on the screen and a 3D visual of a trailer.

See What You Can Achieve with DriveWorks
Try DriveWorks Free for 30 Days

Get started with DriveWorks. Download and use DriveWorks Solo free for 30 days with the DriveWorks Solo 30-Day Free Trial.

Available to anyone with SOLIDWORKS.

PMF wanted to build an online configurator solution that their customers could easily access and interact with. With DriveWorks, they have done just that, and more

PMF-System's logo

PMF-System, headquartered in Switzerland, is an award-winning start-up company specializing in custom-made furniture for industry.

PMF wanted to build an online configurator solution that their customers could easily access and interact with. They also wanted to reduce repetitive sales tasks and to stand out from their competitors by having an online sales platform.

Before implementing DriveWorks software

Before adding DriveWorks to their design process, PMF-System would receive several requests for similar products, such as table frames, workbenches, and trollies. A lot of lengthy sales work was required for each specification and it wasn’t adding to the customer experience.

Customers create custom products with ease

When PMF’s customers access the online configurator tool, they can select the type of product they want to configure, for example, a table frame or workbench. They can then specify the options they want for this product, such as the style, colors, and dimensions.

Each time an option is selected, an interactive 3D model is displayed automatically.

Once the customer is happy with their configured product, they simply click add to cart inside the online configurator and can proceed to
payment.

a PMF-System work bench

Why DriveWorks?

PMF-System uses SOLIDWORKS as their 3D CAD solution and selected DriveWorks as their configurator solution due to the software being a SOLIDWORKS Gold Partner Product. The out-of-the-box integration with SOLIDWORKS made it easy to set up the configurator and start automating their product lines.

PMF has utilized the integration capabilities of DriveWorks to integrate their configurator with the e-commerce solution WooCommerce. PMF
selected WooCommerce because it easily integrates with DriveWorks, owing to DriveWorks’ ability to send HTTP requests.

To use DriveWorks correctly, your business technical knowledge is more important than any programming knowledge. A few days of training with a DriveWorks expert and you will be ready to create configurable models.

Lino Peverada, CEO & Founder, PMF-System CH

An icon showing a lightbulb and a clock with an arrow.

The future of PMF-System with DriveWorks

PMF wants to use the time saved with DriveWorks to develop even more models and product lines to appeal to a wider customer base, as well as further enhance their configurator to make it even easier for their end users to configure PMF products online.

An icon with the fingers making a tick shape.

More than a design tool

PMF’s configurator not only enhances the experience of their current customers, but they also use it as a marketing tool to attract new
clients. Their configurator is public-facing, which enables potential clients to easily browse their range of products and try out the configurator for themselves.

PMF has also partnered with a European retailer specializing in home, garden, and workshop products. This partnership allows end users to choose a model from the company’s website and then configure that product using the PMF configurator.

PMF-Systempresented at DriveWorks World 2023

At DriveWorks World 2023, we heard from many of our customers from a range of industries, sharing how theyre using the software. PMF shared how they have taken a scalable approach to building their DriveWorks project.

Take a look at some of our other customers who showcased their DriveWorks journey to our community in our round-up blog.

A computer screen with DriveWorks Solo on the screen and a 3D visual of a trailer.

See What You Can Achieve with DriveWorks
Try DriveWorks Free for 30 Days

Get started with DriveWorks. Download and use DriveWorks Solo free for 30 days with the DriveWorks Solo 30-Day Free Trial.

Available to anyone with SOLIDWORKS.

Building an online configurator with DriveWorks has enabled ESLA to dramatically improve customer experience and control the entire process, from inquiry to manufacturing the end product

European Special Ladders S.A. (ESLA), headquartered in Barcelona, design and manufacture tailor-made ladders, work platforms, and scaffolding. Since investing in DriveWorks Solo in 2018, they have upgraded to DriveWorks Pro and have been working with Authorized DriveWorks Services Partner, Ingenieria SAMAT to build their online configurator.

Before implementing DriveWorks software

Before DriveWorks was added to the design process, clients would reach out to the ESLA sales team with their requirements. This information was then relayed to the technical team. They would have to analyze the information and then create a new model from scratch using SOLIDWORKS, along with the regulations, calculations, and drawings for each product. Once the client had approved the model, the sales team would then create a quotation and presentation drawing for the client.

This whole process would take at least 3 days to complete.

Their configurator is transforming customer experience

When accessing the online configurator, the customer can select the model of the ladder they want to configure. They can also select the environment on which the ladder will sit, for example, a wall. The ladder is then configured against the chosen environment and a 3D preview is displayed automatically. This helps the customer to better visualize the end product.

Every time a new specification is run, DriveWorks automatically generates a personalized PDF quotation featuring a summary of all the parts, a price breakdown for each part, as well as the final quote price for the customer. Customers are also sent a personalized cover letter. Once the customer is happy with the quotation and product, the 3D models have generated automatically in SOLIDWORKS, along with other important manufacturing documents such as the drawings, a Bill of Materials, and a Bill of Profiles.

An ESLA ladder.

Before using DriveWorks, ESLA had the capacity to handle 480 quotations a year. In 2022 they made 2000 quotations.

Ingenieria SAMAT, Authorized DriveWorks Services Partner

customerdemandthumbnail

Minimizing chance of errors

Using DriveWorks rules technology, ESLA have ensured every ladder specified is not only manufacturable but also complies with strict regulations. If a customer inputs a design parameter that can’t be manufactured, a pop-up will appear showing that it is invalid and the customer is given a selection of configurable options to choose from.

document automation thumbnail

More time for R&D

The significant time savings have enabled ESLA’s engineers to dedicate more time to research and development, along with more complex engineering tasks, improving their existing product range and developing new product lines.

Ingeneria SAMAT presented at DriveWorks World 2023

At DriveWorks World 2023 we enjoyed hearing from so many of our customers from a range of industries, sharing how theyre using the software. Ingeneria SAMAT joined us to share the story of how ESLA are using DriveWorks and it was a great opportunity to see how they have built the project.

Take a look at some of our other customers who showcased their DriveWorks journey to our community in our round up blog.

A computer screen with DriveWorks Solo on the screen and a 3D visual of a trailer.

See What You Can Achieve with DriveWorks
Try DriveWorks Free for 30 Days

Get started with DriveWorks. Download and use DriveWorks Solo free for 30 days with the DriveWorks Solo 30-Day Free Trial.

Available to anyone with SOLIDWORKS.