Before you start a project.

Our published CAD automation work uses SolidWorks.

If your team uses another system, tell us its name and version. Automation options vary between systems and versions, so we need to review compatibility when scoping the work.

Your current models and drawings are a useful starting point. They show the design rules your team applies and the output it needs.

The initial review looks at whether those models can support automation as they stand or need restructuring first.

Describe the task that repeats, which software you use and what the finished output should look like.

An outline is enough for the first conversation. You can explain the workflow without sending drawings through the website.

The deliverables depend on the agreed scope. They can include CAD scripts, parametric templates, desktop applications or integrations between systems.

A CAD automation tool can generate models, drawings, bills of materials and production files. The required formats and outputs are part of the project scope.

We start by reviewing the task and defining the scope. Development follows, with reviews using representative jobs. The final stage covers validation, documentation and handover.

The scope sets out the rules, outputs and exceptions the tool needs to handle.

Cost and timing depend on the design variations, the clarity of the rules and the systems involved. Reviewing a representative task helps establish the scope.

Include any deadline in your initial inquiry so it can be considered when planning the work.

Yes. Generated models, drawings and production files still need the checks and approvals required by your engineering and manufacturing process.

Validation includes checking the tool’s rules and its output against representative jobs. Automation does not replace the responsible engineer’s review.

That depends on the interfaces and data access the other system provides. ERP systems manage activities such as purchasing, inventory and production, and each product handles external data differently.

The scope needs to establish what an integration can do, working with the person responsible for that system on your side.