5 Advantages of Using NX in the Automotive Industry

Consider the curves, edges and unique shapes of your favorite car model. That sleek, smooth design isn’t created in MS Paint or Google Sketchup. It takes much more powerful tools and much more complicated processes to create the perfect design.

One tool that is making the design process come to life is NX CAD. “By using NX, the duration of our designing process has decreased to roughly half the time it used to take us,” says one Tools Plant Manager. “Today, we can design a tool—descending on its complexity—in about two to three days, so we can serve many more customers than in the past. We have also increased our market share by 11 percent.”

Let’s take a look at 5 design and collaboration tools in NX that are must-haves in the automotive industry:

Think about the different shapes, curves and cuts necessary in making a car today. How are side mirrors formed? Spoilers? Or the unique look of some hoods and doors?

NX Realize Shape software is dynamic and intuitive: you can create new shapes based on simple designs just by extruding, sweeping, lofting and revolving its features. You also have freeform shape design, similar to the freeform modeling capabilities. You can use simple tools to create quick concepts for initial design intent, then edit from there. This includes creating curves on surfaces and direct surface modeling.

Create sheet metal component models using specific, feature-based tools for tabs, flanges and other necessary features. Sheet metal tools can be used to generate accurate flat pattern data for downstream applications from solids, sheets and wireframe geometry.

NX offers high-performance modeling, drafting and assembly design- powered by Synchronous Technology -that can’t be beat. The product design tools, as well as potential data management capabilities, make this a complete solution, from design to production.