Next Generation Product Development Tools, Part 8

In my previous entry the migration of digital tools in general was discussed; in particular, advancements in both usability and collaborative capabilities. In this and a couple of follow-up entries, I want to apply those filters to 3D CAD applications.

The Inevitable Fall of the CAD Priesthood

With any difficult to master skill there usually arises a group of experts who, over a period of time, too often take themselves a bit too seriously. The CAD community has plenty of these priests. And they’re not especially interested in giving up their lofty positions. That’s why I’m not surprised to read some of what I find being posted online by old school CAD experts; a significant portion of which amounts to “this new-fangled stuff will never work, I tell you”.
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Next Generation Product Development Tools, Part 7

To cover the gap between this installment and my last entry:

  • In Parts 1 and 2, I covered the current low-end and hints of the future high-end potential for augmented reality.
  • In Parts 3 and 4, I touched upon both current mass production methods and emerging rapid manufacturing technology.
  • In Parts 5 and 6, I linked tangible to virtual (via “Digital Direct Manufacturing”) and discussed both virtually-created and physically-sampled three-dimensional objects.
  • In this section I’d like to do one thing: call attention to technology migration and the accelerating pace at which this migration is occurring.
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