February 26, 2003 HOLLAND, Michigan – The Holland Group has invested in new computer-aided design software that will reduce its product development time from years to months and unite its global design teams on a single platform.
The Holland, Michigan-based supplier of vehicle connection products said its investment in SolidWorks® three-dimensional CAD software will allow it to bring new products to market quicker and more efficiently. The software package, which has become the global standard for the Company’s design facilities, will also allow engineers to streamline the customization of products, improve design modifications in the assembly process, and generate photo-realistic renderings of its coupling, fifth wheel and suspension system products.
“The products we develop demand a high degree of customization to meet our customers’ unique designs,” said Jack Gisinger, vice president of engineering for The Holland Group. “That required us to conduct a lot of ‘old school’ lab and field tests that often delayed production. SolidWorks allows us to develop a new product idea quickly and then run what-if scenarios to see if our ideas are feasible.”
“This new software will dramatically reduce our product development cycle giving us a significant time advantage over our competitors. It also allows our design teams, whether they are in Europe, Australia or the United States, to speak a common language. The adoption of SolidWorks will translate into significant improvements for our customers.”
The Holland Group will use SolidWorks to design and develop a wide variety of components used in the heavy-duty trucking and transportation industries, including fifth wheels, trailer landing gear, and air and mechanical suspension systems for both truck and trailer systems. The new software package replaces all other systems that were used by the Company’s global design teams, a move that dramatically simplifies the design development, review, analysis and approval process involved in new products.
“The products that The Holland Group designs must be exceptionally rugged and, as a result, require precise engineering,” said Mike Crismond, vice president of North American sales for SolidWorks Corp. “We are pleased to provide the engineering tools needed so that The Holland Group can meet the demands of its global customers for fast turnaround and reliability.”
The Holland Group also uses SolidWorks Toolbox, which allows engineers to see how design modifications will translate into the assembly process. For example, if an engineer decides to substitute a different size bolt in a coupling assembly, SolidWorks Toolbox automatically notes the new specification and makes the change through the design.
The new software package also generates photo-realistic design renderings through SolidWorks Photo Works™ so that the Company’s marketing and customer service teams can help customers easily visualize products and understand how they will fit into the overall system design.