Ascending Technologies GmbH

The Challenge

Ascending Technologies GmbH develops and manufactures unmanned multicopters and aircraft. These are used for aerial photography, research, remote reconnaissance of landscapes, and inspection tasks of all kinds, among other things. Multicopters must be light and agile yet robust and stable at the same time. Various manufacturing options should also be taken into account and incorporated into the design of the devices, because the highly competitive niche market demands short delivery and market launch times as well as streamlined and optimized production and design processes. This means that the success of the developments is dependent upon the use of a comprehensive, high-performance CAD system.

The Solution

After an extensive comparison of 3D CAD technologies, the team at Ascending Technologies GmbH chose to use the design software from SolidWorks in 2008. The intuitive user-friendliness, comprehensive function set, and good value for money convinced the team. The development and design team and prototype manufacturing currently work with SolidWorks. Thanks to integral construction, Ascending only needs a minimum of components, saving time and costs. Furthermore, the introduction of SolidWorks Enterprise PDM brought a considerable improvement in productivity as well as closer networking between the departments. The teams use the solution for the administration of diverse design data such as technical specifications, documents, technical data, and drawings. Overall, the company was able to react more quickly and individually to customer requirements and substantially optimize coordination of departments and general workflows thanks to the use of SolidWorks CAD and SolidWorks Enterprise PDM.