Baker Drivetrain, Inc.

The Challenge

BAKER Drivetrain, Inc., has built on the success of its first product—the BAKER OD6 (overdrive 6-speed) transmission, which eliminates excessive vibration in the Harley-Davidson V-twin motorcycle—by developing an expanded line of motorcycle transmissions, primary drive units, and clutches for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and the motorcycle aftermarket. To support its business expansion, the company needed to increase efficiency in design and manufacturing. In 2007, BAKER Drivetrain engineers determined that they needed to upgrade from the AutoCAD® 2D design tools that they had used to a 3D CAD system.

The Solution

After evaluating the Unigraphics®, Autodesk Inventor®, and SolidWorks® 3D CAD systems, BAKER Drivetrain chose SolidWorks Professional software. The company chose SolidWorks software because it is the most intuitive and easiest-to-use 3D design system, and enhances design communication. By implementing SolidWorks, BAKER Drivetrain has accelerated design time by 50 to 75 percent, cut prototype cycles by 50 to 75 percent, reduced scrap and rework by 30 percent, and introduced the first seven-speed motorcycle transmission.