Perception Engineering Reduces Design Errors & Powers PDM with 3DEXPERIENCE Platform

Leveraging 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS for collaboration and data management enabled faster and more efficient product development

Challenge

Streamline communication, improve data management, increase collaboration, and remove location limitations to accessing its design and engineering environment.

Solution

Add design, collaboration, and data management solutions from the 3DEXPERIENCE® Works portfolio on the cloud-based 3DEXPERIENCE platform—including 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS®, Collaborative Designer for SOLIDWORKS, Collaborative Business Innovator, and Collaborative Industry Innovator—to its existing SOLIDWORKS implementation.

Results

Improved and automated data management
Realized 24/7 access to design and engineering environment
Minimized design errors
Increased collaboration and flexibility through cloud-based access

Perception Engineering provides contract mechanical design services that include machine design, manufacturing support, new product development, and complex automation systems development to provide both on-site and off-site support to its customers. Founded in 2013 and located in Hallandale, Michigan, Perception Engineering leverages its highly trained engineers from diverse backgrounds that band together and solve almost any design and manufacturing problem for their clients.

When President Stephen Wierenga founded the company, he hunted for design and engineering tools that would contribute to his firm’s success. “SOLIDWORKS was the obvious choice when starting Perception Engineering,” Wierenga explains. “Early on, we had a vision to be a trusted extension of local manufacturers’ engineering teams. To do this, we not only had to have knowledge of how products are made, but we also had to be experts in the tools and software that our clients use…the preferred design software was and remains SOLIDWORKS.”

Perception Engineering bath bean design, shown in a 3DEXPERIENCE Works user interface

Fueling Cloud-based Product Development

With the benefits enabled by SOLIDWORKS, Perception Engineering continued to grow. However, like many businesses, it had to streamline communications with clients and increase collaboration among team members during the COVID-19 lockdowns. This necessity prompted Perception Engineering to add design, collaboration, and data management solutions from the 3DEXPERIENCE Works portfolio in 2021.

Perception Engineering has realized the benefits of increased collaboration, both across project teams and with clients.

Having the ability to collaborate around a 3D design is pretty powerful...With more flexible access to project data on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, everyone can contribute.

Scott Tompsett

Director of Operations

Related Resources

Bath Bean design in 3DEXPERIENCE Works design window

Communicating in Real Time

Mechanical Designer Cody Cook concurs. “On a recent project, we recruited a solo contractor to develop design options, which he then could post to our 3DEXPERIENCE Community, giving us the opportunity to have ideas offered and validated from both within and outside Perception Engineering.”

He continues, “On another project, we had three members of the team in-office and two other team members off-site. Working on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, we were able to improve communication and collaboration among team members because we are all working in the same design environment. We are communicating in real time at every stage of the project, so everyone is on the same page. We improve communication, maintain tight revision control, and have even reworked our workflows to shorten development cycles and become more efficient.”

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