Automate repeated design tasks

How does design automation work? 

Design automation involves software or solutions that automate frequently recurring tasks in product design, such as creating drawings, adjusting product design parameters, or applying specific design rules. Its goal is to streamline and facilitate design work, improve the quality of products or services, and expedite product development or manufacturing processes.

Why is design automation worth it?

Manual design is often slow, especially when dealing with complex or custom products, and when design is time-consuming, the resulting products also take longer to reach the market. If there are changes in the product during the design process, the work may need to be almost completely restarted. The management and flow of information for manually designed products is also laborious and often leads to inaccurate or incomplete documentation. Additionally, the possibility of human error increases.

Design automation reduces the need for manual work, speeds up the design process, and improves productivity. It saves time and resources, enabling designers to focus on more productive tasks.

Benefits of design automation

Design configurators often feature user-friendly, intuitive, and visual interfaces, making product and component design and integration effortless. They accelerate the design process and reduce the risk of human error.

With a design configurator, a designer can:

• Adjust, modify, and customize product specifications, components, colors, and other parameters.
• Create individual solutions for different needs.
• View real-time 3D modeling and immediately see how changes affect the appearance and functionality of the final product.
• Automate part of the design process with predefined rules or logic.

Benefits of a design configurator for businesses:

• Streamline internal design and production processes by automating repetitive tasks, allowing designers to focus on more essential work.
• Minimize errors in design and technical specifications.
• Deliver customized products to customers in a shorter time, gaining a competitive edge in the market.
• Design process automation optimizes resource utilization, reducing labor costs, and minimizing the need for corrections due to errors.

Read more about design automation in our free ebook

Considerations when choosing a solution and provider for design automation

There are several different design automation solutions and providers on the market. Thoroughly evaluating various options is worthwhile.

However, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a solution and its provider:

1. Integration: New automation solutions must seamlessly integrate with existing systems, tools, and software.
2. Ease of use: The best solutions are intuitive and require little or no additional training.
3. Security: Ensure that the solution meets your organization's security and privacy standards.
4. Scalability: Is the design automation solution customizable and scalable if your organization grows or needs change in the future?
5. Support: It is essential to receive help and support if problems arise or if training is needed in the adoption of the solution.
6. References: Research other organizations' experiences and recommendations when using similar solutions. This can provide a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the solution.

Implementing a design automation solution

Once a suitable automation tool for your company has been selected and it is time to implement the tool, make sure to plan the implementation process carefully. At this stage, it is essential to identify the organization's needs and the pain points of the design process that automation is expected to resolve.

Involve the design team in the process as early as possible. User participation helps identify practical needs and ensures that the chosen tool suits their requirements and the technology already used.

Although good design software is intuitive and user-friendly, sufficient training for the design team before actual implementation is always worthwhile, ensuring that they can efficiently adopt it.

Piloting before full implementation is more than recommended. With a pilot carried out on a smaller scale, the functionality, performance, and usability of the chosen automation solution can be more easily assessed. If the pilot phase proceeds smoothly, the implementation of automation tools begins gradually, starting with simpler tasks or a smaller part of the design process and then gradually expanding its use. Monitoring the progress of implementation by collecting feedback from users helps understand whether it meets expectations and brings the expected benefits. Based on feedback, necessary adjustments can be made. Implementation is not a simple process, but careful planning, user involvement, and a phased approach ensure a smooth transition to the use of design automation tools.

"When the design is complete, the bill of materials automatically transfers to our online store, without human input. The online store then provides the price and delivery time. We have three central warehouses, so the bill of materials must be error-free. Then our customers will definitely receive what they have ordered."  Torbjörn Hansen, FlexLink

Sovelia Configurator

With a design configurator, you can streamline internal design and production processes by automating repetitive tasks. Design process automation optimizes resource utilization, reducing labor costs.

Sovelia Configurator is a solution for design automation. With Sovelia Configurator, you can reduce the need for manual work, speed up the design process, and improve productivity. It saves time and resources, enabling designers to focus on more productive tasks.

Read more how you can automate both your company's design and sales processes with Sovelia Configurator.

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