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Five of the biggest trends impacting mechanical design
Articles- Jul 28,23
Mechanical design drives innovation in technology, but the inverse is also true. As technology advances, it opens up new possibilities in mechanical design, says Emily Newton.
Mechanical design is the heart of product development and heavy industries. It’s also a rapidly evolving field that advances as quickly as the machines and structures it produces. New mechanical design technology has come a long way over the past few years and will likely go even further.
Understanding these advancements is the first step in capitalising on the possibilities they enable. With that in mind, here are five of the biggest mechanical design trends shaping the industry today.
1. AI-Assisted Design
Like in many other industries, artificial intelligence (AI) is the most disruptive mechanical design trend. AI features in CAD software can analyse designs to recommend improvements, automate simulations or even create entire drafts from scratch to save engineers time and reduce errors.
AI-assisted design is faster and can help make more informed decisions, thanks to its analytics capabilities. Some AI models are 20 times more accurate at predicting different materials’ strengths than conventional means. Tools like that can make it easy to know what to build a product or building out of or which structures will yield the best results.
Entirely AI-produced designs are becoming a reality as generative AI improves. Engineers can input their goals, materials, manufacturing processes and other parameters and AI can produce several possible configurations. Using these suggestions as a starting point can significantly streamline the process.
2. Virtual and Augmented Reality
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are other important mechanical design trends today. These technologies make it possible to visualize, edit and interact with digital plans in ways previously only possible with physical models.
VR lets engineers and their collaborators get a firsthand, to-scale view of large projects while still in the design phase. That makes it easier to visualise the final product or to spot potential concerns before they become more expensive and complex to fix. Similarly, AR can reveal how a design would fit in a real-world space before spending money on a physical prototype.
Extended reality technologies like these also enable easier remote collaboration. AR and VR let employees worldwide feel like they’re in the same space, leading to faster collaborative projects while supporting remote work.
3. Mobile Apps
Some of the most practical mechanical design technology capitalizes on the tools engineers already know. Consequently, the industry is seeing a rise in support for mobile platforms and devices. Nearly 30 per cent of CAD developers now provide access to mobile CAD data access, making this field more accessible and further streamlining collaboration.
Mobile CAD apps let employees access and edit their virtual models wherever they go. As a result, they can work faster and share designs easier, all while using tools they already use in their daily lives.
The growing emphasis on mobile support also extends to end users. More mechanical designers offer mobile-accessible documentation to downstream partners and clients for easier operation. For example, building managers can use QR codes to access operating manuals and fire hazard information from their phones without sorting through paper documents.
4. Cloud Services
Similarly, cloud platforms are making mechanical design more accessible and efficient. While cloud computing is far from new, its adoption has skyrocketed over the past few years, so its impact on engineering is likewise growing.
Cloud-based CAD tools make it easier to share virtual designs with collaborators worldwide. Sometimes, teams in different locations can edit models simultaneously, enabling seamless remote collaboration. Even if just one employee is working on a design, cloud tools ensure they can do so from anywhere, removing time and place restrictions of conventional workflows.
Cloud services also prevent critical errors. Autosave features and online backups remove the fear of accidental deletion or loss from physical device damage, ensuring projects can progress even amid disruption.
5. 3D Printing
It’s impossible to discuss modern mechanical design trends and not mention 3D printing. This process — also called additive manufacturing — enables rapid physical prototyping after the digital design phase to minimize lead times and R&D costs.
3D printers can turn digital CAD files into physical products in a fraction of the time conventional manufacturing would take. Because this process adds material instead of cutting it away, it also uses fewer resources. As a result, it’s a more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable solution for small-scale production and prototyping.
Potential use cases have expanded as this technology has advanced. Some companies are now 3D printing entire buildings, streamlining construction timelines to minimize costs and avoid delays, which are common in the industry.
Mechanical design technology is rapidly advancing
Mechanical design drives innovation in technology, but the inverse is also true. As technology advances, it opens up new possibilities in mechanical design.
These five trends highlight how recent advances are transforming the engineering industry. While some of these technologies are still in their early stages, they’re already seeing rapid adoption as more organisations realize their benefits. These innovations will alter the face of mechanical design for good as that trend continues.
About the author:
Emily Newton is a tech and industrial journalist and the Editor-in-Chief of Revolutionized Magazine. Subscribe to the Revolutionized newsletter for more content from Emily.
Mechanical design
AI-Assisted Design
artificial intelligence
AI
CAD software
Virtual reality
VR
augmented reality
AR
3D Printing
Emily Newton
Revolutionized Magazine
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