2D Versus 3D Plastic Enclosure Drawings – The In-Depth Look at Choice Part 3

We’ve been discussing options. For someone who needs specific items, choices are good. More choices allow you to get closer to your specific goal. We looked at 2D drawings, now let’s examine 3D and all its glory.

A 3D drawing gives even more detail. The benefit is what you can do with this type of drawing. A key feature of the 3D drawing is being able to manipulate the drawing to show 360 degrees of the product, not just a line drawing of the footprint. Many programs allow the user to rotate the product rendering on not only the x & y axis, but also on the z axis. Using 3D models of two products allows the user to determine if the two can fit together, as well as see what additional steps need to be taken to combine these two pieces.

The 3D rendering allows you to verify multiple angles, lengths, and potential installations without ever having to leave your office or physically maneuver any parts. With just a click of a button you can view a specific placement of the product, then if you don’t like it, you can move it again.

Let’s say you’re a design engineer for a car company looking to design next year’s model release. You can take the 3D model of both the vehicle chassis and your choice of say, front bucket seats. Then you would be able to determine if the seats will fit in the allotted space within the vehicle cabin. Additionally you would be able to know not only where you needed to install the rails (that allow the distance from the steering wheel to be determined) and screw locations, but also if you needed custom lengths and screw positions.

So now you have a brief introduction into what each benefit brings to the table. Let’s wait to discuss why both options are valid. Got other benefits of 2D or 3D drawings? Let me know with a comment.