How important is it to 3D Model components?

Being able to 3D model your ideas and solutions, then being able to subject them to simulations within 3D modelling packages is a very important skill for any engineer to know.

Why?

✅ Iteration: Gone are the days of draughtsmen, with PC’s and the current generation of design packages, making changes to your design after failing in experiments/tests are quick and easy to amend, like SpaceX we can move quickly back to the next prototype to test and learn from.

✅Speed: With the addition of drawing control software like Solidworks PDM, control/review/comments/collaboration and sign off can be done electronically, this removes the boundaries of countries and paperwork being lost.

✅Costs: Being able to simulate conditions that your solution with be involved with saves time and effort on expensive long running physical tests.

✅Tolerances: Weight/ Density/ Fits can all be calculated and checked visually including clash warnings in assemblies, saves time doing tolerance stack ups.

✅Function: Within the simulation, testing stress / strain / loads and the general movement of the solution is easy to do and includes the automatic features to detect errors.

✅Risks: Many businesses today review risks within NPI projects at every gateway meeting, as part of designing you need to be able to identify risks with your design and how you plan on mitigating it, using models helps visualise this.

✅Parameters: More to do with creating models for customers, the ability to assign custom parameters to quickly change dimensions if the customer asks, saves both time and costs.

Summary

It’s important to note, that my answer is directed at any 3D modelling package and not just Solidworks, since I’ve used Solidworks/Creo and Fusion 360 I have seen a lot of similarities between them, so jumping in and out of each isn’t hard to do.

That means, being able to model in general is important for engineers regardless of packages.

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