Today's guest blog is by freelance designer and GrabCAD Workbench customer, Clark Sopper. Learn why Clark uses Workbench as his CAD file management and sharing tool.
Who I am and the kind of work I do
I am an independent designer and work on projects ranging from electric vehicles to furniture. Much of my work involves a combination of aesthetic design and mechanical problem solving.
I am often involved with projects at a very early stage and bring on additional engineers and specialists as the projects develop. I work with a great network of shops during prototyping and am constantly sharing SolidWorks files with quite a few people.
How I shared CAD files before Workbench
Because I am sharing files with subcontractors and vendors it is super important to keep track of versions and to make sure everyone has the correct file type. Prior to adopting Workbench, I used Google Drive for sharing files with subcontractors and I emailed files to clients and vendors.
My clients were unhappy because eDrawings viewer is often troublesome and requires installation. I also had issues with accidentally creating conflicting instances of files shared with subcontractors.
Why I use Workbench for CAD collaboration now
GrabCAD Workbench has been very well received by clients because of how easy it is for them to use. Some people have trouble fully visualizing an object from blueprints alone, so the pinned notes feature is terrific. It saves me the time of creating multiple sets of prints and allows for natural feedback.
I also like the ability to show clients the drawings without giving them download access (by assigning them the view-only role) until they pay for my services in full. This keeps them engaged and excited while protecting me at the same time.
My final thoughts
Workbench is a great tool for designers and engineers. I have been impressed by both the product and the people behind it.
You can check out Clark's linkedin profile here.
