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 A major benefit of constructing a building virtually is the cost savings gained by identifying errors in the design before they are found on site. One of the more common errors that can be avoided is when two objects overlap in space or clash. For example a beam that should stop at a wall may have been wrongly dimensioned so that when placed on site, it passes through the wall. Right through or only partly through, either way it is very costly to fix if it is only identified as the wall is being built .

We often focus the success of new partners, showcasing how Spatial helped with bringing a new product to market. But that focus overlooks the importance of the benefits and results of a decades-long partnership. It is time to celebrate nearly 30 years of market leadership of one of our oldest customers and the partnership that helped build it.

3D visualization is the process of using 3D visuals to analyze designs or scenarios.

We all understand that 3D visualization is a vital means to reduce errors and guarantee quality before the part or product is put into production.

3D visualization -- interchangeably used with 3D modeling, 3D graphics, 3D rendering and computer-generated imaging (CGI) -- is basically the use of 3D images to analyze designs.

3D computer-aided design (CAD) files are integral to today’s manufacturing processes. On the surface, the idea is sound: an engineering team will design a part and, in turn, will send the necessary 3D CAD files to the manufacturer to produce the part.

Manufacturers rely on 3D computer-aided design (CAD) files provided to them by design and engineering teams. This could occur internally (within a company possessing both design and production capabilities) and across different companies.

To manufacture a design, the engineering or design team must send its computer-aided design (CAD) files to the manufacturer. In turn, the manufacturer would rely on the CAD file to feed its machining (subtractive) or 3D printers (additive) systems, which would produce the part.

Due to different workflows, it is not uncommon to find companies collaborating with one another (e.g. a design/engineering firm and manufacturer) utilize different computer-aided design (CAD) suites. However, the risk with such processes is that both sides involved in the project will have difficulty reading non-native CAD files.

Following the design and analysis phase, computer aided design (CAD) files are usually converted into polyhedra file formats for preparation and manufacturing in 3D printers. STL (STereoLithography or Standard Tessellation Language) is the most common polyhedra file format, having originally been developed to translate CAD files into a readable format for 3D printers in 1987.