Why did Skip Barber Racing School switch from AUTOCAD 2D design tools to SolidWorks?
The Skip Barber Racing School is the world’s largest racing and driving school, instructing nearly 12,000 students annually. Because maintaining the school’s fleet of over 150 racecars using AutoCAD 2D design tools had become increasingly difficult, the company began evaluating available 3D CAD packages in 2005. Skip Barber engineers hoped to improve the handling of large assemblies as well as enhance productivity. The company chose SolidWorks software because of its value, ease of use, and compatibility with strategic partners and vendors. They were also impressed with the software’s large-assembly and sheet-metal design capabilities, as well as its integrated Simulation analysis, PDMWorks product data management (PDM), and eDrawings design communications applications. By deploying SolidWorks software, Skip Barber Racing reduced design time by as much as 80 percent, improved racecar performance, cut development costs, and minimized design errors.
