Ideal 3D Configurator candidates are (but not limited to): 1.) Manufacturers that deal in make-to-order products composed of existing parts. 2.) Want to provide a simple, intiuitive ordering experience for customers and partners. 3.) Want to reduce training and knowledge burden on users. 4.) Organizations that have the capability to produce or acquire art and product data to drive the configuration experience.

Less than Ideal 3D Configurator candidates are: 1.) Organizations with engineer-to-order process flows, inventing new parts during the sales process. 2.) Organizations that deem DriveWorks or other collaborative CAD solutions appropriate for its audience. 3.) Organizations that do not have artwork or no means to obtain source materials to be used to create art.

Organizations are required to provide product master and pricing, full dimensional data (height, width, depth) on all products, and information about how products attach to each other (again with dimensions). For example – The server rack has an area 19″ wide and 77″ tall where rackmount components are bolted, divided into 44 – 1.75″ slots, starting 3″ down, 1.5″ in, and 1″ deep from the top left of the front product face. In addition, authoring tools (Visual Attachment Point Editor) reduce but do not necessarily eliminate this need.

For each product visually represented, we need a suitable 3D model for use in the unity game engine, as well as accompanying textures:

• .FBX or .3DS exported from 3DStudio MAX (an AutoDesk Product)
• Blender output is also acceptable
• Should be low (low thousands) polygon count
• 3D CAD drawing in .DWG format for export use

Start with whatever you currently have

• Manufacturing-quality CAD models
• Sales and marketing assets

Produce in-house

• Internal staff produces 3D renderings
• Use tools to refine what you have. Simplygon or PolyTrans can reduce manufacturing models down to the level required for 3D Unity.

Outsource

• Use a 3rd party to produce model/images. We can refer you to candidates.