Speed-to-market is key to staying competitive

Thirty years ago Scott Drake needed a piece of trunk weather stripping for a classic Mustang. One thing led to another and today his company, Drake Automotive Group, makes 9,000 after-market parts.

The company still specializes in classic Mustangs and also makes parts for off-road and late-model muscle cars such as Camaros and Challengers. In the early days, Drake started with hand drawings when reverse engineering parts, a far cry from the environment of today’s market, in which speed-to-market is key to staying competitive.

The Right Technology to Stay Ahead

After considering several different technologies, Drake Automotive chose Creaform’s HandySCAN 3D from GoEngineer. For new product development, the HandySCAN accurately captures every detail needed to reverse engineer a part.

HandySCAN also proved to be the best choice for inspecting incoming parts against samples that must exactly match parts manufactured in the early 1960’s. Plus, the Drake Automotive team loved the product’s portability. At under two pounds and less than twelve inches tall, the HandySCAN maneuvers easily around tight areas while scanning, and it is a cinch to transport to various locations.

Making Point Cloud Data into Prototypes

After scanning a part, Geomagic software enables quick translation of point cloud data, making it ready for import into SOLIDWORKS for any final changes. Finally, the Stratasys 3D printer produces a prototype that can be checked for accuracy and fitment.

The combined GoEngineer technologies enable Drake Automotive to maintain their competitive edge by getting parts to market more quickly than the competition.

Partners in Success

GoEngineer has been instrumental in Drake’s success. “GoEngineer is amazing to work with. They provide comprehensive support and training for each new technology we acquire and get us up to speed in no time while offering suggestions for improving our processes,” said Bob Deguites, R&D manager with Drake Automotive Group.