Autodesk, Inc. today announced that Wild West Motor Company (Wild West), a manufacturer of high-performance custom motorcycles, is using Autodesk AliasStudio software as an integral component of its design and manufacturing operations. The 3D design software has played an instrumental role in helping Wild West reduce the time and cost of developing new products, allowing the company to increase production by 100 per cent over a two-year period and fuel a corresponding increase in sales.
"Autodesk AliasStudio offers a way for us to drive innovative designs and bring a definitive style into our motorcycles, giving us a strong competitive advantage," said Wild West Founder Paul Seiter. "Wild West's philosophy is based on pushing the limits for new designs, and we are using Autodesk AliasStudio to take cruisers forward, challenging the norm."
Autodesk AliasStudio software is a complete solution for the creative design process. It integrates the tools designers need for the shape definition and communication processes -- from sketching to production modeling -- within an intuitive working environment.
"As a motorcycle manufacturer, we need design software that offers the ability to easily develop original and organically shaped components, supporting the design of free-flowing surfaces and shapes like fuel tanks and seats," says Seiter. "Prior to using Autodesk AliasStudio, changing a profile of a curve was time consuming; we would have to start from scratch, slowing down the entire workflow. Now, making a change to a curve 20 steps back means the entire design becomes updated at once."
Leveraging AliasStudio has allowed Wild West to keep its design processes in-house, side by side with its manufacturing facility. This allows the company to create and craft many of its own major components for its motorcycles.
"Because iterations are so easy to do in AliasStudio, we don't face the design limitations we'd encounter if we outsourced our designs," said Seiter. "We can easily take a surface model next door to our machine shop, determine what changes need to be made, and then make the alterations in AliasStudio. I estimate we save $75,000 -- not to mention weeks, or even months, of time -- on every fuel tank project we undertake by doing the design and tooling in- house instead of outsourcing."
This speed and efficiency has helped Wild West significantly accelerate time-to-market for its products. As a result, the company has been able to increase production of its motorcycles by 100 per cent since implementing Autodesk AliasStudio, and its new designs have been met with consumer interest and enthusiasm. Wild West 2006 featured models, the Dragoon and Gunfire, are garnering widespread praise and attention for their sleek design and exotic styling.
"Wild West's products are a good example of how Autodesk industrial design technology can help manufacturers make new and innovative concepts a reality," said Robert "Buzz" Kross, vice president of Autodesk= Manufacturing Solutions. "With AliasStudio, Wild West is bringing their designs to a maximum efficiency level without limiting their creativity, and that combination is driving both new sales and repeat business."
About Wild West Motor Company
Over the past decade Wild West Motor Company has been designing, testing, tooling, and building some of the most exotic motorcycles in the world. Wild West was founded by a mechanical engineer with a creed to revolutionize motorcycle design. That vision is taking the company where few will able to follow. Wild West's design work is centered on a mission to build the most innovative premium brand of motorcycles. As they journey towards that goal, Wild West hopes to change motorcycling forever.
About Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc. is a Fortune 1000 company, wholly focused on ensuring that great ideas are turned into reality. With seven million users, Autodesk is the world's leading software and services company for the manufacturing, infrastructure, building, media and entertainment, and wireless data services fields. Autodesk's solutions help customers create, manage and share their data and digital assets more effectively. As a result, customers turn ideas into competitive advantage, become more productive, streamline project efficiency and maximize profits. Founded in 1982, Autodesk is headquartered in San Rafael, California.
Autodesk and AliasStudio are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.