Viridian Solar, a manufacturer of solar water heating and solar photovoltaic products, is using 3D design and engineering software from Autodesk to develop renewable energy solutions to help customers meet government energy efficiency targets.
This follows Viridian Solar’s recent decision to join the Autodesk Clean Tech Partner Program which provides software for emerging clean tech companies in North America, Europe, Japan and Singapore. Joining the programme has prompted Viridian Solar to standardise on Autodesk CAD software, streamlining the product development workflow, internal processes and collaboration across extended project teams, including partners and customers.
The company has also expanded its use of Autodesk’s AutoCAD LT professional drafting software to create scaled pictures of its solar panels and to allow its customers to share DWG and PDF format drawings of their buildings. The software then enables Viridian Solar to analyse the drawings and collaborate with customers to decide on the right renewable energy package to meet their requirements. The company is also utilising digital prototyping for product development with Autodesk Inventor and has the 3D mechanical design software solution installed within its R&D department.
‘All of our new products are now designed in 3D in Inventor,’ said Stuart Elmes, CEO at Viridian Solar. ‘Our engineers use individual part drawings which can then be made, prototyped, tested and launched as a production product. Our technical sales advisors can then use Inventor to help import a 3D model of the entire product into our customers’ drawings to assist them with roof layout. This has streamlined that process by enabling us to standardise on a single package.’
