BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - March 6, 2008) - The traditional value proposition of simulation
has been about the ability to reduce the costs of product development by
cutting rounds of physical prototypes from the testing phase. While
Aberdeen Group's (a Harte-Hanks Company) (NYSE: HHS) research has
consistently validated this concept, more recent findings have uncovered a
new approach leading companies are adopting when it comes to assessing
product form, fit, and function. The results of Aberdeen's February 2008
"Complementary Digital and Physical Prototyping Strategies: Avoiding the
Product Development Crunch" study not only reinforce the cost and time
benefits digital prototyping solutions have to offer the conceptual,
detailed design and testing phases of product development, but also show
that top performing manufacturers are leveraging them along with physical
testing solutions in innovate ways.
"Using simulation to replace physical testing does not show as a
particularly high priority for these companies. Instead, it tends to
correlate with Industry Average performance," observes Chad Jackson,
Research and Service Director of Aberdeen's Product Innovation and
Engineering Group. "When it comes to assessing a product's form, fit, and
function, they are not only using digital models and simulation
assessments; they are using 3D scanning and printing technology to
complement and corroborate the virtual work. What may be most important is
that these industry leaders are finding ways to use this combination of
virtual and physical tests in ways that specifically address the needs of
key phases of product development."
Aberdeen found that these companies are seeing significant performance
benefits as a result of how they leverage virtual and physical prototypes,
meeting product launch targets and development cost targets as much as
twice as often as their competitors. In addition to an analysis of the
Best-in-Class, Aberdeen identifies the next steps companies should take to
adopt a similar approach, including:
-- In the detailed design phase use CAD and CAE applications to digitally
assess and 3D Printers to physically assess the product's form, fit and
function
-- In the testing phase, use CAE applications to determine
instrumentation setup and CAT applications to digitally review testing
results
A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part by the
following underwriters: Autodesk and PTC. To obtain a complimentary copy
of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=4642.
About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company
Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market
intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more
than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely
positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating
demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment
analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets,
corporations turn to Aberdeen for insights that drive decisions.
As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in
context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's
analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of
Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement -
Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role
Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit
Aberdeen http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more
about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to http://www.harte-hanks.com.
© 2008 Aberdeen Group, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company
260 Franklin Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02110-3112
Telephone: (617) 723-7890
Fax: (617) 723-7897
www.aberdeen.com
Contact Information: Media Contact:
Chad Jackson
Aberdeen Harte-Hanks
(610) 565-6302
chad.jackson@aberdeen.com