2D Instead of 3D For Thin, Laminated, Models?

[Ryan1220]

I recently left a flexible solar module company, and am now working for a lithium battery company. Both company's products are similar in the fact that they are thin and flexible. The flexible solar modules were a laminated structure of thin flexible layers, flexible PV cells, and interconnect ribbons. These product drawings were all done in 2D CAD. I considered redoing these drawings, modeling the laminated product in Solidworks and generating drawings from the model, but in all actuality creating 3D models of these thin, laminated parts, never really worked out well, and is impossible to create an accurate representation. I'm now experiencing similar issues creating drawings and models of these batteries. They are a stack of very thin flexible layers, that are sealed in bags. These are also very hard to represent accurately in Solidworks. And trying to do so creates a overly complicated model, for what it is. Anyways, I'm back to wondering if there is a time and place for 2D CAD. Note, I still use 2D CAD for facility layouts, schematics, and a few other things. I'd like some feedback and am wondering if there are other designers, that have come to similar conclusions.

Ryan

 

[TheTick]

Sounds like something that should be done in ECAD (e.g. Eagle).

 

[ctopher]

I have created similar models. But, you have to look at how much detail do you really need. Most of the time you don't need to go overboard with the realistic models, they can be minimized.
I have seen designers/engineers spend too much time trying to model every last detail, then the model crashes because of either the file size or the complexity of references.

Chris, CSWP
SolidWorks '17
ctophers home
SolidWorks Legion