Music legends such as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Holly, and Kurt Cobain all have one thing in common aside from greatness: the Fender electric guitar. Offering a wide array 0f electric guitars such as the Stratocaster and the Telecaster, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is also known for its acoustic guitars, guitar amplifiers, banjos, mandolins and electric basses. As one of the music industry’s leading guitar manufacturers, Fender looked to SolidWorks 3D software to keep up with an expanding market. After the 2002 acquisition of the Jackson guitar brand, Fender needed 3D solutions to master some new geometric design challenges such as the 15-degree angle of the neck.
SolidWorks software has enabled Fender to save time, increase throughput, and achieve more consistent quality.
After using SolidWorks on Jackson guitars, Fender standardized on SolidWorks across all products. The software allowed the manufacturer to cut production time by 20 percent and reduce the time required to shape guitar necks by 30 percent. Because SolidWorks is easy to use and integrates well with computer-aided manufacturing tools, the company decided to use the software to share ideas and further production goals. SolidWorks solutions allowed Fender to achieve consistent high quality and level of performance for every instrument and piece of equipment in their product line.
Though becoming a famous musician takes more than just a Fender guitar, it doesn’t hurt to have one when you know that it will be a high quality, reliable instrument. To learn more about how Fender optimized its guitar and equipment manufacturing process with SolidWorks 3D software, check out the case study.