全球竞争和上市时间的缩短迫使企业重新思考新产品开发的过程。旧的设计/建造/测试/重新设计方法正在被新的范式所取代。设计师能够在不借助原型的情况下模拟和验证设计，从而在第一时间获得更好的设计。集成了产品开发和制造各个方面的计算机辅助工具促进了这一重新设计过程。本文讨论并举例说明了进步型公司如何摆脱传统绘图，转而使用三维实体模型。

GLOBAL COMPETITION AND SHRINKING TIME-TO-MARKET HAVE FORCED COMPANIES TO RE-THINK THE PROCESS OF NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. THE OLD METHOD OF DESIGN/BUILD/TEST/REDESIGN IS GIVING WAY TO A NEW PARADIGM. DESIGNERS ARE ABLE TO SIMULATE AND VALIDATE A DESIGN WITHOUT RESORTING TO PROTOTYPES, RESULTING IN BETTER DESIGNS THE FIRST TIME. COMPUTER-AIDED TOOLS THAT INTEGRATE ALL ASPECTS OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND MANUFACTURING HAVE FACILITATED THIS RE-ENGINEERING PROCESS. THIS PAPER DISCUSSES AND GIVES EXAMPLES OF WAYS PROGRESSIVE COMPANIES ARE MOVING AWAY FROM CONVENTIONAL DRAWINGS AND USING THE 3D SOLID MODEL INSTEAD.