Interview : Blackstrix
Today we’re interviewing Florian Poulenard, founder of BLACKSTRIX.
Lucie P-L: “Could you introduce yourself?”
Florian P : “Poulenard Florian, founder of BLACKSTRIX. Firstly, we design and manufacture environmentally-friendly leisure vehicles. Secondly, we’re also into design. So, in everything that’s specialized in transportation: vehicles, bicycles, motorcycles, everything related to mobility. My main background is really design.”
L:“What are your design needs?”
F : “I use 3D design to simply talk to my various customers about the products I’m designing (i.e. the vehicles I’m going to design). This allows the customer to have something other than a 2D visual, such as a sketch or graphic palette.
Secondly, I use it to draw up technical plans and then move on to production (as I’m double-hatted).”
L: “Why 3DEXPERIENCE?”
F: “Quite simply because it was already using the SOLIDWORKS software that I mainly work with.
First of all, because SOLIDWORKS lets me do 3D on technical drawings. But also on the basis of design, as we can work on both surface and volume. In addition to this, rendering software also allows me to communicate about the projects I’m working on.
The Cloud, which is very important to have all my data on a 3DEXPERIENCEserver and not on my hard disks. Even if they’re there, they’re also on the cloud, so if my computer has a problem, everything’s saved.
I’ve also taken on the role so that I can talk to my customers too, so that’s a good thing too. In other words, the customer will be able to see the object I’m working on, to see it in detail, to shoot in 3D, even from a distance. In fact, I work a bit with companies in the Czech Republic or elsewhere (outside France), a bit far away, so you could say it’s convenient.”
L: “What are the results observed?”
F:“It hasn’t been long, but I’ve already had good feedback on this, at least in terms of having my software on the Internet and therefore online.
As I was saying, it’s really the ease of having all my parts and all my projects on the Cloud.
Then, I’m in the process of setting up the possibility of sharing with my customers. So I haven’t had a chance to try it out yet, but it’s something that I think will be really beneficial. This avoids the need for rendering, then layout, etc. The customer will be able to see it right away.
Yes that’s right, the positive thing is to have all the files backed up and to have a secure backup base.”
L: “Could you name three benefits?”
F: “Leporting to the team: So I’m following up with Kilian. We can ask questions based on the problems we may encounter, and get answers to our questions.
Communication: like what we’re doing (around the platform)
Cloud backup: as I said earlier, but which I think is very important to emphasize.”
L: “What about XDInnovation?”
F : “As I was already fairly well-versed in SOLIDWORKS, we didn’t encounter any problems in switching from the classic SOLIDWORKS I had to 3DEXPERIENCE. With regard to recording on the cloud, how do you create folders, etc.? It was more like problem solving.
After that, it’s true that everything that was in terms of using the software (whether volumetric, surface, rendering, technical plan) I had more of those basics, so we concentrated more on the basics of using the platform.
Now we’re going to work on the exchange I’ll be able to have with my customers and subcontractors thanks to the platform.”
L: “Would you like to add anything?”
F: “Oe could also say that 3DEXPERIENCE is above all about sharing: we’re going to be able to share 3Ds much more easily (3Ds are still fairly large files, not everyone will have SOLIDWORKS, some will be working on other 3D software, so they’ll at least be able to preview and modify parts to a greater or lesser extent).
It’s a pretty important thing, especially if you’re working with collaborators.”
