Sonance, the company that invented the in-wall speaker, has standardised on SolidWorks software to design speakers that fill homes with great music while conserving space and aesthetic appeal. SolidWorks 3D CAD software helps Sonance pack surprising performance into its award-winning products, including: its in-wall and in-ceiling flush-mounted speakers; 'invisible speakers' that are indistinguishable from wall or ceiling panels; weather-proof speakers for outdoor use; speakers hidden in planters, pillars, or synthetic 'rocks'; amplifiers, keypads, and controllers; and systems that let homeowners use their iPod devices to orchestrate music throughout the home. According to Ray Call, supervisor of mechanical design, Sonance uses SolidWorks on all new and existing products to help make speakers that continually exceed expectations for acoustics, aesthetics, wiring, and mechanical action.

Better designs may involve bigger magnets or woofers in constricted spaces, or components that rotate within their housings for directional sound.

SolidWorks also helps Sonance sustain great sound in highly architected rooms with acute angles and niches, and make ceiling speakers produce surround effects.

'SolidWorks software is extremely valuable in helping us meet all of these challenges'.

'It helps us ensure that our designs are spot on prior to tooling because we never want to have to stop, back up, and revise approved designs,' said Call.

'SolidWorks isn't just a great mechanical design tool, it's also a great visual communications tool'.

'We can do design reviews right at my desktop, which would be impossible in a 2D environment'.

'SolidWorks also enables us to send 3D designs directly to manufacturing with very little or no additional work on the drawing side'.

Sonance recently garnered a pair of awards from Design Journal for the company's new Mariner line of outdoor speakers and Symphony family of audiophile-grade 'architectural' designs, both designed in SolidWorks software.

Sonance also uses the COSMOSXpress analysis tool for fine-tuning the performance of its unique snap-fit mounting components.

'Sonance is a great example of how teams are using SolidWorks software to blend superior form and function in products that are setting their companies apart,' said Rainer Gawlick, SolidWorks Corporation's vice president of worldwide marketing.

Sonance relies on authorised SolidWorks reseller GoEngineer for ongoing software training, implementation, and support.