Case Study: John Harder & Company achieves rapid, accurate job quotes and cuts design time from 4 hours to 15 minutes with Solid Edge

Meeting design needs for custom forklift attachments

John Harder & Company (JHC) is a Saint Louis–based designer and manufacturer of custom forklift attachments that must deliver fast, accurate job quotes, maintain OEM lift-weight certifications, and stay competitive in a specialty market. To meet these challenges JHC adopted Solid Edge 3D CAD and later Solid Edge Simulation from vendor Solid Edge to move off 2D processes and apply simulation early in the design cycle.

Using Solid Edge’s CAD-embedded FEA tools, JHC replaced third-party analysis and accelerated engineering workflows: design time dropped from about 4 hours to 15 minutes, job-quoting time fell from hours to roughly 20 minutes, and customer weight ratings were maintained while reducing estimated attachment weight and material costs. Solid Edge’s integrated simulation also provides weekly validation, stronger documentation for PE review on sensitive projects, and greater confidence in early budgetary estimates.

John Harder & Company

Rob Jones

Sales and Engineering