Case Study: Knapheide Manufacturing achieves streamlined sheet-metal design and faster customization with SolidWorks

Streamling service and utility truck body design with SolidWorks software

Knapheide Manufacturing Company, the leading U.S. maker of service and utility truck bodies, needed a more efficient 3D CAD solution to handle its largely sheet‑metal–based, highly customized product line. After benchmarking leading systems, Knapheide replaced Autodesk Inventor with 30 seats of SolidWorks Professional and one seat of SolidWorks Simulation to gain advanced sheet‑metal design, configuration and analysis capabilities.

By implementing SolidWorks across design and manufacturing, Knapheide creates virtual folded/unfolded sheet‑metal models, exports flat patterns to nesting/CNC equipment, and uses eDrawings for clearer customer communication. SolidWorks’ integrated Simulation and configuration tools cut prototype iterations, minimized design errors, sped response to custom orders, and improved collaboration—reducing prototyping costs and enabling more efficient customization and production.

Knapheide

Vinson Sill

Project Engineer