Here’s why CAD is the universal language of insulation blankets

Jul 16, 2020 | Shannon Blog

Shannon is known for its commitment to quality, truly reusable insulation blankets created with the goal of thermal efficiency, increased workplace safety, and acoustic management. Quality is achieved, in part, through Shannon’s CAD-CNC-ERP design system, but what exactly does that mean?

The first acronym in that system is CAD, which stands for “Computer Aided Design.” CAD is one of the processes by which Shannon designs the shape of its insulation blankets. Design engineers use CAD software to develop what the blankets will look like. This allows engineers to create blankets for a variety of components.

“We use CAD because it’s precise, and the more precise we can be with our designs, the better fit we get,” said Mike Makofsky, Shannon’s Northeast regional manager.

Getting a perfect fit translates into more energy savings for the client, as it allows the blankets to perform as intended. Thermal energy is much less likely to escape, saving the client money on energy. Designing blankets with a CAD system also helps ensure the safety of workers, as it eliminates the possibility of gaps in the insulation blankets, which would expose extremely hot components.

Furthermore, designing in CAD creates insulation blankets that are truly reusable. If an insulation blanket is too difficult to reinstall, it may simply be tossed to the side, wasting the business’ investment.

“The accuracy that we get from designing from CAD enables the insulation blankets to go back on again as easily as Shannon blankets are known to do,” said Makofsky. “That’s critical in this industry.”

CAD is also important because it’s ubiquitous. Every major firm dealing with engineering and product design uses CAD in some form. It’s the universal method of communication.

“CAD is the language that we speak with our customers,” said Makofsky. “If we’re all literally on the same page, then we all do our jobs efficiently.”