Case Study – Shape shopfitters Partnering with Opticad Solutions and TopSolid’Wood
We spoke with Shaun Beattie, Production Designer / Setout at Shape Shopfitters in Melbourne, about how their team uses TopSolid’Wood (TSW) in their projects and how Opticad Solutions supports them.
About Shape Shopfitters
Shape Shopfitters is an Australian-owned company established in 1998. Shape Shopfitters primarily operates in the Commercial and Industrial Building Construction sector, specialising in shopfitting and joinery services. They offer a “one-stop solution” for high-end retail, hospitality, and commercial fit-outs, servicing clients across Australia. The company operates with a dedicated workforce consisting of approximately 30 team members.
Long-Term Use and Reliability
How long have you been using TopSolid’Wood?
“For well over 10 years now.” That decade of use reflects not only the stability of the software but also its role as a core part of our production workflow.”
Efficiency and Flexibility in Design
How do you find it?
“It saves me so much time as I don’t have to draw individual library items. It’s so easy to use, I can draw from multiple store libraries and then modify them in TSW. Working with the design parameters is seamless, sizes, angle rotations, everything integrates perfectly in 3D. That gives me so much flexibility to get the designs right.
With hospitality clients like McDonald’s & Grill’s, we often deal with complex fit outs. One good example is the McDonald’s Mt Gambier project in South Australia. We manufactured all the custom joinery and architectural metalwork in-house, including curved joinery and timber accents, and integrated it with McDonald’s latest technology like self-serve kiosks. Using TopSolid’Wood made it easy to handle the mix of materials and keep everything accurate, which helped us deliver the project on time and on budget.”
Integrating Across Materials and Machines
“We have a Woodtron CNC machine. Working from the architect designs, generate cutting lists, and prepare files for import into our CAM software. From there, it goes directly to the machine.”
What sets TSW apart is its versatility.
“Even if we’re working with steel frames, signage, or stone components, we can design it all in TSW. Then I just export the data; TopSolid has a direct export to our Cam software and it works seamlessly.” If we need to send information or data offsite we can do that without any problems. Having the ability to export data and information for other manufactures is important, it is our name on the project and we must ensure we control all aspects of the manufacturing process.
Ongoing Support That Understands the Industry
Beyond the technology, Shaun points to the value of working with a partner who truly knows the industry.
“Their support is great. Chris is on call whenever you need him. Honestly, we would have been lost without their setup and guidance. Because they understand our industry and our business, the solutions and service they provide just make sense.”
The Result
For Shape Shopfitters, TopSolid’Wood, backed by Opticad Solutions, delivers:
- Significant time savings in design work
- Flexibility to handle wood, steel, and stone in the same environment
- A seamless workflow from design to Cam and CNC production
- Expert support that ensures the system runs smoothly within existing operations