Proteus Motion, a leader in innovative physical training and strength-testing systems, is reshaping the way athletes, coaches, and rehabilitation specialists approach fitness. Their cutting-edge system captures all human movements in 3D, providing a unique, data-driven approach to strength testing and training. With the help of 3DEXPERIENCE solutions, Proteus Motion overcame the challenges of modern product development to create a groundbreaking solution that delivers unmatched performance and efficiency.

 

The Challenge: Innovating Amidst a Pandemic

Proteus Motion set out to design a revolutionary physical training system capable of replacing 20 pieces of traditional fitness equipment while incorporating all human movements in 3D. Their goals extended beyond innovation, requiring the system to meet strict manufacturing and safety standards, be affordable to produce, and allow seamless assembly for commercial deployment.

 

 

However, their journey to innovation coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Proteus Motion faced several key challenges:

 

• Design Complexity: Achieving manufacturability, assembly, and cost efficiency while maintaining performance standards required advanced tools and techniques.
• Stringent Safety Requirements: Adhering to ASTM International standards demanded extensive safety testing to ensure a 6X safety factor on structural components.
• Prototyping Costs: Avoiding lengthy and expensive rounds of physical prototyping was crucial to keep the project on track and within budget.
• Remote Collaboration: The pandemic necessitated a shift to remote work, making traditional development methods impractical.

 

Beyond these challenges, Proteus Motion needed to deliver a system that not only worked but outperformed traditional equipment, replacing hours of training with a five-minute, data-driven workout. Faced with these obstacles, Proteus Motion turned to 3DEXPERIENCE Works solutions, which provided a cloud-based platform for collaboration, design, and innovation.

 

The Solution: Cloud-Based Collaboration with 3DEXPERIENCE Works

Proteus Motion implemented a suite of 3DEXPERIENCE Works tools, including 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS Premium, 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS Professional, 3D Creator, 3D Sculptor, and Collaborative Industry Innovator. These solutions not only met the technical requirements for design and simulation but also enabled seamless collaboration across remote teams.

 

 

The cloud-based 3DEXPERIENCE platform proved to be a game-changer for the company, allowing their design team to stay connected and productive despite lockdowns and office closures. It provided a single source of truth for their data, designs, and collaboration tools, ensuring nothing was lost in the transition to remote work.

 

With the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, Proteus Motion achieved:

• Faster Design Cycles: By leveraging cloud-based collaboration and advanced simulation tools, the team cut their design cycles by 50%.
• Reduced Prototyping Costs: Virtual simulations replaced the need for two costly prototypes, saving approximately $20,000.
• Optimized Manufacturing: By refining the bill of materials (BOM), Proteus Motion reduced production costs by a factor of four.
• Streamlined Assembly: Innovations in design reduced assembly time from two weeks to just three hours.

 

The Results: A Complete Sports Science Lab

The Proteus Motion system redefines physical training and strength testing. By capturing all human movements in 3D, it sets a new standard in the fitness industry, replacing hours of traditional equipment use with just five minutes of its advanced system.

 

 

More than just a fitness machine, the system provides detailed insights into performance, making it an invaluable tool for trainers and rehabilitation specialists. Its ability to combine strength testing with motion analysis gives users a comprehensive picture of physical performance.

The system has garnered widespread acclaim, earning innovation awards and being adopted by top athletes and organizations, including NFL star Patrick Mahomes and leading sports performance centers. According to Director of Hardware Engineering Paul Vizzio, the system is “a complete sports science lab in a box,” delivering unparalleled insights and capabilities to users.

 

Why Proteus Motion Chose 3DEXPERIENCE Works

Before adopting the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, Proteus Motion used a free CAD tool for initial concept development. However, as they moved toward commercialization, the limitations of their tools became apparent. They needed a professional-grade solution capable of handling the complexity of their project.

The 3DEXPERIENCE platform provided:

• Advanced Simulation Tools: Finite element analysis (FEA) simulations enabled the team to meet safety standards without excessive physical prototyping. These tools ensured the system could withstand the rigorous demands of real-world use.
• Seamless Data Management: The platform’s built-in product lifecycle management (PLM) tools replaced the team’s outdated file hierarchy, enabling version control and simplifying collaboration.
• Photorealistic Visuals: The rendering capabilities of 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS Visualize allowed Proteus Motion to create animations and images for marketing, training, and internal design reviews.

 

“The ROI [return on investment] that we’ve seen from 3DEXPERIENCE Works solutions has been huge,” Vizzio explained. “…Everything has just been sped up.”

 

Safety First: Reducing Prototyping Cycles

Safety was a critical consideration for Proteus Motion’s design. Adhering to ASTM International standards meant ensuring a 6X safety factor on all structural components. Traditional physical testing would have required numerous prototypes and significant resources, but the 3DEXPERIENCE platform offered a better way.

Using SOLIDWORKS Simulation, the team conducted extensive virtual tests to evaluate materials, geometry, weld processes, and heat treatments. These simulations guided design decisions, enabling Proteus Motion to optimize their system for strength, cost, and build time.

 

A Visual Edge: Enhancing Communication with Rendering Tools

Proteus Motion leveraged 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS Visualize to create photorealistic animations and videos that demonstrated how their system works. These visuals were instrumental in:

• Marketing the product to potential customers.
• Training users and technicians.
• Explaining the system’s value to investors and stakeholders.

 

What’s Next? Discover SOLIDWORKS 2025 and the Latest Enhancements to the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform

Proteus Motion’s story highlights the transformative power of 3DEXPERIENCE Works solutions. Their ability to innovate quickly and efficiently showcases the potential for other businesses to do the same.

 

 

This success story aligns perfectly with the upcoming release of SOLIDWORKS 2025, which introduces cutting-edge enhancements to streamline design, collaboration, and innovation. By combining the latest features of SOLIDWORKS 2025 with the robust tools on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, businesses can unlock new levels of productivity and creativity.