Configurators
A configurator is a product that is described rather than listed. You set the parameters; SmartPart works out what that costs and what it looks like.
The two halves
The controls. Sliders, swatches, dropdowns and toggles — whatever the product needs. Each one is a real manufacturing parameter, not a preference: the length of a rib, the drop of a pendant, the timber a frame is cut from.
The 3D view. A live model that redraws on every change. Drag to orbit, scroll or pinch to zoom. The model is rendered in your browser, so once the configurator has loaded it keeps responding without going back to the server.
Pricing
Price is calculated from the configuration, not looked up. Change a dimension and the price moves with it, so the number on screen is always the number for the product you have in front of you.
This is what removes the quotation step. There is nothing to request and nothing to wait for — a business using SmartPart does not quote at all.
Why the 3D view matters
The render is a check, not decoration. Length against width against depth is the classic ordering mistake, and it is very hard to make once you can see the thing turning. Fewer misunderstandings means fewer returns, which is the point.
Look at the model from more than one angle before adding it to the cart, especially on anything where orientation matters — an arm, a hinge, a mount.
Performance
Configurators are built to load in well under two seconds on a reasonable connection. After that the work happens on your device, so panning and changing options stay smooth even on a weak network.
Any current browser on desktop, tablet or phone will run one. A device with hardware 3D acceleration will feel noticeably better, as with anything that draws in real time.
Services and subscriptions
Not everything in a configurator ends up in a box. Some products are work rather than goods — a fitment, an installation, a maintenance visit — and some are recurring agreements. They are configured and paid for the same way, and differ only in how they are fulfilled afterwards. See Fulfilment states.