3D CAD & FEA

         
 
As a key element of our technical expertise, we have a powerful 3D computer aided design capability. We use Solid Designer ™ software from CoCreate, enabling us to model prototype designs in three dimensions and construct complex assemblies, such as the Hydrogas unit, shown on the right.

We are able to import or export files in standard 3-D formats, to adopt customer interface requirements and facilitate engineering analyses. The 3-D assemblies can be animated to confirm dynamic operations and check for mechanical clashes.
Once the design has been developed in 3-D, two-dimensional manufacturing drawings are quickly produced using the associated 2-D software. The comprehensive Work Manager electronic data management package, ensures full configuration control and revision history is maintained.
 
   
   
         
 

Finite Element Analysis - FEA

Our products are frequently constrained by stringent requirements of maximum strength within tightly drawn weight and volume budgets. Comprehensive Finite Element Stress Analysis enables the design to be optimised to meet these conflicting parameters.

An excellent example of this is our solution to the design of the suspension road arm for the M777 ultra lightweight field howitzer. This towed weapon for rapid deployment used a ‘leading arm’ suspension arrangement, rather than the more usual ‘trailing arm’ to facilitate towability and a low-profile operational configuration. High suspension forces, in several planes, particularly when being towed through harsh, boulder-strewn terrain, must be carried by a structure produced to an overall weight budget of four tonnes for the total weight. Our development of lightweight steel box-section casting made extensive use of FEA to ensure that applied stress levels were minimised without any unnecessary section thicknesses in lightly stressed areas