CAD shows the way
18 November 2008
Computer aided 3D modelling has been key to the design and success of a sports navigation system.
When Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP) started development of the Satmap Active 10 navigation system, using computer aided 3D design was essential.
Supported by Innova Systems, CDP used the SolidWorks design tools for communication between their engineers, clients, investors and retailers, to ensure that the product went to market at the right price and with all the essential features.
With a mix of electronic and mechanical engineers and industrial designers, CDP’s 35-strong team undertake projects ranging from medical device development to DIY products.
“With the Satmap Active 10, our client had a very clear idea of what they wanted the product to be and how it should function,” said Tom Oakley, Chief Mechanical Engineer. “We initially used SolidWorks to create a solid model that demonstrated the size and feel of the intended design together with the layout of the controls. Being a hand held device, getting this right was essential. We were then able to present this model to the client,” added Oakley. At every stage of the design, CDP were able to share their design ideas and communicate design changes with their client by using on-line conferencing facilities.
“There is no doubt that this was a challenging design,” stated Oakley, adding: “It needed to be small and stylish, robust enough for outdoor sports usage and yet faster, more powerful and more effective than anything else in the market place. To achieve all this and to meet the agreed timescales and budgets, a lot of intense communication took place and SolidWorks played a key role in enabling that level of design discussion.”
Two important demands of the Satmap enclosure design were that it was to be watertight and shockproof. Both of these demands were met with the development of an enclosure that is comprised of two materials. One is a soft durable rubber compound, and the other is a hard plastic material. In addition to this, a lot of design work was undertaken to ensure that the final enclosure would be accurately and dependably assembled.
SolidWorks allowed the CDP engineers to implement and refine this design concept and create prototypes that could be field-tested. The CDP engineers also used COSMOS; a product within the SolidWorks suite of tools. COSMOS is a virtual environment that enables engineers to validate and simulate the real world conditions of their SolidWorks designs. It can simulate motion, undertake finite element analysis, and a host of other important validation processes.
“The development of prototypes and tooling for production is immensely expensive and time consuming, so using COSMOS we were able to resolve bugs and refine the components within the virtual computer environment. This ensured that both prototype production and the final injection mould tooling were right first time. SolidWorks also offers some powerful draft analysis technology to ensure that each component will be capable of being injection moulded without the risk of production issues. This was a very helpful feature for this particular project,” commented Oakley.
Throughout the project, Innova Systems provided support and guidance on SolidWorks issues. Innova is a UK reseller and training authority on 3D computer aided design. Innova have recently expanded their team to address the increasing demand for both SolidWorks and their training and consultancy services.
“The team at CDP are very capable engineers and in many ways, they know our products almost as well as we do,” said Mark Bradford, Managing Director of Innova Systems. “When we get a call from CDP, we know it’s going to be challenging. There are times when an engineer needs to discuss how best to tackle a design issue or maybe needs additional software tools to resolve a new issue, so we make ourselves available to assist in whatever way we can,” added Bradford.
The Innova support team makes use of technology that enables them to 'take over' a remote PC desktop with the client’s permission. This enables the Innova support engineers to actively demonstrate a SolidWorks feature or resolve a query on the customers’ computer screen.
Accordign to Oakley, there are many benefits to this. “It is a much faster and more effective way for us to resolve the design issues that arise, rather than 'the waving of hands that we can't see'. We can see the changes on the screen whilst talking with the support engineer and this improves our understanding of SolidWorks and how we should move forward. In fact, this is a technique we’ve now adopted for our own business. Also, an Innova engineer is always directly available and it’s always someone who is highly skilled in SolidWorks and engineering. With important deadlines looming and forecasts and budgets to meet, this level of support is essential for us, so that we can deliver the level of service to which we are committed,” he said.
One additional benefit of SolidWorks that was highlighted by the Active 10 project is its ability to help the mechanical designer address the requirements of a range of people and regulations that influence a final design. These included the client, investors, retailers, the electronics engineers, toolmakers, model-makers, the assemblers, testers, and regulations such as WEEE, RoHS, CE and EMC.
“As much as SolidWorks is a very powerful engineering design tool, for a company such as CDP, it is also a very powerful business tool,” said Oakley. “The Active 10 is a great product and an amazing achievement, I don’t think we could have achieved this success without access to the SolidWorks technology and Innova’s support,” he concluded.
Contact Details and Archive...
Related Articles...
Most Viewed Articles...